Spa Perfect

[Im-A-Duck]

Does anyone here use Spa Perfect? I have never used it until yesterday and it created quite a bit of foam. In the past all I have ever used was Dichlor after each use and shoking with Dichlor on a weekly basis. (I shock with MPS on occassions). I tried adding the Spa Perfect because I have been getting some light waterline scum from the deoderants I assume.... Well I added it and I have been shoveling the foam out. Will the foaming go away if I keep using it? My water properties are in line: FC 3 ppm; pH 7.6; TA 70; CH 200. I have only used my tub maybe 8-10 times since the last water change two months ago.

Also when I first bought my tub I used the stain and scale product that came with the start up kit and since I have run out I have neglected to get anymore. I don't have a problem with stain or scale in my shell but should I use this anyway to prevent it in my plumbing? I figure if it's not happening on the shell I wouldn't think I am getting scale in the lines and equipment. Am I right?

I talked to the people at my local Hotsprings store and they knew absolutely nothing natta zip about water chemestry. They told me to bring in a water sample and the computer will tell me exactly what chemicals to put in to balance it. I want to know preventative maintenance, not what to do to fix it after it gets out of whack. I was pretty disturbed by them.

[Mendocino101]

Gary,

one of the regulars here, I know from speaking to him he likes Spa Perfect we carry it but have little call for it. I think Vinny here also tried and I am unsure if he cared for it or not.

[Vinny]

Hey Mendo, thanks for remembering me!

I used it and at first it worked great but soon after I started having foam problems with it. I may have used too much (was using the recommended amount) and maybe that's what triggered the foam. I do keep a bottle of enzymes for times I see waterline buildup (teenagers in the tub) and use a little.

I was impressed by the fact it ate the waterline grime right up. There are also other brands of enzymes around as well.

[hottbpete]

I was told to put in a cup a week.  I have and had no issues....not sure what it's doing....but the dealer told me to do ir....so like a lemming, I am just following orders

[Im-A-Duck]

A cup a week?? That sounds like a lot, the instructions on the bottle that I have say's 1 oz per 100 gallons. I have a small tub (320 gal) and I used 3.5 oz and I had foaming.

**Update**
I checked my CC and it was a little high. I wonder if that makes it foam up more than anticipated.. I didn't check it before adding it though.

So one of my initial questions.... Should I be using Stain & Scale although I do not have problems or any indications of it?

Please help... the people at my local HS location cannot give me any helpful info on water maintenance. Evidently from what the tell me no one uses chlorine for hot tubs.... just bromine. I am the only one that they have heard of using chlorine for a spa. They sale more pools than hot tubs there.

[Vinny]

Stain and scale is for metals - if you don't have metals, don't use it.

High CC doesn't contribute to foam, low calcium could though. High CC is from the chlorine eating up the enzymes.

I was instructed by a dealer on here to put in chlorine the next morning after soaking so thet the enzymes had a chance to work but with the knowledge that the chlorine eats up the enzymes, if I soaked every day then they enzymes would be used up in 3 days or so.

I've stated this in the past, not everyone's water is the same. It might be H2O and the balance might be the same but it seems it reacts differently with everyone.

What I would do is - scoop out the foam, hit the tub with MPS - this will get rid of the CC and any organics that cause foam, stop using enzymes for a while (week or 2) and let what comes naturally happen. It might be that there's nothing in the water to react to.

They claim foaming is a byproduct of the enzyme working but I don't buy that. I had gotten a great deal on ebay for the enzymes and after a while I chucked them!