New hot tub chemistry problem

[bluegirl]

Hi all,
Our new hot tub(175US gal) was installed a couple of days ago. The installer added all the chemicals that came with the tub. There has been an overwhelming chlorine smell ever since. They supplied test strips & I have a TF-100 kit. My tests don't come close to the strip tests. I haven't added any more chlorine granules until today. Before adding it I tested with the strips and got 0 FC.& pH 7.8. With my K-1000 FC/pH kit the FC was also 0 but the pH colour wasn't resembling anything on the scale of my K-1000 kit. I added the recommended amount of granules & tested an hour later. Strip=2FC/8.0 pH. My DPD test registered 0 FC while my K-1000 kit read off the charts high. Any insight as to what is happening here? When I test my pool water in the summer, the numbers just make sense, these do not. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mdragger88]

What exactly was added?
Take pics if necessary.
What are the cc’s with the fas dpd test?
What color is the ph?
What is the ta?

 

[VinnyinNJ]

Just my opinion but empty the tub, do a Ahhsome purge, rinse and start with fresh water. You will have better control of the water with an understanding of what you need and put in. Trust the test kit. I will say that I had more issues with my tub than my pool for some reason, once I learned the water it got just as easy.

The best advice I've ever heard on spa water care is if it is giving you issues dump and refill.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Yeah. I would purge the tub with Ahhsome and then dump that initial fill. Refill and start over. Use the TFP recommended procedure for the dichlor-then-bleach method (liquid chlorine rather than bleach as most store bought bleaches nowadays have fabric protection additives in them. So just use pool store liquid chlorine).

 

[bluegirl]

What exactly was added?
Take pics if necessary.
What are the cc’s with the fas dpd test?
What color is the ph?
What is the ta?

The chemicals are proprietary to Beachcomber Hot tubs here in Canada. This is the kit that came with the tub:

CARE FREE TOTE

Beachcomber’s Care Free Water Care program has been engineered to create an extraordinary experience every time you step into your hot tub.

www.beachcomberhottubs.com

I retested yesterday and with my kit
DPD: FC 1.0 CC 0.5
pH 8.2.
TA 150
CH 60.
Their test strip says FC 0, pH 7.2 TA 180 CH 100 CYA 75. These are all a judgement call as the colours are so close.

Today with my kit I got FC 0 pH 8.2 & the strip I got FC 0 pH 7.2. TA 180 CH 100 CYA 75.

They recommend we add Chlorine every time we use it.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Hot tubs need chemical maintenance every day, not just when you use it. The FC needs to be maintained consistently or else you risk bacterial growth that can range from mild skin irritating bacteria (pseudomonas) to “put you in the hospital on a ventilator” legionella bacteria. Bacteria will form biofilms on the internal plumbing surfaces that are impossible to destroy with chlorine. This is why TFP recommends purging all tubs with Ahhsome, even new ones. Biofilms are reservoirs for bacteria and they will create a constant sanitizer demand unless they are removed effectively.

Most of those specialty spa chemicals are useless. Most hot tubs can easily be maintained with cheap, grocery or pool store equivalents. Accurate testing is key so you should just toss the test strips as they are useless.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

If you use a hot tub every day then yes add chlorine every time you use it. If you skip a day and you test it and there's a residue of free chlorine you're probably OK as far as bacteria growth but you should then dose for the FC be about 3 before using it again and you have to be aware that bacteria can and will grow with 0 chlorine. You need to keep dosing between uses if any length of time is going to pass, if you go on vacation you may want to shock before and after vacation. As your CYA goes up from dichlor the chlorine will become less effective once you go over 30 PPM or so. At 30 PPM time to switch to bleach/pool chlorine. The general rule of thumb is you want 3 PPM FC 20 minutes after dosing for a safe tub, make sure you run all the pumps when dosing to get it into anywhere that has water. Also, ditch the strips and trust the test kit.

It's a funny thing about a biofilm. Before Ahhsome came along the general rule of thumb was to shock the tub with a very high amount of chlorine to "scour" the pipes. Ahhsome came around and showed everyone how much crud is actually in their pipes. The first time I used it on my tub I was shocked at how dirty my water got and I was up on my water.

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

Don't mean to scare you, But! Everyone who owns a HoT Tub should read the above post from JoyfulNoise.
His advice is spot on. Forget about the thousands of people who contract hot tub folliculitis every single day from a type of bacteria, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. That is mild compared to other waterborne issues that are lurking within the bio-fouling slime that chlorine and bromine cannot penetrate and eliminate From plumbing and jets. The big scary one is Legionella. Legionella can be extremely deadly. Just a few years ago at a NC fair there were 4 deaths and 130 people sickened from people simply walking by a hot tub display. Look it up, that was just one instance. 32 people were killed in Holland in 1999 at a flower show where numerous hot tubs were found to be the culprit. 200 additional people were sickened as well. These hot tubs on display were not being used but were filled with water and the jets were on. I speak the truth. I talk until I'm blue in the face about the benefits of purging biofilm from hot tub and also indoor jetted bathtubs. You don't need to use our product. Just PURGE your hot tub at least every 6 months with an effective product engineered to do the clean out. Swim Spas also need purging. Yes, you need to dump the water after this is performed. People just hate to dump the water. New tubs, old tubs, highly maintained tubs and under maintained hot tubs and swim spas need to perform this maintenance function. Some dealers and even manufacturers won't tell you about biofilms. They want to sell tubs and tell you that it is so easy to maintain. I say SOME because there are many more dealers who do in fact educate their clients as they should. Tubs are easy to maintain if you purge on a regular basis, always maintain adequate sanitizer, test regularly with a "drop test kit" and provide regular maintenance protocols on the filters and overall housekeeping duties associated with the vessel. You will typically not have to ever worry about getting rashes or any sickness from hot tubs if you follow the information outlined in this forum by experts. Again, I hate to scare anyone. I just want you to know that you need to perform some housekeeping duties and practice generally accepted hot tub/swim spa water maintenance and regular testing to always enjoy a healthy hot tub.

 

[Mdragger88]

The chemicals are proprietary to Beachcomber Hot tubs here in Canada. This is the kit that came with the tub:

CARE FREE TOTE

Beachcomber’s Care Free Water Care program has been engineered to create an extraordinary experience every time you step into your hot tub.

www.beachcomberhottubs.com

I retested yesterday and with my kit
DPD: FC 1.0 CC 0.5
pH 8.2.
TA 150
CH 60.
Their test strip says FC 0, pH 7.2 TA 180 CH 100 CYA 75. These are all a judgement call as the colours are so close.

Today with my kit I got FC 0 pH 8.2 & the strip I got FC 0 pH 7.2. TA 180 CH 100 CYA 75.

They recommend we add Chlorine every time we use it.

Cya of over 50 in a spa makes it impractical to maintain proper fc levels
FC/CYA Levels
At the very least you need a water exchange to reduce that to the 30 ppm range (so roughly 1/2 drain & refill).
Even brand new tubs can contain biofilms as they are wet tested at the factory so you might as well just purge now then refill & start over using this guide

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

If you have a question about any information within this Sticky, please start a new thread for yourself where you will receive very quick responses to your specific questions. Thank you! Introduction There are two main things to consider when maintaining your hot tub water, Water Balance and...

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what is ahh-some?

What is Ahh-some?

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You must maintain fc above minimum for your cya at all times lest nasties will proliferate rapidly in a hot tub. There are no inbetweens with the cya test & it is always rounded up if between, so yours counts as 80ppm which means maintaining a minimum of 6ppm at all times & shock/slam level is 31ppm.
FC/CYA Levels
This means dosing daily whether you use the tub or not + each time you use the tub ensuring fc is high enough before using to account for the impending bather load.
Dichlor raises cya so once you have reached 30ppm cya you should switch to liquid chlorine/unadulterated bleach for chlorination.
- use
PoolMath effects of adding to see all the ways each chem effects your water.

 

[Jay G]

Don't mean to scare you, But! Everyone who owns a HoT Tub should read the above post from JoyfulNoise.
His advice is spot on. Forget about the thousands of people who contract hot tub folliculitis every single day from a type of bacteria, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa...........

100% Could not agree more, friends and family think I'm nuts with how neurotic I am with my levels.. I'm not nuts I just don't want a rash, a .. um.. lady's hoo-hah to fall off or ya know, die. I'm actually to the point now that I NEVER travel without a test kit.



Okay, maybe I am a little nuts.

 

[bluegirl]

Wow, what an amazing thread! I'm a gonna get me some Ahh-some to start with and start over. Oh, and definitely ditch the strips and go with my kit. I know it well. Thanks all for all this valuable info.

 

[Methuselah]

Sounds like you want to learn, that's good!

If readings you thing, I'd suggest as secondary "study" salt water generators (SWG), MPS, and this short post...