We have a Jacuzzi J-345 at a vacation property. During the summer we are here all the time, but in the winter only every couple of weeks or so. We have also been changing the way we remove our cover in the winter and this makes it almost impossible to get at the waterfall from the outside of the tub, to either turn the waterfall on or shut it off.
A little while ago while using the tub I noticed some small white flakes in the tub and then noticed my tub was using a lot more sanitizer than normal. I figured this was probably mold so I shocked the tub with non chlorine shock and changed the filters. In looking at the tub I couldn’t see any more of the white flakes and while my tub was not using the same amount of sanitizer as before, I thought it was still using a bit more than it should.
I think today I have found the problem. I went in the tub today and ran one of the jet pumps first. No white flakes. I then shut that jet pump off and turned on the waterfall. All kinds of white flakes. And now that I have found this, it makes perfect sense. The only time we have been using the waterfall is when we physically get in the tub. Any time I’m adding chemicals, or doing anything else to the tub, the waterfall does not get turned on. And because we are here so infrequently, the waterfall gets turned on very little.
So from now on I am obviously just going to have to find a way to deal with the cover and turn the waterfall on any time I am adding chemicals to the tub, etc. That was my mistake and I should have known better.
My real question however, is whether or not I should leave the waterfall in the “open” or “running” position so that it operates whenever the circ. pump is running (I have the circ. pump set to run 8 hours per day). We have been using a spa blanket and obviously I wouldn’t be able to use that any more. I’m also assuming that doing this would reduce the life of my cover. I’m just not sure what else to do so that I have water circulating through the waterfall to prevent mold, given that we are here so infrequently during the winter.
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on this. Thanks so much.
