Possibly Algae?

[frogabog]

I wouldn't run a spa without a good kit either, especially one connected to my pool. Assuming you'll use the hot tub over the winter of course. I like what Anona said, sounds like a good plan. If you close the pool, the SWG will be off and you'll have to chlorinate the hot tub manually regardless.

Just sayin... A kit will save you time and $. Knowing what's going on with the water whenever you want to know takes the guesswork out of... guessing everything. If you're not on the west coast, you'll receive it via fed ex ground in less than a week.

 

[RafaelS]

Hey guys, I have no intention of using the spa in the winter, I want to close the entire pool and not even think about during the winter, I have had so much renovation going on these first few months, and more to come, that I want nothing to do with the pool . Yes upon thinking some more i can isolate the tub from pool completely, only water that will mix will be whatever was left in the pipes when I switch from hot tub to pool filtration. My hot tub is probably FC at 5 right now as thats what the pool was on saturday and the same water flows into hot tub as pool (yes i know its a bit high). What i am thinking that since when i close in a week or so, all the water will be drained from pipes and the filters/motors? I think that is how its done. So would it be safe to say that I do not need to clear the algae out right now since the only place it grows will have no water? or do I still need to shock it before closing the pool? My biggest worry is I add too much shock and get into trouble as one of you guys mentioned. I think i might have to get the water tested before doing anything with the hot tub and figure out its capacity? should I take the water from tub for testing even though its the same water?

 

[RafaelS]

I guess I could head out to Leslie's and buy their $71 kit but what i dont want is to spend all this money now just to use for 2 days and then it goes bad over the winter, what is the life expectancy of the chemicals in these kits?

 

[frogabog]

The Leslie's kit is probably not the one you need anyway. They very rarely actually sell the FAS-DPD kit, it's been reported here many times that they only have the DPD kit even though their site says they sell the FAS-DPD. They re-label Taylor K-2005 and K-2006 kits with the Leslie's name. Same stuff, same reagents. You don't want the Taylore K-2005, make sure it's the K-2006 if you buy a Taylor kit (or re-labeled Leslie's). There should be a container of powder in the kit with a tiny blue scoop. If the kit you buy doesn't have this, decline to buy it.

Where are you located? TFTestkits is in NC. States neighboring NC seem to get the kit the day after it's shipped and anything east of the Mississippi is probalbly only 2 or 3 days out. If it doesn't have to go through the Memphis hub, it'll come fast.

EDIT: Reagents last a long time if stored properly. A couple years/seasons is very common, most people run out by then anyway. I'm using some 15+ year old reagents right now, they are still good (not all of them, but most).

 

[RafaelS]

I assume without the test kit I should not attempt anything? :/ I wanted to schedule my closing for next wednesday and if I have to order this kit and then go through shocking I will have to keep the pool open longer. I am attaching a pic for linen ( I believe he asked for one) I totally forgot until now and its dark so did not take a pic of the filter and piping, sorry! I am pretty sure I can isolate the system though so pic might not be needed?

 

[RafaelS]

frog, sorry I am in New Jersey

 

[RafaelS]

I am not sure if anyone here is math wiz or knows a good site that could help with measuring the spa volume. All these are somewhat estimates but should be pretty accurate. The hot tub is about 8 feet wide, and about 3'6" deep. However only 5' in middle are of full depth. There is a seat that is 1'6" wide all around the hot tub and there is 2' of water on top of it, so about 1'6" extra in the deep center. There is also a step on one side about a 1' wide that goes to almost the top of the hot tub where there would be hardly any water at all.

 

[linen]

I get 972 gallons before subtracting for your step. Can you describe the step a bit more? How long, how deep?

In reference to the pic, your pools looks great, but I was looking for a pic of you equipment. Sounds like you know how to isolate the spa though.

As others have said, I would encourage you to get a test kit, the strips tend to be unreliable.

 

[frogabog]

That's a really nice pool. I'm jealous.

It's screaming...

Get me a a test kit! Who cares when you close me!

 

[RafaelS]

Thanks ! It does need some landscaping done around it, it looks so empty ! I plan on doing some work in the next couple weeks and maybe next year. I guess I will be ordering the test kit today, hopefully I get it next week. Guys, if I go have the water tested at my local place on saturday, can I shock with those results or will I have to continue checking the levels every once in a while? The step is hard to describe as it has an odd shape, best I could say its about 1'x1' square, it sits on top of the sitting area and reaches the top of the water (well almost), its like a seat on top of the seat that goes around the hot tub. I can try to take a pic tonight and post it.

 

[RafaelS]

I get 972 gallons before subtracting for your step. Can you describe the step a bit more? How long, how deep?

In reference to the pic, your pools looks great, but I was looking for a pic of you equipment. Sounds like you know how to isolate the spa though.

As others have said, I would encourage you to get a test kit, the strips tend to be unreliable.

Linen, I think my measurements and ur math are pretty accurate I just looked at the pool bill the sellers left and it states 1,000 gallons spa Now we know who the math wiz is around here !, would it be safe to say the 1,000 gallons is if the pool was completely full? I imagine i would need to subtract a bit from that.

 

[RafaelS]

linen, here is pic of the hot tub and the step, there is actually some water over the top right now with all the rains, usually its a bit lower but you can get an idea.
Do you guys think I can get started tomorrow by getting the water tested in a local shop, or do I need to have the kit available to check levels every so often ?

 

[linen]

Linen, I think my measurements and ur math are pretty accurate I just looked at the pool bill the sellers left and it states 1,000 gallons spa Now we know who the math wiz is around here !, would it be safe to say the 1,000 gallons is if the pool was completely full? I imagine i would need to subtract a bit from that.

You measurements were the hard part. The math was easy

Looks like that step only removes ~13 gallons from the final volume.

I would not avoid getting a good test kit, but I think you could start shocking if you can get your CYA level from ps. Then I would get a 2 way OTO chlorine test and ph test kit from walmart to get you by until you get a good kit. Since the volume is small, and you know it, you could dose using poolcalculator.com, then use the OTO chlorine test with say a 3:1 dilution of distilled or RO water as the 3 and spa water as the 1 then multiple the result from the OTO test by 4 to know you chlorine level...to know when to add more bleach/liquid chlorine.

Another thought, and this might be dangerous (do at your own risk)...seeing how good your pool looks, and how little water is in the spa auxillary pump (where it is green?) it might be possible to get rid of this algae by just continuously running that pump and run the rest of your pool normal. I would then probably raise FC for the whole pool a few ppm, and actually put the chlorine in the spa The risk is that algae is not killed by normal FC levels in the pool might actually require you to do the shocking process on the whole pool at some point? Anyone else have a thought here?

 

[RafaelS]

So you mean use 3 parts of RO water for 1 part of Hot tub water, and whatever I Get for cholorine I multiply x4 ? why the multiplication? I thought the test would give an accurate number
I really like your other idea but would like some input from others because as you suggets it could be risky and I am bit afraid of pool getting contaminated. It might be easiest for me since I dont know much about water testing and the whole shocking process sounds a bit confusing to me, although once done I would most likely find it easy

 

[linen]

So you mean use 3 parts of RO water for 1 part of Hot tub water, and whatever I Get for chlorine I multiply x4 ? why the multiplication? I thought the test would give an accurate number

Since the OTO test can only really measure up to ~5 ppm chlorine, you dilute your sample like you said, but then the measurement is 1/4th of the real Total Chlorine level of the spa water. Hence multiply the OTO chlorine test by 4 to get the real (albeit not very accurate) result.

really like your other idea but would like some input from others because as you suggets it could be risky and I am bit afraid of pool getting contaminated. It might be easiest for me since I dont know much about water testing and the whole shocking process sounds a bit confusing to me, although once done I would most likely find it easy

I like it too, but I would think someone on here can share actual experience with algae in the plumbing of an attached spa? Anyone??

 

[RafaelS]

Doesnt look like anyone likes me enough to help

 

[frogabog]

Yeah, you stink. :~}

JK, I'm sure someone will pop up. I don't have such a pool.

Personally I'd start shocking the spa right now, but I think I have a pretty good handle on chemistry and shocking so I would feel comfortable doing it without the good kit. Were I you with the limited information (for now, you will soon be comfortable too) I might feel hesitant but if you do like Linnen said with the OTO, you can start now. With our help it'll be ok, just post here when you have questions.

I had also thought about using the whole pool, because there's a chance the pool needs to be shocked anyway. But I was thinking shock the whole pool instead of just raising the FC level and that will take more chlorine. I still think I'd start with the spa itself if you can isolate it. Test results from the pool and spa from today would be helpful.

 

[RafaelS]

I have not had the water tested today, we had some appointments and friends comming over for the fight today and did not get a chance, that plus I figured I would just wait for my test kit to get here to start testing, especially after reading some people saying here that shops give such different results from place to place. I ordered the TF-100 kit (I believe thats what its called) and it should be here by wednesday. The weather been so nice last few days and water still pretty warm that we can use the pool a few more days and I can close in another week or two. Hopefully I can figure out how to use the kit when it gets here

 

[frogabog]

You should probably put some chlorine into the spa while you wait. You can decide if to use the dilution method with the OTO kit or not (yellow chlorine, red ph) to see if you're keeping close to shock level.

You can use the pool calculator to determine what amount of chlorine is needed to go from 0-shock level for the spa. Use the CYA level of the pool and assume that at least one dose each day will be necessary. Expect to loose 50% to sunlight, and some more for algae. I wouldn't dose 0-shock twice a day as a standard though, maybe do 1/2 doses after the first one twice a day (when sun is on the spa). The problem lies in how much chlorine is lost after you add the first dose, and how soon. Although most algae water will lose ~30% of the chlorine at the first hour test. Your spa could eat up everything within a few hours of the first dose. You won't know unless you test. OTO is better than nothing if you have one.

The key to beating the algae is keeping the chlorine maintained at high levels so it kills and stops re-growth.

Which leads me to my fence...

Putting chlorine into it now is both good and bad. It's good because even if it's not at shock level all the time, if there's chlorine in there it will prevent some further growth. It's like a bandaid measure. The algae won't get much worse while you wait. It's bad because you'll be wasting some chlorine because it's only maiming the algae, the real kill will be when you can maintain shock level.

I'm on the fence in some ways, but it IS a spa, not a huge pool. The volume is low. A couple of bottles of chlorine wasted for a few days as a bandaid... not going to break the bank and even if you overdose it a little it will be fine. Mustard algae shock level is very high, unless you're above MA shock for a long time your pool/spa will be fine.

Pool calculator is your friend, trust it.

 

[RafaelS]

I am not sure what you mean by 0-shock level ? I thought I am supposed to take the FC level and then add to the suggested shock level (or FC level), unless I am not understanding shocking at all. I do not have any OTO test kit and will not be buying it, I should get the kit in a couple of days and just cant spend money on something that I will use for couple of days. Are you saying I have mustard algae? also do i need to know what algae it is and how would I ever figure that out?
Second issue is that i cant really do any work on the hot tub untill around 6pm at night when i get home so shocking twice a day is really out of the question, i would need to shut off the filter when I go to bed and switch the filter back to pool as it comes on during the night when I am still asleep. I can only run the filter on hot tub for about 5 hours each night. That or do it during the weekend, I can then start around 1 or 2pm when pool was filtered enough, although I wanted to close the pool this comming weekend for good.