Switching from Frog @ease to DiChlor - Insights

[DanThaMan]

Hi All, we just got out new Jacuzzi 365 and it came with the silly Frog @ease system.. needless to say I am not a fan.

I contacted King Industries regarding the process to switch from "Smartchlor" to traditional Dichlor, and was told all I need to do is remove the SmartChlor cartridge and begin using the Dichlor. When I followed up regarding the "false CC" readings due to the SmartChlor they said it will go away fairly quickly after removing the cartridge since my CYA levels are still below 30.

My hope is that this is what will actually happen, and I would love to hear if others have gone through this without issue.

I have only had the tub filled for 9 days, and do not want to drain/refill.

Please advise on your experience and any/all feedback is welcome.

 

[Mdragger88]

Be sure to follow the FC/CYA Levels at all times.
Follow this guide & switch to liquid chlorine when cya reaches 30ppm or so

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

If you have a question about any information within this Sticky, please start a new thread for yourself where you will receive very quick responses to your specific questions. Thank you! Introduction There are two main things to consider when maintaining your hot tub water, Water Balance and...

www.troublefreepool.com

Were you using mps “non chlorine oxidizing shock” in conjunction with the frog? That is generally the cause of false cc’s. It can take time to dissipate & it depends upon how much you have used.

 

[DanThaMan]

Be sure to follow the FC/CYA Levels at all times.
Follow this guide & switch to liquid chlorine when cya reaches 30ppm or so

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

If you have a question about any information within this Sticky, please start a new thread for yourself where you will receive very quick responses to your specific questions. Thank you! Introduction There are two main things to consider when maintaining your hot tub water, Water Balance and...

www.troublefreepool.com

Were you using mps “non chlorine oxidizing shock” in conjunction with the frog? That is generally the cause of false cc’s. It can take time to dissipate & it depends upon how much you have used.

I have been using MPS (1oz/person) each time we get out of the tub. More concerned about the persistent CC readings resulting from the smartchlor "reserve"...

 

[Mdragger88]

They are likely at least in part from the mps - it reads as cc’s without the use of a special interference reagent. Mps is only an oxidizer- not a sanitizer. Chlorine is both oxidizer & sanitizer & if used in adequate amounts is very effective at both jobs.
If you want the cc’s to read accurately either get the interference reagent or discontinue the use of mps.

Eliminating Interference From Potassium…

For any cc’s that remain due to the smartchlor concoction you may just have to ignore them until they go away as you continue to use dichlor/liquid chlorine.
Unfortunately that makes it hard to really measure the health of your water since cc’s are an important indicator especially in a spa.
If you haven’t ever done an Ahhsome purge/drain/refill you should do one soon anyway & then you can start fresh without all these interferences. Even brand new tubs can have biofilms in the plumbing due to the fact that they are all wet tested at the factory & it’s nearly impossible to fully evacuate them allowing things to grow while in transit to you.

 

[DanThaMan]

They are likely at least in part from the mps - it reads as cc’s without the use of a special interference reagent. Mps is only an oxidizer- not a sanitizer. Chlorine is both oxidizer & sanitizer & if used in adequate amounts is very effective at both jobs.
If you want the cc’s to read accurately either get the interference reagent or discontinue the use of mps.

Eliminating Interference From Potassium…

For any cc’s that remain due to the smartchlor concoction you may just have to ignore them until they go away as you continue to use dichlor/liquid chlorine.
Unfortunately that makes it hard to really measure the health of your water since cc’s are an important indicator especially in a spa.
If you haven’t ever done an Ahhsome purge/drain/refill you should do one soon anyway & then you can start fresh without all these interferences. Even brand new tubs can have biofilms in the plumbing due to the fact that they are all wet tested at the factory & it’s nearly impossible to fully evacuate them allowing things to grow while in transit to you.

Thanks Mdragger! I will likely suck it up and purge/drain/refill this weekend...would you compare Ahhsome to the Aquafinesse purge puck?

 

[Mdragger88]

Ahhsome is the only one I use & the only one I know of that has epa approval.
it’s blown every other purge product it’s been up against out of the water (pun intended).
They all cost about the same per use (Ahhsome is less expensive than several because you use such a small amount) so why not go for the proven winner in my opinion.
I have no experience with Aquafinesse but it looks to be mostly washing soda mixed with some corrosive things.

https://www.tubs.fr/includes/languages/english/docs/AFN-50-6303-SDS.pdf

here’s a comparison of it to Ahhsome - he also has many other purge comparisons on his site as well

Controlling Biofilms in Hot Tubs and Spas – part 1 - rvdoug.com

Controlling Biofilms in Hot Tubs and Spas - part 1 My first set of experiments Residential Hot Tub and Spa manufacturers, as well as consumers, are becoming more and more aware of the presence and impact of a contamination known as biofilms -- collections of microorganisms that anchor themselves...

rvdoug.com

 

[JoeSelf]

I can attest to purging a new tub. You should have seen all the crud that came out of mine with Ahhsome! This is one picture. I wiped this from the entire perimiter the entire time my jets ran. As soon as I got all the way around, I had to start wiping the crud up again. Never ending circles. Let is sit a while after the first run and run the jets again to see if you get anything.

IMG_20220629_142812_01.jpg

• JoeSelf
• Jul 1, 2022