Filtering question

[Conine2965]

We use our new hot tub Marquis Vector 21 94L almost everyday default filtering is set to 2 hrs twice a day. Do you think that is enough I'm using inline system plus adding chlorine and still had to shock water once because it got green. Tub holds about 450 gallons. Any advice would be great.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I assume Marquis uses Balboa equipment so in a 2 pump system Balboa has 2hrs + 2hrs as default out of the box and I'm sure you'll get varying opinions but I personally prefer to see 6-8 hours per day in total 'generally speaking', keep in mind there are a lot of variables that can determine this including but not limited to: Filter Sq Footage/# of gallons in the spa, location (MN in Jan. or FLA in July), is there an Inline water care system/ozone/salt water system installed, etc....So in essence you are looking for a # of hours in which it will maintain clear water but there is also no need to waste electricity and run the pumps for no reason, it sounds so basic but the easiest way to dial this in is basic trial and error.  I just had a customer with a very small 1 pump tub attempting 1hr + 1hr and it just wouldn't clear up so I told him to jump it up to 2 + 2 (again trial and error) which should suffice for him especially since he's a retired guy at home and takes very good care of his water-care and filter cleanliness and like I mentioned his spa is well under 300 gallons. Good Luck!

[MarKee]

How is your chlorine level on the test strips?  Also, how many people are using it each time?

Also, when you go to drain it for the first time I would suggest using some "Ahh-Some" pipe cleaning/purge product.  It works well on newly built spas and cleans anything out of the lines that could remaining from the manufacturing process.  You can read up about it here on the forum and get it on Amazon if your local dealer doesn't carry it.

[Conine2965]

2 or 3 people using inline with ease smartchlor but it doesn't seem to be keeping up. Thought maybe increasing filter time might help. My last spa had circulation pump so I'm not sure how much additional time would help.

[bud16415]

IMO the filter and sanitizer do different jobs. You want to get what the sanitizer kills out of the tub with the filter. But extra filtering I don’t think is going to do anything to help sanitize.   

what setting is your cartridge set on?

[Conine2965]

Dealer set it at 4 I just upped to 5

[bud16415]

I can’t remember if 5 or 6 is the max. I would set it on max and see how it goes. Most people after the initial surge of using the tub nonstop drop off a little in a month or two. If you see it staying high back it down then.

What I found with our frog cartridges is the dispensing rate would change over the life of the cartridge. As the product became less inside the cartridge I noticed not as much was getting in the water. Then there is the how do you know when it is used up thing without pulling it out and draining and shaking.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

IMO the filter and sanitizer do different jobs. You want to get what the sanitizer kills out of the tub with the filter. But extra filtering I don’t think is going to do anything to help sanitize.   

what setting is your cartridge set on?

it will under certain scenarios like ozone + silver ion, salt systems, etc. that require 'flow' for them to fully function, but yes for most standard chlorine/bromine/throw away cartridge based systems you are just looking for enough turnover to keep the water clean and clear (with the assumption you are adding enough sanitizer or changing out whatever cartridge you are using on a proper schedule, keeping your filter clean, etc.) Good Luck!

[The Wizard of Spas]

When you say "in-line" is it @ease or the standard Spa Frog?  If so, are you using @ease test strips or generic test strips?  And by not "keeping up", can you quantify that?  (Is it cloudy on you?  Or are your levels lower?  etc).

Answer those questions and we can give you a better feel for what your issue is.  Remember- It isn't uncommon for new spa owners to have issues with water chemistry in the first few months.  It happens across all water chemistry platforms.  The key to diagnose what the exact issue is.  Only then can the correct remedy be found.

Sorry if this sounds snarky:  When I was proofreading it came off as jerky.  Not at all my intentions.  Just want to be able to correctly gather all the information before dispensing advice. 

[Conine2965]

Not keeping up is water getting must and it inline ease system. And I had a previous spa but it had a circulation pump so I never adjusted  the filtering

[Conine2965]

Musty not must

[bud16415]

Don’t all inline systems have a circulation pump for the sanitizer?  When you open the chamber where the cartridges go do you get a flood of water coming out of the opening? That’s the small flow that should be dispensing the @ease all the time regardless of the filter cycle.

That’s how ours works anyway.

I would set it wide open and unless you get to much going in leave it there.   

[Conine2965]

No circ pump on my spa just did look at filtering schedule on control panel owners manual says default should be 2 hrs every 12 but mine was set to 1 just upped it til 2. Hopefully that will do it.

[buba]

Buried in the fine print of @ease literature for the floater version is a note about a minimum of 3 hours of circulation per day. I would assume something similar or greater is needed for the inline version.

[Conine2965]

Mines now set to 4 a day hopefully that will work better