thehottublady: How to balance Alkalinity &...

thehottublady:

How to balance Alkalinity & pH

Congratulations you just got a new hot tub and a box of chemicals.  Now what.  Well there are lots of ways to take care of a hot tub, but no matter what sanitizer system you use you always have to start with the Alkalinity and pH this is the same across the board with any sanitizer.

Always start with alkalinity.  It is the buffer for everything else if it is not in check everything else will constantly be bouncing and costing you lots of time lots of money and lots of aggravation.  

It should be in a rage of 80-120.

If you start with a low alkalinity it is very easy to fix. You will need to raise it.  I highly recommend SpaGuard Alkalinity Increaser.  All of their products are absolutely amazing and no extra fillers it is a very pure product.  It is very important to fix low alkalinity as it causes an acidic environment.  I have seen low alkalinity actually eat a hole through the spa heater destroy filters and it off gasses and makes for a very uncomfortable to soak in

You will raise the alkalinity at the rate of 1TBS per 25ppm per 100 gallons of water.  This can be done very quickly and accurately.  You can always bring in a test to Combined Pool and Spa and they will runt it through the lab and instantly give you a perfect recipe for you to follow as well.

If you start with high Alkalinity it isn’t as easy to fix.  You must lower it and it takes time.  You will lower alkalinity at a rate of 2TBS per 25ppm per 100 gallons.  This has to be done everyday and can take up to 2 weeks to get it inline.  It is important to lower alkalinity as if it is to high it will cause a scale forming environment.  This is very hard on the lines of your hot tub and cause scale on your pumps and heaters.  Costing you lots of money to repair.

Once you get the alkalinity in line.  Again if the alkalinity is not between 80-120ppm you will actually be wasting time and money by doing anything with the pH.  

Once it is in line.  Its time to adjust the pH.  If the pH is low you will simply raise it with the pH Increaser at a rate of 2tsp per 100 gallons per .2 (yes that is point two increase.)  For example  if I had a 300 gallon hot tub and it had a pH of 7.1  I would add 3 tsp of pH decreaser to raise to 7.6

If your pH is high it is just as easy to lower it.  You just add pH decreaser at the rate of ½ tsp per 100 gallons per .2 drop.

Again I recommend SpaGaurd chemicals as they are the best quality.  All chemicals should be put in the filter compartment with the jets running.

You can always come and get your water tested for free at Combined Pool in Spa at 3520 S. Western Ave in Sioux Falls, SD.

I hope you found this helpful and I will be posting more blogs on sanitizers.  Check out my youtube video at   https://www.youtube.com/audio?v=0JZsKH33I_o  or follow me on Facebook  @ The Hot Tub Lady.

Happy Hot Tubbing.  The Hot Tub Lady

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