Hey group, I recently just purchased a Arctic Spa 6 person hot tub (2020). I have had it a month and I am treating the water the same way I do my pool, using the Taylor TF-100 kit. I did not add stabilizer but use 12.5% Menards Pool Shock each day to keep chlorine around 3-4ppm. I use Muriatic acid when the pH gets a little high. When I test my TA, I have had it register as high as 110 but then in a matter of a day or two, it drops to 30-40. I also notice a lot of foam bubbles when running the jets. I assumed this may be caused by the imbalance in the water. I have use the same methodology in my swimming pool for 10 years and it is always crystal clear and no issues with TA. I just tested all elements in the hot tub and FC was 4ppm, CC was 0, pH was 7.6, Calcium was 250 and TA was 40. Any thoughts on why my TA keeps bouncing all over the place?
Total Alkalinity Keeps Decreasing
- Thread starter dkite22
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 48,562
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Nothing in your description would explain such a radical shift in TA so quickly. That's odd.
Is there any chance someone mistakenly poured acid into the tub as opposed to the chlorine? If not, then what about an initial purge? Did you do one? If not, I would make that step #1. Get some Ahh-Some and hit that tub with a good purge to remove all the factory oils and such. That could also explain the foaming.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 48,562
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
New tubs have factory oils and coating from initial build. There's quite a bit of residual product coating the lines of the tub. We generally recommend every new tub receive a thorough "Ahh-Some" product purge to cleanse the lines.
How often are you bringing that PH down with muriatic acid? That's the only thing you've mentioned that should be lowering your TA. Honestly... 40 may be where your tub wants the TA to be at. Depending on your specific tub and its passive circulation, it will naturally drift up because of aeration. Mine sits pretty consistently at around 40 TA and stays smack dab at 7.2 ph. It sounds like your TA may just have been high, or maybe your TA target is higher than your tub likes.
The tub is used and was made in 2020 so I assume the initial purge has been done. I usually pour in muriatic acid about every other day when pH gets too high. I would be fine to leave TA at 40 as long as it doesn't hurt the mechanical components. Any thoughts if it would do any damage to internal parts?
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
You should purge the new to you hot tub. You want to start with a clean tub. You don't know how it was taken care of or how long it sat before coming to you.