HELP!! Used Washing soda as directed, now I can do my laundry!!!

[vtatt]

Hey there— old to pools, BBB, new to hot tubs.

I was trying to raise my PH, and normally use regular baking soda but noticed the app suggested super washing soda. Now the water is slightly green and basically overflowing with suds. What the heck? I guess drain and refill is the only thing I can do at this point?

 

[Bperry]

Hey there— old to pools, BBB, new to hot tubs.

I was trying to raise my PH, and normally use regular baking soda but noticed the app suggested super washing soda. Now the water is slightly green and basically overflowing with suds. What the heck? I guess drain and refill is the only thing I can do at this point?View attachment 632957


View attachment 632958View attachment 632959

pH goes up by itself with aeration. Adding baking soda will raise the TA which has the side effect of making the pH rise faster. There’s likely no need to ever raise the pH if it’s at least 7.0 and you didn’t artificially lower it by accidentally adding too much acid.

 

[vtatt]

Was showing very low TA (and ph), so that’s why I did soda and not borax.

 

[PoolStored]

How much did you add and what is the size of the tub in gallons?
When was the last time you replaced the water?
Can you also post a full set of test results?

With low TA, it is best to raise TA with baking soda, pH should follow (up). If pH doesn't rise, then use the borax.

At this point you likely have two choices: SLAM or replace the water.

 

[Newdude]

Was showing very low TA (and ph), so that’s why I did soda and not borax.

I prefer doing them one at a time, and 100X over for a hot tub that's so easy to derail.

 

[JamesW]

ARM & HAMMER™ Super Washing Soda is 100% sodium carbonate.

105.9888 g/mol (anhydrous).

The molar mass of sodium carbonate monohydrate (Na₂CO₃•H₂O) is approximately 124.00 grams per mole.

105.9888/124.00 = 85.5%.


https://chemmanagement.ehs.com/9/947674d3-d158-49c3-b902-52ef45099bc9/pdf/XNBOYP



https://churchdwight.com/ingredient...e/40002697-arm-hammer-super-washing-soda.aspx

https://www.armandhammer.com/en/laundry/additives/additives/super-washing-soda-detergent-booster

 

[vtatt]

ARM & HAMMER™ Super Washing Soda is 100% sodium carbonate.

View attachment 632963

https://chemmanagement.ehs.com/9/947674d3-d158-49c3-b902-52ef45099bc9/pdf/XNBOYP

View attachment 632964

https://churchdwight.com/ingredient...e/40002697-arm-hammer-super-washing-soda.aspx

https://www.armandhammer.com/en/laundry/additives/additives/super-washing-soda-detergent-booster

Yeah, that’s what the box said! No idea why it got so sudsy immediately.
For the other questions, it’s a 250 and I put less than half a cup since I didn’t have a scale. Was trying to go slow. And yes, I only added one thing, not both borax and soda, figured I’d wait to see where it landed first.

In the process of draining and refilling now. New tub in November, so Nov-March for the water.

 

[PoolStored]

1/2 a cup is about 3oz. dry weight (just measured). This would raise pH by 2.6 and TA by 85. Even 2oz will raise pH by 1.7 and TA by 57. A tablespoon, or 10grams raises pH by .3 and TA by 10.
EDIT: Corrected...1/2 cup is ~4.6 ounces...

You added too much...likely.

Use baking soda to raise TA. pH will likely follow without having to add borax. I would only raise pH with Borax if, after adjusting TA, it remains low (<7).

 

[vtatt]

1/2 a cup is about 3oz. dry weight (just measured). This would raise pH by 2.6 and TA by 85. Even 2oz will raise pH by 1.7 and TA by 57. A tablespoon, or 10grams raises pH by .3 and TA by 10.

You added too much...likely.

Use baking soda to raise TA. pH will likely follow without having to add borax. I would only raise pH with Borax if, after adjusting TA, it remains low (<7).

Thanks— I used an online tool for weight to measuring cup conversion. Apparently it was a little off!

 

[Newdude]

I only added one thing

Yes and I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. That one thing punted both the TA and the PH. I prefer to use additions that only alter one parameter significantly a time.

The old TFP adage rings true again :

Baking Soda = big TA change, small pH change
Borax = Big pH change, small TA change
Washing Soda = big pH change, big TA change. Probably more TA change than you want

 

[PoolStored]

I have a little scale in the garage that is dedicated to pool and lawn chemicals.

 

[Maverick23]

When I add any products, especially washing soda, to my hot tub I do it in very small increments, like half an ounce or less and then test before adding any more. That small of a quantity of water can swing out of balance really quickly.

 

[JamesW]

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[VinnyinNJ]

I had a pool about 5 years before getting a tub. Pool water acts differently than hot tub water unfortunately. The easiest and best way when screwing up the water is drain and refill.

You can try to use a pool skimmer and scoop the foam out, I've done that quite a few times but not in your situation.

I always adjusted the PH in the tub just using baking soda as it just worked. I was told I was wrong but I used the same Taylor kit on my tub that I used on my pool. I also had chlorine lock in the tub at least 3 times, the chlorine would stay for sometimes over a week.

I say drain and refill!

 

[Lake Placid]

I also had chlorine lock in the tub at least 3 times, the chlorine would stay for sometimes over a week.

@VinnyinNJ what pool or spa store were you going to when “chlorine lock” became the official diagnosis?

For the OP have you performed an ahhsome purge on the tub since you’ve purchased it/came into it? If not I’d suggest you do so as a part of your drain/refill.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

@VinnyinNJ what pool or spa store were you going to when “chlorine lock” became the official diagnosis?

For the OP have you performed an ahhsome purge on the tub since you’ve purchased it/came into it? If not I’d suggest you do so as a part of your drain/refill.

I was using a Taylor test kit at the time and self diagnosed it. When you take chlorine readings every day and see the chlorine not going down at all it can only be chlorine lock. As fas as Ahhsome, when it came around I did use it.

I no longer have the tub.

 

[Bperry]

When you take chlorine readings every day and see the chlorine not going down at all it can only be chlorine lock. .

for future reference that’s not what pool stores call chlorine lock. They call “chlorine lock” what happens when you build up so much CYA that the chlorine isn’t killing algae anymore so they tell you to add more chlorine. In any case, the “chlorine lock” they talk about isn’t a real thing.

If your test kit had the FAS-DPD (powder and pink color after adding drops), the chlorine will go down as long as you aren’t adding more chlorine. The yellow OTO chlorine test isn’t very accurate on the specific numbers so if it was over 10ppm then it might not look like it was losing FC if it was actually far above 10ppm.