Anyone have a Hot Tub?

Dale what test kits or photometer would you recommend? I find the cheap strips difficult to read.
When I was running a marine fish tank I used some of the Hanna pocket photometers which really helped get my water right. At least my corals did well!
 
Personally I use a Palintest Pooltest 9. I used to recommend the Pooltest 6 model to domestic customers but the prices appear to have massively shot up over the last year or 2. The Scuba 2 model is pretty good, but doesn't do the calcium hardness test.
 
I've added some pH minus in the form of sodium hydrogen sulphate which has brought it down from high 7s to 7.2-7.3, my Bromine is between 2 and 5ppm but Total Alkalinity is looking like 120-240, I find it hard to distinguish the colours.
Is there anything else I should be doing?
Appreciate the advice!

dale1uk said:
Personally I use a Palintest Pooltest 9. I used to recommend the Pooltest 6 model to domestic customers but the prices appear to have massively shot up over the last year or 2. The Scuba 2 model is pretty good, but doesn't do the calcium hardness test.
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Those look great but probably bit over what I was considering at £500-1000 and yeah the Scuba 2 not doing calcium hardness would be annoying.


LiE said:
This one gets good reviews.

https://www.happyhottubs.co.uk/pool-lab-1-0-photometer-electronic-water-tester
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This does look like an incredible deal compared to the Palintest price, will have to look for some comparison reviews.

I don't mind if the accuracy isn't as good, it will be better than a test strip, as long as it's consistent results within the margin of error.
 
Test strips can be incredibly inaccurate. I've compared brand new strips to my calibrated test kit and it can be scary just how wrong they can read. More often or not it's the pH pad that's reads off the most.

For a cheap alternative to test strips a basic comparator is a much better option.

This one for example will can be used to check pH, chlorine and alkalinity:
Palintest SP 612 Pooltester For Chlorine, pH & Alkalinity Test Kit, Plastic https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IEALKKC/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_FZCNCF2567SRMMNVM2QY
 
I’ve finally eliminated every last ant from around the hot tub. A couple of bait stations on top seemed to have finished the job. Result. Handy for when we have lots of rain which just washes the powder away from around the base. Neater too. It’s great not having to scoop out ants every day and the chlorine lasts longer too :p
 
After the recent energy price increases the hot tub will not be going on anymore. Its definitely no longer worth it.
 
Many factors will determine the cost. Ours is very well insulated so it sips power when not being used. We use it about 3 times per week and for those times it does guzzle power, with both pumps running at max.
 
rhysduck said:
How much so?
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For us about 40 percent increase overall
Unit charge alone is 15 to 21p
Standing charge 16 to 24p

Just for hot tub would go from 2-3 pounds a day to approx 4. Probably just under.

The little estimate they have given just for electric is 800 to 1100 for the year


I'm not 100 percent sure it's 2-3 pounds but that's what the increase was over a couple of months vs without.

It's just not worth that.

Even at 3 pounds a day. That's 90 a month. For me. I'm just not going to get the use out of it to make it worth it.
 
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Has anyone here suffered an intolerance to chlorine?

My wife and I have been using ours for approximately 5 years. She has recently started to come out in a rash and itch like hell.

it is not only the hot tub, happens in the local swimming pool and the pools on a recent holiday.

bit of a disaster really as we both love the tub.
 
Nathan said:
Has anyone here suffered an intolerance to chlorine?

My wife and I have been using ours for approximately 5 years. She has recently started to come out in a rash and itch like hell.

it is not only the hot tub, happens in the local swimming pool and the pools on a recent holiday.

bit of a disaster really as we both love the tub.
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No but I'm sure I heard someone mention an alternative to chlorine. Bromine possibly? It was a while ago and I might be wrong.
 
Yea Bromine is an alternative to Chlorine.

413x said:
No. Its a 6 person canadian spa.

Older version but exactly same as this

bp4jHo2.jpg
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I'm quite surprised, my entire house including hot tub doesn't use more than £4-5 per day, and I have a salon (wife's business), a gym (with fan and dehumidifier) and I work from home.
 
LiE said:
Yea Bromine is an alternative to Chlorine.




I'm quite surprised, my entire house including hot tub doesn't use more than £4-5 per day, and I have a salon (wife's business), a gym (with fan and dehumidifier) and I work from home.
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It may be wrong. There may be other anomalies in the time I took the meter reads. As I was surprised too.
From research it said typical cost was 1.50 a day at 12p per kWh

So at 21p that's just under 3.but that isn't too far off mine. So it's ballpark right.

But ours was at 37c so on the lower end on temps. And it was spring mainly when I was measuring.

We seem to use a lot of electricity, we are both WFH. But hobs are gas. Tumble dryer is only used when it has to be. No other really demanding appliances. The TV is plasma. But that is negligible really.

Tldr.
I Agree, it seems high. Not sure why it is.
 
Nathan said:
Has anyone here suffered an intolerance to chlorine?

My wife and I have been using ours for approximately 5 years. She has recently started to come out in a rash and itch like hell.

it is not only the hot tub, happens in the local swimming pool and the pools on a recent holiday.

bit of a disaster really as we both love the tub.
Click to expand...

My wife developed an allergy to chlorine from our pool (old house)and hot tub. For the pool we used Bacquacil and for the tub we now use Aquablanc. https://www.happyhottubs.co.uk/aquablanc-non-chlorine-starter-kit

She doesn't have any issues at all with this. It is pretty much the same regime as chlorine, testing and adding the combination liquid as necessary and adding an O2 tablet when bathing in the tub.
 
Flushed, emptied and cleaned the hot tub today. So much easier now I have a wet vacuum to hoover the water out of the seats and footwell. Took me about an hour. Cleaned and sealed the cover. Currently refilling. Now the summer is over I’ll likely turn the temperature down in the week when not in use, helps keep the running cost down.

First test and the water is slightly too acidic, although that usually settles over a few days, but I may add a little pH plus tomorrow. Found another false widow when cleaning the cover, absolutely hate those things.
 
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gailjon said:
My wife developed an allergy to chlorine from our pool (old house)and hot tub. For the pool we used Bacquacil and for the tub we now use Aquablanc. https://www.happyhottubs.co.uk/aquablanc-non-chlorine-starter-kit

She doesn't have any issues at all with this. It is pretty much the same regime as chlorine, testing and adding the combination liquid as necessary and adding an O2 tablet when bathing in the tub.
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Brill, thanks. Will take a look.
 
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