Caldera Highland Series - Manual (Page 9)

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 or test
kit 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 TEST STRIPS or a
TEST KIT.
2. Adjust pH and total alkalinity - Refer to pH and
total alkalinity 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:
• “3-Way Test Strips” or Test Kit.
• “Spa Up” and “Spa Down” for pH control.
• “Spa Defender” for calcium and scale control.
• “Metal Gone” for breakdown of mineral deposits.
• “Renew” for shock treatment.
• “Bromine” or “Chlorine” for sanitizing the spa water.
Follow these easy steps:
1. Fill your spa until the water level is one 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 measure
the pH and Alkalinity of your water. The following instruc-
tions 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 dif-
ferent 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 7
BROMINE
TEST PAD
TEST
STRIP
ALKALINITY
TEST PAD
pH TEST
PAD
1. Nothing required if bromine is used as sanitizer.
Check and adjust chlorine level if chlorine is used.
ppm TOTAL ALKALINITY (MIDDLE PAD)
LABEL ON TEST STRIP CONTAINER
ppm pH (PAD NEAREST HANDLE)
VERY LOW
VERY LOW
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
OK
OK
HIGH
0 1 3 5 10