Frusterated and need some help on debree in tub.

[drober30]

Hi everyone!


I have a HS Vanguard and use Dichloride.

Life has been good with the tub for a long while but I am having some major trouble now!

I drained and re-filled the tub and there was all sorts of floaties in the tub. It looked like pieces of dead skin like after a sun burn when you peel. It's light brown in color and dissolves when you get it in your hand and rub it. I would not say its gritty feeling because it dissolves to easy.

I have drained and refilled the tub three times. It getting better but the water is not pure. Its must be in the plumbing somewhere.

Also but I think unrelated:

I removed my filter steams/post and I see some "Black" at the bottom of the opening. I scratched the surface with screwdriver and it does come of to reveal the white PVC underneath.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

This sounds like a black mildew. Did you let the tub sit for a few days empty or let your chlorine levels drop to low for an extended time, say a vacation?

To get rid of it...2 suggestions
#1 Super shock the tub with dichlor to kill it,let it filter out, pull the filters and rinse them. Kepp the chlorine level high for a few days and keep rinsing the filters. Keep turning the jets on during this period to get anything in those lines...or
#2 Super shock the tub, then use a swirl away or other plumbing cleaner product and start over again.

If you dont kill and get the mildew out, it will cause you to go through much more chlorine, besides making the water yucky.

[Vinny]

I'd go 1 step further - hit the tub with about 50 PPM chlorine, run all the pumps a couple of times, turn every diverter and air switch to make sure chlorinated water gets everywhere, dump and refill.

It might not be only mold - it might also be a biofilm too!

Assuming that there was water in the tub, what is your routine? ... it shouldn't have developed unless you either weren't using enough dichlor or the water was left unchecked for a week or so.

[hottubdan]

I would go 1 step further.  NSPI (I can never remember new initials) recommends 100 parts per million.  Make sure you move your diverter to middle position to make sure all plumbing gets cleaned out.

[drober30]

Thanks for the replies!

I did drain the tub and let it sit for 4-5 days before scrubbing the shell and refilling.

I do a great job at maintaining my water BUT.... I did let it go for the last two - three months.

So I did both of the things you questioned.

I just completed filling the tub and cleaning the filters again. The filters had allot of the stuff accumulated in them, like a tan slim.

Vinny you said "hit the tub with about 50 PPM chlorine, run all the pumps a couple of times, turn every diverter and air switch to make sure chlorinated water gets everywhere, dump and refill".  That's exactly what I did!

The water looks really good now.

I remember dealing with this once before and I think I drained the tub and let it sit for a couple of days before refilling then too.

What happens when you let the tub sit after draining? Should I always make sure I have enough time to drain and refill immediately?

I use  straight dichloride. I keep the level where it should be then shock with dichloride weekly. I have an Ozonator and use the nature 2 silver ions too.

Thanks!

[Gary]

Sounds like pseudomonas nothing that looks of chlorine and a few drainings will not fix.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Thanks for the replies!


What happens when you let the tub sit after draining? Should I always make sure I have enough time to drain and refill immediately?
!

Letting it sit a few days allowed the chlorine level in the water that remains in the tub (up to 30 gallons still left after a drain) to drop, thus allowing mold and other creepy things to grow. If you dont refill for awhile, you can try to shop vac the rest of the water out of the tub after a drain, or deal with the creepy stuff when you start it back up. I would also suggest that if you are going to leave it a few days to pull the filters out, clean them and let them air dry. Dont leave them in the tub, they will grow real bad stuff quickly since all the containments are trapped in them.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Sounds like pseudonymous nothing that looks of chlorine and a few drainings will not fix.

You cant see pseudonymous, its to small for the eye to see.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Biofilm.

http://www.rhtubs.com/store/spa-system-flush.htm

[drober30]

 I would also suggest that if you are going to leave it a few days to pull the filters out, clean them and let them air dry. Dont leave them in the tub, they will grow real bad stuff quickly since all the containments are trapped in them.

Thank goodness I did wash the filters while the tub was draining and I let them air dry. I will always drain and refill in the same day from now on.

Funny though, all the time and reading I've done here over the years, I don't remember that being a pointer?

Thanks again for everyone's help! Your all the best!