Author Topic: Cloudy water (Read 7951 times)

SurgTec · « **on:** March 03, 2006, 07:00:22 pm »

Greetings!
I am the proud (and happy) owner of a Marquis Quest for approximately a month now.
:)I've been keeping up with testing the water daily and all the 'levels' (hardness, bromine, ph, and alkalinity) are within "ok" range (test strips). I've rinsed the filters out and used a 'clarify' product. My system runs 2 - 2 hour filtration cycles every 24 hours plus a 1 hour 'clean up' after each use (or any running of the jets - such as when adding any chemicals). The water in the spa has persisted in being a slightly milky color. No oders, no skin reaction when using the spa - just not very pleasing to look at. Any suggestions folks?

Hot Tub Forum · « **on:** March 03, 2006, 07:00:22 pm »

Bonibelle · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2006, 07:25:00 pm »

Have you shocked the water? I don't see that in your routine.

SurgTec · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2006, 07:27:09 pm »

I've shocked once with a regular dose and 24 hours later with a 'super dose' - both times followed by using clarify product. Have I overdone it?

Bonibelle · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2006, 08:23:02 pm »

I am by no means the one to be telling you what to do because I am usually on here looking for the same kind of help too. But here goes from my 3 months of experience...
I think that we probably have the same set up, as I have a Marquis Epic. So do you use Bromine in the infamous frog system? If so, have you changed the cartridge lately? I have only used the clarifying product when I start up with new water, so I can't really tell you if you have added too much but I am guessing that you thought the cloudiness is from particles, not bacteria.
When my tub gets cloudy (as it has done several times), I find that it will take a couple of days to completely clear up again. I generally try to be sure my ph and all are in range and then shock the heck out of the tub.
If you do that, leave your cover off for a little while, and I go around and open all my jets to be sure the super chlorinated (brominated) water goes into each jet. In my past experience, I end up with a lot of foam that seems to disappear when the tub clears us again. Hopefully some one else will hop on here clarify all of this. I know how upsetting it is to open that beautiful tub to find a cloudy mess....

Tatooed_Lady · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2006, 09:25:39 pm »

I've read a lot of posts saying that clarifiers and defoamers add a lot to the TDS, and should be used sparingly....I don't know if your manufacturer has anything on their site to help with water issues, but I recall seeing something on that order on the Hot Spring site....it covers different issues (cloudy water included) and some of the ways to help fix the problems.....
Best of luck!

SurgTec · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2006, 10:23:30 pm »

Thank you ladies for your kind assistance!

I will try shocking the dickens out of my tub this weekend - but I suspect that I've reached chemical overload.

My bromine level is fine - and the cartridge in the "frog" seems to have bromine still in it.

I've read in other posts that a "new" spa needs its first water change earlier than the 'average' three months. Perhaps I just need to accept that.

The Marquis site offers no information on water treatment. My dealer is very laid back - I've found much more helpful information here. I'll check out the info on the Hot Springs site - Tattooed_Lady - thanks.

Bonibelle - since you have a Marquis spa also - I've followed your threads with great interest. This may be distressing to 'deal' with in our beautiful new tubs - but it beats stressing about a crappy day at work!

Bonibelle · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2006, 10:27:30 pm »

Isn't it so cool that somehow all that stress from work disappears when you hit that tub... ?) Check out the printout on the frog on the post by Markee....that may help us both!

tony · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2006, 08:06:27 am »

Sounds like you've got good advise here. Cloudy water can mean many things. Most times it happens because of lack of sanitizer. Now, we know you shocked twice. Is it part of your regular weekly routine. Too much clarifier will have the opposite reaction and make water cloudy.

Sometimes the best shock for a cloudy bromine spa is dichlor. Then increase your filter cycles until it clears up. Maybe double them. You may just have not given it enough time.

SurgTec · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2006, 02:53:41 pm »

I shocked again this morning - and let the jets run on high for 10 min. before letting the 'clean up' cycle take over (filtration for 1 hour after any jet use). The water does look better - but still not 'sparkling' clear.

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

I changed out my filters (I have a second set to make it an easy switch) and tested the chemistry. Water hardness, bromine, Ph, and TA are all in the "ok" ranges.

Guess I'll try lengthening the 'clean up' cycle time from 1 hour to 2 - with the two filtration cycles of 2 hours twice a day that will make 6 hours of filtration a day for a 340 gallon spa - that is used by 2 persons 3 to 4 times a week!

Thanks for all the advice - any and all comments welcome! I'm going to check out the info on water quality from Hot Springs and the info on spa frogs from King Technologies - so I'm really trying to "do my homework"

Gomboman · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2006, 05:19:42 pm »

If I were you I would dump out the water and start over. For some reason new owners with new spas seem to have this problem. This also happened to me the first time.

I believe Chas on this site recommends changing out the water after the first month or so. Correct me if I'm wrong Chas. Water is the cheapest thing you can buy for your spa. Just my two cents.

SurgTec · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2006, 06:41:46 pm »

Gomboman -

I've read that - dump the water after the first month... I'm going to give it one more week - then I agree = water is cheap.

I figure it is probably a matter of too much micromanagement of the water that got me into this - if I'd left well enough alone - good tub, good sanitizer, ozone, good schedule for filtration and cleaning... it would have been fine.... but Nooooo - I had to test every day and add a little of this, a little of that..... and here I am with cloudy water!

bosco0633 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2006, 07:11:14 pm »

I believe that Chas philosophy will work best here. Sounds like you may have been a little to keen on your chemical maitenance and over did it. Very common, just keep a log and keep an eye on it for the first little bit and eventually you will get it down to a science.

SurgTec · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2006, 09:07:02 pm »

So hard to find the balance between TOO vigilent about chemical balance and NOT enough!

Also - usage of brand new spa is higher than 'average' usage - so even more variables to consider!

Question - is it a good idea to 'shock' after every soak?

bosco0633 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2006, 09:10:09 pm »

I recorded everything down for the first 2 months. I found that due to "the newness" which translates to soaking about 3 times a day, I shocked 1 tablespoon for each bather after every use. This worked for me. once reality tub useage kicked in, I found that shock once a week was more than enough.

SurgTec · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2006, 09:17:25 pm »

Wow- and I thought I was an obsessive compulsive! I haven't written everything down - now wish I had!

I'm hoping to have a 'spa christening' party in early April - so I've got to get all the chemistry down before then - I can't show off a cloudy spa!

Hot Tub Forum · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2006, 09:17:25 pm »

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