inside surface of my tub is rough

[Miss_Rosie]

I have a feeling I won't like the answer to this, but here goes...

I recently drained and refilled my tub.  I cleaned the surface with cleaning "wipes" intended for spa use while it was empty.  I have used nothing different in the tub.

I got into the tub today, and the surface feels rough.  I don't know any other way to describe it, just rough, almost scratchy.  I'm really nervous about it, cannot imagine why it would feel like that.  It's only the part where it is filled with water.  That above the water line is smooth.

Anyone more experienced have any ideas?  It has not been exposed to the sun for periods of time either.  Any help is appreciated.  Thank you.

[st18901]

Is your PH too high?

[Miss_Rosie]

When I initially filled it, I had the water tested.  At that time the ph was high, but I treated it, and it's within range now.

[st18901]

I actually meant the TA (total alkalinity) PH level. If that's high you can get a "sandy/grit" feeling on the tub. Is that anything like what you're talking about?

[Miss_Rosie]

My TA was actually slightly low.  The feeling you described, however, is exactly it.  So, if this is from something like imbalanced water, will it go away if I correct the water balance?  Or have I screwed this tub up permanently?  I am really nervous about this.  It's too expensive of a toy to ruin.  

[st18901]

If this is it, it'll go away.  


It may be something else, but to be honest, unless you took a sander to the tub, I doubt you did anything to it that will be anything but slightly inconvenient to fix.

What are all your water specs?
Hardness, Ta, PH, sanitizer, etc.?

Someone on this board, with a lot more knowledge than myself will, I'm sure, have the anwer to your water worries.


The other thing is you could have very hard water, and you're feeling Calcium.

[J._McD]

You are on well water and that is calcium buildup.  You should be using stain and scale on a weekly basis.  I will assume you have had the spa for more than a year.  Calcium has attached itself to the shell surface.

[Miss_Rosie]

Nope, no sander here.  When I had it tested at the store  -

PH - 8 - I treated this to normal now.
TAC 130 they said it's okay. It's actually low now.
CALC - 100 ( they said it's low and told me to add 10-12 oz. calcium increaser).  When I read the bottle, it said to add 1 oz per 500 gal to raise by 10 ppm.  I added 5 oz because my tub is 398 gallons, so I think I had figured that would bring it to 150-200, which is where I need it.  Their figure of 10-12 oz. would raise it to way too high.  I hope I'm thinking right on that, but it still sounds right to me.

I also hope you're right that I may not have permanently damaged the surface.  At least maybe I won't lose any sleep tonight.  I can't really do anything about it until Monday when the store reopens, so I'm trying not to totally freak out about it.

"They" said when I bought the tub and when I purchase chemicals that I will begin to feel the water to know if it's balanced properly.  Well, I've had it for three years now and have yet to "feel" what they are talking about.  It kind of depresses me sometimes.  Do you have any idea what they are talking about - feeling the proper balance?

[Miss_Rosie]

You are on well water and that is calcium buildup.  You should be using stain and scale on a weekly basis.  I will assume you have had the spa for more than a year.  Calcium has attached itself to the shell surface.

I am indeed on well water, but I actually had to add "calcium hardness increaser" - so do you think when I added that, it did something to the tub?  It really did not feel like this when I drained and refilled it only a few weeks ago.  Coincidently, I just recently asked my dealer if I should be using something to "clean out the pipes" - they told me that was not necessary.  I told them I really think that there must be some buildup in the pipes after three years, so they sold me just what you mentioned...stain and scale control.  I have not used it yet because they seemed so determined that it was unnecessary.  They did not mention that it would control scale buildup on the tub itself.  

No, I really don't have a very knowledgeable dealer.  Kind of cuts down on my knowledge unfortunately.  So I should be using this stain & scale control on a weekly basis?

[st18901]

There was just a thread about this very recently.

My feeling (which admittedly differs slightly from others on this) is that once the stain and scale remover has been used, it's not necessary to use it again, unless you are topping up the water. However, using it absolutely a good common practice upon refill.
You want to get things like metals, etc. out of the water.

It does sound like your calcium is too high. The scratchiness you're feeling is not actually any damage to the tub, it's Calcium Carbonate.
It will go away with a sequestering agent - like the scale, stain remover, or, more effectively and easier - you could drain the tub partially and refill it with your tap (with the low hardness water). If you get your numbers down, and your ph and ta are good, the calcium carbonate will re-dissolve into the water.

Your biggest danger with Calcium, over a period of time, is that it will cake on to your heater elements, and clog other pump parts. However, you can sleep fine tonight through Monday.

Is there a reason that you refilled and drained the tub after only a few weeks?

[J._McD]

Stain and Scale weekly as per directions, but first triple dose the spa and rub it off while you are in the spa.  Don't freak out just yet but tell me what kind of shell material you have, smooth acrylic, matte finnish quarite, ABS material???  what kind of spa?

[Miss_Rosie]

To answer one question, I didn't drain it after only a few weeks, I drained and refilled it a few weeks ago.  I've actually had it for three years.  Sounds pathetic that I don't know everything about it by now, but admittedly I don't.

As for the tub...well, I can tell you it's a Beachcomber 750, that part I know for sure.  The finish?  I'm thinking maybe matte because it's not the really shiny finish.  I know when we were looking we decided not to get that really shiny finish because we thought it might be more slippery, so I'm thinking matte.  Now I'm looking at my book - it says "Acuralux Acrylic."  The only mention of care to it is to clean it (which I did when I emptied it) and not to leave the cover off allowing direct sunlight on the tub surface.

Thank you all so much for helping with this.  I feel a lot better already.  

[J._McD]

I believe it to be a quarite finish that has an orange peel like finish, slightly bumpy not smooth.  Triple dose the stain and scale and see if you can locate a "spa eraser" locally at a dealer, if not PM me and I can get better info for you.

[tony]

A roughness on all the surfaces under water is generally caused by precipitation of calcium caused by high pH.  Chas has a recipe that he has posted many times for drawing the calcium back into the water by dropping the pH and keeping it down for a certain period of time.  You cannot rub or clean this off.  The process must be reversed.  If I can find it, I will post it.