How to handle a stand alone hot tub

[joecus]

Thank you Watermom and Yeggim. Now, I would like to know how to handle a stand alone hot tub? Do I follow the same BBB?

[joecus]

Here's where I am with the hot tub. I emptied and refilled today. I added some chlorine to get some stabilizer in there. My plan is to get the pH up using borax. Then I will adjust the alkalinity with baking soda. Please let me know if I’m not on the correct path

[PoolDoc]

Can't help much there -- spas, unless they just circulate pool water -- are a whole 'nother beast, for two reasons:

#1 - the difference between 85 degrees and 105 degrees is not trivial
#2 - the difference between 1,000 gallons or more per dirty leaky swimmer and 100 gallons per dirty leaky AND sweating spa lounger is HUGE.

Pools can store an adequate 'reservoir' of chlorine in that 1,000 gallons; spas can't do the same in their 100 gallons.

I'll tell you a few things I do know:
#1 - your spa will run a bit better with a LITTLE (10 ppm) stabilizer (assuming a covered spa, here)
#2 - using borax for pH up will help with several things; using muriatic acid -- carefully -- for pH down is preferable.
#3 - forget about using baking soda; you cannot maintain BOTH pH and TA on a HEAVILY aerated body of water. Maintain your pH, and forget the TA.
#4 - work out a pre-use and post-use dose of bleach for your spa and you'll end up with much better water
#5 - don't aerate when your spa is covered -- the CCs from chlorine + your body goo are volatile, and will accumulate under the cover, damaging it.
#6 - if you've chlorinated after use, waiting a few hours and then aerating for 15 minutes with the cover off will remove a lot of the CCs. Doing this before you use the spa will make the water nicer and less stinky.
#7 - Don't share spas with people if you don't want to share their diseases. Chlorine, under those conditions, doesn't kill stuff fast enough to protect you!