New to Pools/Spas

[twizted1]

What I've seen (and have in my notes for starting the hot tub up later this year) are:

Water Chemistry

-- HOT WATER GUIDELINES --
-- NOT FROM POOLSOLUTIONS or POOLFORUM --
-- PoolDoc --

CH below 100 ppm: raise to ~150 ppm. Otherwise note it.
TA ~80 ppm to start fine tune from there
Baking Soda - raise
Acid/Aeration method - lower
~8 oz Dry Acid lowers TA by 100 ppm in 350 Gal Tub
If you lower your TA, you may need to raise your CH to compensate.
pH between 7.2-7.8 (7.0 - 8.0 Min/Max)
Aerate - Raise pH
Acid - lower it.
Add ~50 ppm Borate on startup (Borox/Acid or Gentle Spa)

Sanitation
fresh fill - Dichlor until you get to ~30 ppm CYA (30 min K-2006 test kit will measure)
Then Clorox Unscented 6% bleach
FC drop DO NOT let it get to Zero for any length of time
3-6 ppm, min 1 ppm, shock 12 ppm once a week
Check Chlorine Demand - keep it low

I am using numbers from the Beginner's Guide to Pool Chemistry here for the in-laws pool.