PLEASE HELP! Caldera Seychelles (FreshWater Salt System)...

[cstew74]

I will try to make this as short as possible. Please bear with me.
I purchased the Caldera Seychelles hot tub last June 2019. Delivery was smooth and the owner was here and helped set the tub up and helped with initial fill (obviously, being a rookie, I didn't know anything in regards to hot tub chemicals at this point).

Filled the tub, added chemicals, balanced pH, salt, etc (although I really don't think this was initially done correctly or done in the correct order). Regardless, it was setup and we began to use it........this is where the issues start......

After about a week, no chlorine residuals were showing up, and water started to become cloudy. Also started to get lots of foam (no soaps in clothes, we hand washed and used the same clothes). After about a week or so, I called them and asked what to do. Was told to add 1C of bleach for 5 days to boost the Chlorine residuals. I did that and chlorine would stay in the tub for a while, but slowly go way and put me back at square one.

I have done everything imaginable to get this salt system to kick in and work correctly without any maintenance. I have checked the chemicals on this hot tub at least every other day for a straight year and i'm fed up with the salt system (i don't use test strips, but actually use a test kit to check for Cl, pH, TA, etc)

I have drained and refilled at least 5 times and I have meticulously followed Caldera's setup directions. (I have also used other forum posts suggestions on how they set theirs up.....to no avail.) I have read other users issues with the salt water system and they also have a lot of the same issues as me. Just seems the salt water system doesn't work quite well with hot water....i dunno.

I am to the point of bagging the salt water system and do traditional Chlorine sanitation. With that being said, what would I need to do in order to "cut off' my salt water system on my hot tub? Would I need to take out the salt cartridge? etc?

Also, once I do this, could someone help me with a good setup procedure from refill to adding the chemicals.

Sorry for the long message, but i am so frustrated to the point I want to see my hot tub.

thanks so much
Curt

[castletonia]

To begin, what was the salt system set to (1-10)?  What was your usage, how many people and  approximately how many times per week?  Now, did anyone test for phosphates?  If not, probably your issue.  High phosphates are a food source for bacteria and algae and have been the primary issue for the customers of mine that have had struggles.

As for the foam, the hot tub cannot make foam, something is creating it.  Whether that be laundry soap residue on swimsuits, person hygiene products, someone adding something to the hot tub, something.

If you are set on bailing on the salt system, the salt power supply needs to be disconnected, replace the salt cartridge with the plug that originally came in the hot tub, drain and start fresh.

[cstew74]

thanks for the response. To answer the questions....

I have had my salt system set to every level from 5-10 on different occasions. But i typically had it set to around 8. Typical usage was just my wife and I a couple times a week for 15-20 minutes. I took a sample of the water and it was tested. They said i was a little high on phosphates, but nothing crazy. I was given some concentrated phosphate remover and that was added.

Also, upon a drain and refill, I have used a pre-filter to help with the Calcium hardness along with using vanishing act pillowXL. Calcium came down and tested out good.

At this point, I guess I will try one more time with a drain and refill with the salt system. I dunno. Any suggestions? Any protocol i should follow? I have followed Caldera's start-up guide and videos meticulously. Any other way I should be doing in and in what order?

thanks!

To begin, what was the salt system set to (1-10)?  What was your usage, how many people and  approximately how many times per week?  Now, did anyone test for phosphates?  If not, probably your issue.  High phosphates are a food source for bacteria and algae and have been the primary issue for the customers of mine that have had struggles.

As for the foam, the hot tub cannot make foam, something is creating it.  Whether that be laundry soap residue on swimsuits, person hygiene products, someone adding something to the hot tub, something.

If you are set on bailing on the salt system, the salt power supply needs to be disconnected, replace the salt cartridge with the plug that originally came in the hot tub, drain and start fresh.