Hi, Sue from CT here. Hot tub is in an enclosed porch. Had exactly one year. Don't want to change water every 3 months. Necessary? pH is stubbornly low and doesn't budge with Plus. Need to put in a heaping tablespoon of chlorine in EVERY day! Eyes and skin burning from low pH. Can I raise pH with 20 Mule team Borax? Amount? 430 gallons. Or do I need to change water and start all over? Thank you so much!
pH too low and won't budge in hot tub
- Thread starter Monkeymommie
- Start date
How are you testing? Do you have other water test results? pH, TA, FC (free chlorine), CC (combined chlorine)?
If you use the spa on a regular basis, changing water every few months is pretty much required. The exact interval depends on your specific usage. The CC measurement is useful for determining when the water might need to be changed.
santacruzpool
Gold Supporter
As the others have asked/mentioned already, you really need a good test kit to know the correct steps needed and to properly take care of your spa. "Plus" is not something that is typically used or recommended by the teachings here - to raise PH the spa jets normally are all I need - my PH climbs all the time until I get my TA to 50 - then it is much more stable.
It also sounds like your heaping tablespoon of bleach might be creating problems (is it dichlor??). To much dichlor can lower the PH and raise CYA to high. Most spa users will use dichlor powder for just a little while on a fresh fill and then switch to liquid chlorine (aka bleach).
How Do I use chlorine in my spa
How are you testing your water?
You really need a Taylor based test kit - the TF-100 is the most recommended on this site for good reason - the next most recommended is K2006C. For a hot tub you could get by with a smaller Taylor K-1004 kit, but only if you are very careful with your water and you do the water changes frequently.
Test Kits Compared
I happen to have a K-2005 for my hot tub, and a TF-100 that I use for my big pool. They use the same Taylor reagents and are very similar. I like the high chlorine DPD Test block that I use with my K-2005 for my hot tub and the more frequent testing I do on it. For my pool I really like the TF-100. The TF-100 (and 2006C) have the powdered DPD tests which are really important for proper FC testing and management.
3 month water changes are not unheard of - and depending on the bather load might be needed no matter what.
It also sounds like your heaping tablespoon of bleach might be creating problems (is it dichlor??). To much dichlor can lower the PH and raise CYA to high. Most spa users will use dichlor powder for just a little while on a fresh fill and then switch to liquid chlorine (aka bleach).
How Do I use chlorine in my spa
How are you testing your water?
You really need a Taylor based test kit - the TF-100 is the most recommended on this site for good reason - the next most recommended is K2006C. For a hot tub you could get by with a smaller Taylor K-1004 kit, but only if you are very careful with your water and you do the water changes frequently.
Test Kits Compared
I happen to have a K-2005 for my hot tub, and a TF-100 that I use for my big pool. They use the same Taylor reagents and are very similar. I like the high chlorine DPD Test block that I use with my K-2005 for my hot tub and the more frequent testing I do on it. For my pool I really like the TF-100. The TF-100 (and 2006C) have the powdered DPD tests which are really important for proper FC testing and management.
3 month water changes are not unheard of - and depending on the bather load might be needed no matter what.
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