Spa and Pool chemistry testing

[SWP Mary]

Hello All...

I trust you are having a happy summer and staying cool via your happy, blue pools!

I have a quick question...sadly this just dawned on me but I've only been moderating my own pool for a month or so now...so be gentle!

I have an AG spa that flows into my IG pool...I have been busily adjusting my pool's chemistry and completely ignoring my spas with the understanding (read assumption) that because the water circulates from the pool into and out of the spa that I only have to worry about one, not the other.

Should I be testing both and adjusting as if they are independent of each other or just testing the pool chemistry?

I have not had any issues with the spa since managing the pool's chemistry. The one day this dawned on me, the spa levels were all within norms except it needed a bit more chlorine, other than that it seems good. I run the spillway for 15 minutes each day just to keep the water circulated. And the pool is currently running for 12 hours in the daytime with the SWG @75% - pool/3% - spa.

My pool pH was 7.6 today so I added a cup MA; FC 4.0, CC 0, TC 4.0.

I just wanted to check in with people in the know if I needed to test the spa daily as well? Or weekly? Or monthly? Or just trust that the circulation will mix the chemistry appropriately for me???

Thanks in advance for your expertise and help!

 

[ajw22]

We need to understand how your spa and pool plumbing are interconnected. When your spillway is not runnng is there water circulating and being filtered in your spa independently of your pool?

15 minutes of circulation daily for your spa is not enough if they both run off of one pump and filter.

 

[SWP Mary]

If I do not know the answer to that question...how would I find it?

 

[ajw22]

Post some pics of your pool and controls and equipment pad and pipes, pumps, and valves and we will try and help you figure it iut.

 

[SWP Mary]

Ok...I think I did that...it should be in the gallery under pool equipment...SWP Mary search?

Thanks!

There are five pics...3 equipment, one spa, one pool

 

[ajw22]

Ok...I think I did that...it should be in the gallery under pool equipment...SWP Mary search?

Thanks!

There are five pics...3 equipment, one spa, one pool

You have a single pump, filter and SWG that services your pool and spa together. Right now your spa is not getting filtered or chlorinated water 23 hours and 45 minutes out of the day. Chances are your spa is losing all of it's FC during the day sunlight.

You should have water circulating through your spa and down your spillway most, if not all, of the the time your pool is running. You want your spa filtered and chlorinated as much as your pool is.

I don't know what controls you have that turn on the spa flow and spillway.

Below is the pic of the motorized valve that controls your spa return. The handle is missing from that valve so I can't tell where it is set to. I suspect the spa return is fully closed. That Jandy motorized valve can be opened and reset so that it gives a partial flow through the spa return when the pool is operating. The manual for the Jandy valve is here --> https://www.jandy.com/~/media/zodiac/global/downloads/h/h0570800.pdf?force=1




You have another motorized Jandy valve on your skimmers and you can see the handle on that pic.

 

[Dodger]

You should have water circulating through your spa and down your spillway most, if not all, of the the time your pool is running. You want your spa filtered and chlorinated as much as your pool is.

Another opinion here:

To run the spillway all day seems like huge overkill. If you don't have a rising pH problem, it may be okay. But so many posters here do have rising pH, and all day spillover can be a big contributor to that problem.

It would be more prudent, and the TFP way, to understand your own spa and it's FC consumption. Depending on how often, how long, and how many human bodies are in it, and how much sun it gets, you shouldn't need to chlorinate it all day. Test your spa water a few times a day for a little while and see how it behaves. Test it right before you circulate pool water into it. And right after that spillover runs. And maybe at the end of the sunny day.

These data points will tell you how much you need to replenish from the pool and if 3% is a sufficient setting on your SWCG for Spa Mode. Keep in mind that with a VSP, it's not just how long you run spillover, but at what speed/GPM and how many gallons of water are needed to replenish your spa. So a blanket "15 minutes" can be a misleading number.

I personally run my spillover 20 minutes per day, plus I get another ~6 minutes of pool water into the spa while my floor system cycle runs. I regularly monitor spa FC level and it stays at my target (6.5ppm) with these settings. And I usually have the SWCG % at ZERO in Spa Mode. This works for our usage profile. YMMV (which is my point.)

 

[SWP Mary]

Dodger:

Ok....I will test the FC in the spa as suggested. I run the spillway 15 minutes/day and the spa system itself 15 minutes/day as well without heat. Spa first, spillway shortly after so 30 minutes total just to get water mixed and moving. The system is exposed to sun from sunup to sundown and I do have a slowly rising pH.

ajw22:

Thank you for the valve manual...I will look at that and see how to adjust. I have a remote that allows me to adjust most levels but I do not think it allows me to manage the valves...I will look in to that. I have the option to call the builder and see what he thinks...but he is the one who said I never had to do anything to it ever and it would be fine so I may read the manual first! LOL

This is good thanks so much...a great place to start...I will report back to follow up! YAY!

 

[SWP Mary]

Ok...so for follow up purposes...when I tested the FC in the spa it was slightly lower than the pool but still within the 3.0-4.0FC range. It stays pretty stable...just like the pool. The pH varies from the pool but also stays within a normal range, it adjusts in tandem with the pool as I manage that pH.

So bottom line...I have needed to check the pool mainly and the spa occasionally, as the pool health directly affects the hot tub/spillway health. Good to know! Thanks to all who helped!