- May 23, 2015
- 25,762
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
New Spa owner - Questions regarding water changes, biofilm, and @ease
- Thread starter Certified106
- Start date
Did you clean and then fill and drain twice?
I was going to just try Clean/Drain, then refill/run pumps for a bit, drain refill and start adjusting chemistry.
I am running the pumps now and the water looks a little bubbly/cloudy
- - - Updated - - -
Filled the tub with water from the hose and then checked it straight from the tub before running pumps.
Also, After running the pumps for a bit on the rinse water I have this in the tub. Not a lot just this little bit floating around. Does it need another round of Ahhsome or is this just residual in the lines?
Quite normal, depending on location. I have a TA of ~250 here. Taking care of it is mentioned in the chlorine sticky, but essentially:
- Aerate the spa for 15-30 minutes, until your pH is around 8.
- Use PoolMath or the acid demand test to calculate acid needed to drop pH to around 7.
- Add acid, aerate spa for 15-30 minutes, until your pH is around 8.
- Repeat as needed until pH rise stops.
Check your TA every time, or every other time. When it starts getting down to around 70, be careful and start adding acid in smaller amounts. Also, when you get down here you're no longer looking to get the pH to 7, so start aiming for 7.4-7.6 and add acid in small amounts. Eventually your TA will get to the point (usually around 50 ppm) where aeration will no longer raise the pH. If you undershoot, as I often do due to impatience (hence my warning to slow down and add small acid doses when you get to around 70 ppm TA), you'll have to add some baking soda and aerate to get the pH back up again.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,762
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I would confirm the TA straight from the hose, not the tub. It’s possible if the Ahh-some is alkaline enough to throw off the TA reading. Otherwise, simply add acid, aerate until the pH comes up then repeat. Over time, each acid/aeration cycle will reduce the TA.
That looks like you still have some residual Ahh-some in the lines. I would NOT treat again but simply drain the tub and try to use something like a wet/dry shopvac to suction out the lines.
That looks like you still have some residual Ahh-some in the lines. I would NOT treat again but simply drain the tub and try to use something like a wet/dry shopvac to suction out the lines.
Thanks for all the help so far!!
The second fill of water looks fantastic with no crud floating in it. I measured out and added the CYA according to pool math and then dissolved it in a pair of panty hose in the tub. Just got done measuring the cya and it was just shy of 30 so I'm letting that go for right now. Currently working in knocking down the PH and TA. The TA is currently at 210 from 290.
The second fill of water looks fantastic with no crud floating in it. I measured out and added the CYA according to pool math and then dissolved it in a pair of panty hose in the tub. Just got done measuring the cya and it was just shy of 30 so I'm letting that go for right now. Currently working in knocking down the PH and TA. The TA is currently at 210 from 290.
PH is now 7.2 and TA is 90 with three doses. In the 4 months I have owned this thing I have never been able to get my TA under control until today!
- May 23, 2015
- 25,762
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You didn’t want to use dichlor?
Glad the water is behaving itself. TA will come down slowly with acid use. You should be able to drive it down quicker if you follow the acid-aeration method. Either way is fine. Higher TA will just mean that your pH will drift up more quickly.
Glad the water is behaving itself. TA will come down slowly with acid use. You should be able to drive it down quicker if you follow the acid-aeration method. Either way is fine. Higher TA will just mean that your pH will drift up more quickly.
I didn't have Dichlor and didn't want to have to watch how much I was putting in so I figured I would just get the CYA and use it. Actually it was pretty simple so I'm happy.
Water is now at
TA: 60
PH: of 7.2
I'm running the air blower and waiting to see if PH comes back up and they ran a 20 minute cycle and PH came up to 7.5.
TA is now at 50 and PH is 7.2. Aerating until it comes up just a bit and then time for bleach!
I am going to add bleach up to FC of 10.
How long until we can use this thing? Is it unsafe at a FC of 10?
I am going to add bleach up to FC of 10.
How long until we can use this thing? Is it unsafe at a FC of 10?
- May 23, 2015
- 25,762
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I personally don’t think I’d find it comfortable at 10ppm FC but that’s because I don’t like the smell of chlorine/chloramines on my skin and in the air from the aeration of the water. But that’s a personal opinion; from the standpoint of science, it will do you no harm if the water has 10ppm FC and 30ppm CYA.
Well for the first time ever and thanks to you all I have a purged clean spa with balanced water!!
I overshot the chlorine a little bit..... Woops, it's a FC of 12.5. so I won't be using it tonight. I am assuming this shock level of chlorine will dissipate by itself so we will see what I have tomorrow.
I am extremely curious to see how stable this is after all the ups and downs over the last 4 months. I really wish I had found this site and figured out how to balance water a lot sooner. It was a little bit of a process being the first time but I think the next time will take e half as long.
I overshot the chlorine a little bit..... Woops, it's a FC of 12.5. so I won't be using it tonight. I am assuming this shock level of chlorine will dissipate by itself so we will see what I have tomorrow.
I am extremely curious to see how stable this is after all the ups and downs over the last 4 months. I really wish I had found this site and figured out how to balance water a lot sooner. It was a little bit of a process being the first time but I think the next time will take e half as long.
- May 23, 2015
- 25,762
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
The addition of hydrogen peroxide to the water will convert the chlorine to chloride and those reduce FC (if you desperately wanted to use the hot tub). But waiting will work as well....
Hello Certified106: I realize I am preaching to the choir here on this forum because these guys get it. Whether you use the Ahh-some product or another purge product, you’ll be doing yourself a big favor. Don’t be fooled that you only had a small amount of biofilm released after the initial purge. Every ounce of the gook and grime you release means that your sanitizer demand will be attenuated. Please keep posting your future water test figures to the forum. Just so you know. Tftestkits.net
has the Ahh-some product at reduced prices. This forum really helps many thousands of hot tub owners. Everyone should
support these people. They work very hard to keep your hot tubs and pools operating trouble free. They are good people!
has the Ahh-some product at reduced prices. This forum really helps many thousands of hot tub owners. Everyone should
support these people. They work very hard to keep your hot tubs and pools operating trouble free. They are good people!
Thanks for the advice Ahhsome Guy! I intend to stay on top of this thing from the beginning the guys and gals on this forum have been awesome providing tons of assistance! I will check out the tftestkits for Ahh Some when in order the next jar. I only got the two ounce jar this time and wish I had gotten a bigger one. I really need to try Ahhsome in my front load washer.
When I do it I will order the right type.
Did I do the purge correctly or should I have done more?