OK Chem experts...advice about cloudy water?

[pruned_hands]

Ok folks....I have cloudy water after 6 weeks of crystal clear water --don't know why and don't like it.  Here is my chemical routine which has performed well for me to this point.  I use dichlor after each soak and shock every 10 days with mps.  This has seemed to work well with the biggest problem being a drop in TA after the shock.

A local dealer talked me into shocking with dichlor and did this monday (in part because I noticed the water getting cloudier.)  Water didn't seem to change.  Tried an MPS shock this weekend and still looks cloudy.

I have also noticed a ton of extra foam as well when jets are on and am not sure if cloudiness is caused by the same agents which cause the foam or not.

Regardless, how do you folks tend to clear up cloudy water?  any advice would be appreciated.

thanks

PH

p.s. early Merry Christmas to everyone!

[Mendocino101]

When did you last rinse your filters ?....also I would suggest adding a couple of teaspoons of dichlor every 3 to 4 days  if you are not  using your spa regularly. I think if you are using enough shock than you should be fine there.

[Tman122]

I agree rinse your filters and shock with dichlor then filter a bit longer. How long are you filtering now? How often do you use the tub? Did anything get introduced to the water (soap, lotion, deoderant, hairgoo)

[pruned_hands]

We use the tub daily, 1-2 people, 1/2 hour.  My tub is a HS Grandee with Tri-X filters and I believe filters constantly.  I have not rinsed filters in a while, but will do so and may shock again.

But I just did an MPS shock on Thursday...is this too early to do a dichlor shock?

PH

[TrikkeAddict]

Have you raised your TA which you said was low???   I believe that when I had my last spa when the TA was low, and it often was from using MPS, that the water got cloudy.  Just a thought.

[dalop]

Here is what I do and it has worked for me. It took a couple of months and a couple of extra tub fills but I got it down. I check the PH a couple of times a week and adust if I need to. I use dichlor after I get out or if I don't go in I put some in and run the tub for a bit. Once a week (usaly on Mondays) I shock with MPS let it run for a bit then add 1 once of bright and clear turn it on high. Let it foam up and scum up realy good then remove all the foam with a pool skimer. I clean off the scum with a sponge along the sides.By the end of the cycle its all clear. I change the filter (I have a spare) every other week and clean it for next time. I have been changing the water every 2 1/2 months or so and it is still clear when I do. I also have stopped using spa scents I think it has also helped keep the water fresh.

[HotTubMan]

Good advice above.

A few thoughts:

Have you topped up the tub with water in the last six weeks? How many times? You may have lowered you calcium level over time by adding fresh water. Water that is low in calcium is not only unhealthy for the tub, but will foam and cloud easier.

How is your TDS? If you are soaking daily, your TDS may be moderate to high after 6 weeks. As the TDS rises over time, your water will not be as clear, it will foam up easier and will not feel the same.

Are you leaving the cover off long enough when you shock? I have had some newer customers tell me that they shock the water and put the cover on right away because they dont want to lose heat. This is counter productive.

[stl-rex]

Good advice above.

As the TDS rises over time, your water will not be as clear, it will foam up easier and will not feel the same.

What does "not feel the same mean?"  Will the water feel harder or softer?  Can you clarify (no pun intended) a bit?

[Tman122]

What does "not feel the same mean?"  Will the water feel harder or softer?  Can you clarify (no pun intended) a bit?

After a while you will learn what this feels like. I call it sluggish "your water gets sluggish" The bubbles move slower and keep the water cloudy longer. It's just a learned thing I know what he is talking about and at the end of a water cycle you will see it. There is nothing like fresh water. It's crisp!

[rick_in_cleveland]

1.  Clean filters with TSP
2.  Shock big time with Dichlor 3 oz
3   Clean filters again after the water clears.
4.  Shock with Dichlor once a week

Remember Dichlor...Dichlor...Dichlor  for shock and after each soak

[pruned_hands]

Rick in Cleveland (and others),

thanks for all the advice.  My dealer likes the MPS shock, but another local dealer likes the dichlor shock.  I had been doing the mps shock with religious dichlor after every use and in between when needed.  Now, I am thinking of switching to dichlor.

Which shock do you folks recommend?

i am planning on cleaning the filters overnight with some filter cleaner bought from my dealer.  Then we shock and see what happens...

keep the advice flowing...it is very helpfull

PH

[pruned_hands]

Rick,

by the way, why do you clean the filters a second time?

just curious.

PH

[golferm]

Pruned hands....if you're shocking with dichlor, that's what you use.  That's the beauty of it, you don't need an extra shock....just use a higher (at least double the normal daily amount) of dichlor.  From what I understand, this also doesn't increase your TDS like MPS does.

Mark

[SerjicalStrike]

Are you testing the chlorine level after you put chlorine in?  If so, what reading are you getting?

"Shocking" the spa is a relative term.  You will use less chemicals and probably have an easier time shocking with MPS than with chlorine.  MPS is a much stonger oxidizer than chlorine, so less MPS will be needed to do the same job as chlorine.  

[Bill_Stevenson]

The water should be changed.  The cloudiness and foaming are most likely caused by too much Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).  Your filtration system will not get rid of TDS. Since you have been using MPS to shock, you should know that doing so adds TDS much faster than would be the case if you shocked with dichlor once a week.  Frankly 6 weeks between water changes is not bad anyway.  I never go more than about 8 weeks between water replacement and I am one regular user, not two as is your case.

Bottom line:  Dump your water and refill with fresh water.   This is easy to do and will definitely solve your problem.

Regards,

Bill