New Spa Owner wondering about ClearRay and an Ozonator

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L

Lacey

0
Jul 2, 2016
25
Lincoln, Nebraska
Hello,

We have just purchased a new spa and I don't have a lot of experience with spas. I do however have an AGP and have had no issues using bleach and MA. I like the simplicity and control of testing and knowing exactly what chemicals are in my pool and being able to adjust that based on usage. My questions / concerns are, this hottub comes with a clearray UV-C technology and an ozonator. I'm told both turn off when the jets are turned on. I have done a little reading about the ozonator and how it is better if they can turn on and off. Apparently, this ozonator is programmable. I have also done some reading about how the ozonator is only a good option if the spa is being frequently used. I have no doubt the spa will be used by 2-4 people daily for at least the first several months. What would be a good suggestion for amount of time we should program the ozonator to run? I think it's only an once a day setting, as in, I cannot have it turn on for an hour and off for an hour etc. It's more like it can turn on and xx:xx and off at xx:xx every day. Also, the dealer told me it is a small ozonator since it has the clearray. I'm honestly just considering disconnecting both for simplicity. Any experience with the clearray? Will this also interact with my chlorine?

For what it's worth, it's a Sundance Optima 880 Series Spa. I will be doing a thorough cleaning with Ahh-Some before using, as this tub was filled in the store.

This is what Sundance advertises with the Clearray:
With the CLEARRAY® Water Management System, even the busiest family can maintain ultra-clean, clear water.

  • Add sanitizer after each use
  • Test and balance the pH weekly
  • Rinse your filter monthly
  • Drain and refill water every 3–6 months
  • Replace filters and CLEARRAY® bulb yearly
  • Replace the optional CLEARRAY® PRO3TECT™ Automatic Oxidizer every five years
It’s that easy. If you have more questions about hot tub maintenance and water care, take a look at our question and answer section.

Whenever I hear the words "it's that easy" from a pool store, it makes my brain scream TROUBLE!

Also, I get to pick out a chemical start up kit. I said I'd just take some dichlor. He's trying to talk me into trying Prestine Blue, as "it is just dichlor, but it stays in your tub a lot longer and so you use less chemicals" Suggestions on what to take for the start up chemicals?

As always, thank you for all the help and advise!
Lacey
 
So it looks like you're already familiar with the TFP method for pools, so you're most of the way there. It sounds like you plan to use chlorine in your spa? I'd suggest reviewing the sticky on that. My understanding (I don't have a pool but I've read a bunch of threads on them) is that it's pretty similar, with some changes. You'll want a CYA of 20-30 ppm. Due to the extreme levels of aeration in a spa vs a pool, spas need the TA brought down to around 50 ppm to stabilize pH rise. This is outlined in the sticky, but don't get caught up on the exact number, it's a somewhat approximate goal. What you're looking for is a pH in the normal range after 20-30 minutes of running the jets with air. Until you get the TA down to the level the pH rise is stable, it will always be over 8 after a 20-30 minute jet run with air. Once you get it dialed in, the pH should be rock solid.

UV and Ozone: Generally, neither of these is recommended on TFP, at least for continuous usage. Ozone can reactivate bromide ions, and can be of use in a bromine spa, but if you are using chlorine it's generally not used, as ozone will quickly break down FC. UV will also break down chlorine, but can be useful to break down CCs if they build up. However, with an outdoor spa you can just open it up to the sun for an hour or two. If you don't want to do that, since you already have the UV you could run it for a few hours after a soak to keep CCs down, but running it constantly will only break down your FC rapidly.

Chemicals: You will need CYA, acid, liquid chlorine. Many people add 50 ppm borates (borax or boric acid) for water feel and additional pH stability, but it's not needed. If you overshoot your acid additions, you may need some baking soda to bring your TA back up a tad. That's it. I'm assuming you already have what you need from your pool supplies already. The sticky outlines dichlor then bleach, but honestly if you already have CYA for your pool, I'd probably suggest just adding 20-30 ppm of CYA the same way you'd add it to a pool (sock hung in front of return) so you don't have to buy dichlor. Then you'll add liquid chlorine from the start, and skip the process of keeping track of how much CYA you added with each dichlor addition.

A small "gram scale" from Amazon for $7 can help with measuring the small quantities of CYA or dichlor added. You only need 1.5 oz of CYA to raise the CYA by 30 ppm in a 370 gallon spa, or 3.0 oz of dichlor (added in segments of 0.2-0.4 oz based on FC need, which is tiny). I use a small plastic container on my gram scale and zero it for measuring my dichlor.

A small (1 cup) clear plastic measuring cup with lines for measuring acid would also be handy.

Lastly, it's a good idea to purge your new hot tub with Ahh-Some, drain and refill before using the tub. I've seen pictures here of people purging new hot tubs and the junk that comes out is gross. :pukel:

P.S. Prestine Blue is not dichlor. There actually is zero dichlor (sodium dichloro-S-triazinetrione) in it! The sanitizer is lithium hypoclorite, which is a perfectly acceptable form of chlorine, but it's pricey and so generally not used. But it also has a bunch of other stuff (lithium carbonate, sodium sulfate, water, sodium chloride, potassium bisulfate, lithium chloride, lithium chlorate, and lithium hydroxide) that I don't know what they do, but do know they are 100% not needed.
 
I've used Pristine Blue. It's a mineral based system that uses copper. I found it to be ineffective and constantly had trouble with cloudy water. You have to shock with chlorine after each use. The shocking is what sanitizes the water. You can skip the Pristine Blue and just shock with dichlor after use. You'll get the same results. You're much better off using the TFP method. Pristine Blue offers zero value.
 
Arobbert said:
I've used Pristine Blue. It's a mineral based system that uses copper. I found it to be ineffective and constantly had trouble with cloudy water. You have to shock with chlorine after each use. The shocking is what sanitizes the water. You can skip the Pristine Blue as it works just as well to just shock with dichlor after use. You're much better off using the TFP method. Pristine Blue offers zero value.
Click to expand...

In my opinion if you have to shock after each use what is the point in using it? I would just use the TFP method and then not have to worry about it.
 
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