Caldera Paradise Series - Manual (Page 17)

BALANCING THE SPA WATER
reaches 120 ppm. If the Alkalinity is high, it should be low-
ered by using Spa Down (1 oz. at a time).
5. After the Alkalinity is properly adjusted, the pH is next.
If the pH is above 7.8, use Spa Down (1 oz. at a time) to
lower it to the acceptable range. If the pH is below 7.2,
add Spa Up to bring it into the acceptable range. It is
extremely important to NEVER allow the pH of your spa
water to be under 7.0, as this can severely damage your
equipment and will void the warranty.
6. Add sanitizer, either chlorine or bromine. For chlorine:
Follow the directions on the bottle.
Chlorine dissolves
rapidly; you should get a reading on the test strip within
minutes of application. For bromine: Follow the directions
on your floating brominator. It is necessary to add sodium
bromide only when the spa is being filled. Bromine tablets
erode slowly, and it may take several hours before you will
get a reading on the test strip. It may be necessary to
adjust the floating brominator and/or your skim/filter time.
7. To properly maintain the chemical balance of your spa,
follow the 3-day-a-week program outlined below:
1. Test the water using 3-WAY SPA WATER TEST STRIPS.
2. Adjust pH and total alkalinity - Refer to pH and total alka-
linity on label of SPA UP and SPA DOWN.
3. Maintain 1.0 to 3.0 ppm bromine or free chlorine.
4. Add 1 ounce of SPA DEFENDER per 400 gallons of water to
prevent calcium build up.
5. Shock treat with 2 ounces of RENEW, a non-chlorine shock,
every week as needed.
FRIDAY
WEDNESDAY
1. Nothing required if bromine is used as sanitizer. Check
and adjust chlorine level if chlorine is used.
4. If the Alkalinity is not within the acceptable range (80 to 120
ppm) it should be adjusted first. If it is low, raise the Alkalinity
by adding Spa Up (1 oz. at a time), retesting until the Alkalini
ty
The instructions below will assist you with balancing the
spa water for the first time. You will need the following
items to balance your spa water.
1. “3-Way Test Strips”.
2. “Spa Up” and “Spa Down” for pH control.
3. “Spa Defender” for calcium and scale control.
4. “Metal Gone” for breakdown of mineral deposits.
5. “Renew” for shock treatment.
6. “Bromine” or “Chlorine” for sanitizing the spa water.
Please read “WATER MAINTENANCE” on page 16 then
follow these easy steps:
1. Fill your spa until the water level is 1 inch above the
highest jet. It is NOT advisable to use softened water in
your spa, as it may be corrosive.
2. Add 1/2 pint of Spa Metal Inhibitor (Metal Gone) to
prevent iron or copper deposits from staining the finish of
your spa. If your water is known to contain high concen-
trations of these metals it may be necessary to add an
additional quantity of Spa Metal Inhibitor.
3. Use a 3-way spa water test strip or test kit to mea-
sure the pH and Alkalinity of your water. The following
instructions utilize test strips for testing. Immerse the test
strip in the spa water, following the instructions on the
test strip container label. Compare the test strip to the
label to determine the condition of the spa water.
Note: Many of the additives mentioned here are referred to by
brand name. If your chemicals are a different brand, ask your
Caldera dealer which additives are comparable, if necessary.
Note: The above table is an example only. Actual
spa usage will determine the amount of chemicals
required to maintain proper chemical balance.
3-DAY-A-WEEK SPA CARE PROGRAM
MONDAY
Page 15
BROMINE
TEST PAD
ppm TOTAL ALKALINITY (MIDDLE PAD)
TEST
STRIP
ALKALINITY
TEST PAD
pH TEST
PAD
LABEL ON TEST STRIP CONTAINER
ppm pH (PAD NEAREST HANDLE)
VERY LOW
VERY LOW
OK
OK
VERY HIGH HIGH
HIGH
80 120 180 240
6.4 6.8 7.2 7.6 8.4
0
ppm TOTAL BROMINE (END PAD)
VERY LOW
OK
HIGH
0 1 3 5 10
1. Nothing required if bromine is used as sanitizer. Check
and adjust chlorine level if chlorine is used.