Cloudy Water

[marks]

I have a Beachcomer 580 (400 Gallon tub).  My water is pretty cloudy.  I can not see past the start of the footwell.  PH and Akalinity readings are fine.   My current chemical routine is below.  Any suggestions on how to clear this up?  The Tub is used on average for about 15 minutes a night by two people (this is a high estimate, we skipp a night occasionally).  The water seemed to get progressively more cloudy after adding the Stain and Scale inhibitor.

Nature 2 in Filter

Weekly (Sunday)
 Clean Filter
 1 Tablespoon Dichloro
 Water Softener

After Use
 1 Teaspoon Dichlor

Once a Week (Wednesday)
 Add Stain and Scale Inhibitor

[Steve]

- Shock
- maintain a 4-6ppm sanitizer reading for the next 2-3 days
- clean the filter
- add clarifier to assist
- Increase filtration

If the water is near the end of it's life, drain and refill.


Steve

[marks]

Water is 5 week old.  Thanks for the input.

[hottub.pool_boy]

Read your dichlor bottle. should be 1/2 teaspon per 100 gals. for maintenace. that's 2+ teaspoons after each use. 1 teaspoon per 100 gals to shock once a week. that's 4 teaspoons per week. everything else is fine. if heavy use 4 people +, shock it.
right now cloudy water equires a little more. I'd dbl. shock it with 8 teaspoons and run the jets for an hour.  leave your spa cover 1/2 open to allow for gas off.

[bulmer4nc]

Water is 5 week old.  Thanks for the input.

If this is your first 5 weeks then I'd recommend draining as per the 'Chas' law...   Typically the first month of a hot tub is too over managed in terms of chemicals and draining after a month or so is your best bet.  Then, when you start again you have a better idea of what works and what doesn't and the water maintenance will get easier.  When we first got our spa I was checking the water daily (if not more).  Now I just add the dichlor after use or ever other day or so and check alk/ph once a week or so.  Very simple...  If I've got a crowd over then I'll add some clarifier just to help out get rid of some of the 'stuff' that's introduced by new folks.

[marks]

Thanks guys.  I shocked it and added some clarifier.  I also ran it for about 45 minutes.  It looks a little better.  How long will it take for the water to clear?  Do I need to add Enzyme?  My dealer recommened it, but it seems like I am adding way to many chemicals, based on other people on this forum.

[Vinny]

With a 24 hour circ pump it takes about a day to clear. With added help from a low speed filter cycle, maybe a few hours. Remember to clean your filters after the water clears!! Take this info with someone from experience in NOT doing it!

As far as enzymes - I thought they were great and was impressed with how clean they kept the tub. But if you read any of the foaming threads, I stopped using them for now and I still have a clean tub - that I don't understand!

Even though you use N2 and Dichlor, I would really suggest to up the dichlor for both daily use and shock. You really want to shoot for a 2 - 3 PPM residue of chlorine 20 min after you put it in for daily use and I would use about 2 - 3 tablespoons as shock. If you don't acheive a 7 -10 times your combined chlorine chlorine level - your not doing anything to eliminate it.

My tub is 400 gallons also and I put in approx 2 teaspoons for each person, sometimes I do skimp If I want to close the cover quickly but over compensate on the next dose.

[windsurfdog]

Every once in a blue moon, the water will "get away from me".  This happened last week after no one used the spa and no chlorine was added after about 3-4 days--plus the cover wasn't propped and the temp was quite a bit higher than I keep it.  The water was cloudy and stinky.  I added 4 tsp of dichlor, 3 tbsp of MPS and 2-3 oz of spa clarifier.  Ater running all motors on high with full air, the clarifier caused some yucky looking stuff to accumulate at the waterline and in the filters.  After running 1/2 hour to an hour, I used some paper towels and clean the scum off the water line and then finished with my Tub Rub.  I cleaned the filters and left the filter cycle running with the cover off for about another 1-1.5 hrs.  I soaked in crystal clear, very pleasant smelling water which was within a degree of the set temp in about 3 hrs. after discovering the foul water....and it's been perfect since.

[marks]

Tub looks 100% better this morning, not crystal clear but almost.  I will clean the filter this afternoon.  Looks like my problem may be solved.

[marks]

Good news, got back from Little League Fall Ball and the tub water is crystal clear.  Vinny, good advice on cleaning the filters - it was disgusting.