Cloudy water

[Bonibelle]

I have become so obsessed with getting this thing right, I have posted a white board by the door to the spa. I keep a log on there of what I am doing since my water change. I am trying to figure out some sort of pattern because I too, tend to over manage.  With all the help on here, Surgtec, we are bound to get things right sooner or later    

[Chas]

Repeat after me, "There's no shame in dumping, there's no shame in dumping."

[wmccall]

Repeat after me, "There's no shame in dumping, there's no shame in dumping."

 

Thats what I told my daughter about her last boyfriend.

[DaisyBug08016]

We were advised to add one tablespoon Chlorine or two tablespoons of (I think this is the right word - I know which bottle but am too lazy to go check) Ozone to the filter area ten minutes prior to each use - and run the jets... then get in... what do you guys think of that advice? This was advice from the dealer. Seemed like this guy knew his stuff...

Just looking for input on that approach.

[SurgTec]

Chas & wmmccall - LOL!!  

I will probably dump the water if no success after today - the water is slightly less cloudy and the 'levels' are all within norms - so I can still soak.  I don't want to dump today cause I want to soak tonight - and once I dump and refill it will be several hours before the water is back up to temp (even on a 240, 50 amp circuit).  

I like the idea of the "whiteboard" by the spa to keep track on.  

[tony]

When you get to be an "old hand" at it, you'll check your water once per week and adjust if necessary.

[Bonibelle]

OK  OK..I'm not bragging , but this morning
My water was perfect..and bromine in the ideal range.
This is a first for me and just confirms that the water change was the ticket. Surget, if you get an early start, you will be amazed at how fast your tub recovers.
I was going to post this on the ff, experiment but didn't want to create another variable in this controversial study.  I did a fast empty and super fast clean up of my tub (temps in the 30's make me work really fast in bare feet!). I put my cover on and put the hose in the tub. When my water was full enought to turn my pumps on, the water temperature was 55 degrees. I have well water and I know it comes out of the spigot between 43 and 45 degrees. (my first fill triggered the freeze warning thing) I attribute the 55 degree water temp to the retention of heat by my ff tub.....No science here just an observation  

[Tatooed_Lady]

Oh, boy......Boni's gonna stir up trouble again........
Boni, congrats on having clear water, now KEEP IT THAT WAY!!   No shame in dumping, and less is more....cha cha cha.......

[tony]

We were advised to add one tablespoon Chlorine or two tablespoons of (I think this is the right word - I know which bottle but am too lazy to go check) Ozone to the filter area ten minutes prior to each use - and run the jets... then get in... what do you guys think of that advice? This was advice from the dealer. Seemed like this guy knew his stuff...

Just looking for input on that approach.

The word you are looking for is MPS or non chlorine shock.  You must also have an ozonator, because you mention ozone.  I am speculating that you are using a mineral cartridge of some sort because of the advise of the dealer.

If all of the above is so, then the advice seems OK, but I think you need to educate yourself to see the options.  Most of us dichlor dosers (chlorine) add after use so the water gets sanitized and we are not sitting in chems.  A tablespoon sounds like a lot, but maybe OK for the number of people in the spa.  It more has to do with your tub demand as to how much dichlor you add.  Your free chlorine level should be over 2 ppm after you add.

If you are just using non chlorine shock (MPS), then you must certainly have a mineral cartridge.  You add this before you use the spa.  Add chlorine if the water gets cloudy and with either system shock once per week with dichlor or MPS.

I suggest going over to www.rhtubs.com, get to the forum and look at the top or bottom for FAQ.  There are two routines that are very helpful and informative for sanitizing with chlorine... Vermonters and Northmans.  They get right into the nitty gritty of it all without having to reproduce it here.  Also, check out the Nature2 site if you are interested in using just non chlorine shock (though I don't recommend).  The more you learn, the better equipped you will be to maintain you spa.

[Snyper]

I "micro-managed" the water myself when I got my first tub. I dumbed it down and change the water every 30-45 days

Since this practice, I have NEVER had a water issue.

Since water is so cheap, and this only takes about one hour, for me it is simple and lets me enjoy the spa and not worry about water chemistry.

[SurgTec]

YEAH!!!!  

When I got home from work today (after 4 hours OT) - I check in on my "baby" - and all the levels were great and (wait for it.......)

THE WATER WAS CLEAR!!!!!    

I guess a little patience and trusting to good filtration / chemical routine pays off!!

[Spatech_tuo]

YEAH!!!!  

When I got home from work today (after 4 hours OT) - I check in on my "baby" - and all the levels were great and (wait for it.......)

THE WATER WAS CLEAR!!!!!    

I guess a little patience and trusting to good filtration / chemical routine pays off!!

Great to hear, another 400 gallons of water or so saved. I'm not sure how you got the water back in good shape but my motto is; when cloudiness gets you down, rinse the filter quickly, hammer it with chlroine, let it run open for 20 minutes, close the cover and come back 24 hrs later and it usually has cleared up.

[SurgTec]

Steps taken that led to water clearing up:
 1.  Shock treating - I had to repeat several days (normal dosage - 'run in' for 15 min.

 2.  Increase filtration time - my 'clean up cycle' was increased from 1 to 2 hours, plus the 2 hours twice a day standard filtration

 3.  Bromine and alkalinity levels kept in limits with testing and minor adjustments.

 4 . filter cartridges rinsed out and replaced

What DIDNT work:
  1.  Checking the water more than once in a 24 hour period.  

 2.  Dumping shock and water clarify agent in the spa at the same time.

 3.  Making what is supposed to be a relaxing, enjoyable retreat into another thing to "stress" about in my life  

Lesson learned - less is more and enjoy!

[Spatech_tuo]

Surgtec,
FWIW, even though you are using Bromine we always advise bromine users to shock with chlorine when they have a water clarity issue. Those bromine tabs are about 30% chlorine anyway and usually kicking in a few TBS of dichlor does the trick.

[drewstar]

I didn't know that about the clarifier - that too much can cloud water - Oh Nooooo!  

Glad to hear the water is clear.

Cairfier clouding the water? I've never had that problem. Causing foam? Oh yea.   Don't brush off the claifiers too easyly.  Used correctly. I've gotten good results.