What's the Best Hot Tub

Author Topic: water care.  (Read 7749 times)

Drewski

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  • Artesian Piper Glen since 1999 in Beachtown, USA
Re: water care.
« Reply #15 on: May 30, 2006, 04:47:46 pm »
Quote
I noticed that After I turn all the jets and blower off that I have a yellowish scum around the edge of the tub from the bubbles and foam.
Is this a sign that my filters were just too dirty and all that scum looking stuff is oils and grime from off our body?

Yes and, yes. The shock killed everything and the filters were too dirty to filter all of it out. It probably formed on your tub because the clarifying agent causes stuff to clump. Wipe all of it up that you can. Set up the diverter valves to direct surface water to your filter box and let the tub run for an hour. Clean the filters again and repeat the process. In 24 hours, follow up by checking your levels. Adjust if neccessary. If foam is still present, repeat the shock, clarifying agent application and let the tub run again. This should "save" your current water. Alternatively, you could also change water and start over...

Keep plugging....

Drewski

8)
It's a HOT tub... anything else is just a POOL!

Hot Tub Forum

Re: water care.
« Reply #15 on: May 30, 2006, 04:47:46 pm »

Vinny

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Re: water care.
« Reply #16 on: May 30, 2006, 04:54:34 pm »
That gunk is anything that was on your body or filters. I used to use enzymes but found that my tub still foamed.

Try something that seems to work for me with foam ... I recently found that if I add about 6+ PPM and run it for 20 minutes and then add MPS and run for 20 min I get rid of the foam.

The MPS I use is powder, not a tablet so it all goes in at one time. I used this method yesterday after 3 kids went into the tub and I had foam. I watched the foam go away as the jets ran.

To clean the gunk, I use baking soda and scrub it off - I learned it here and it works great! That reminds me, I need to do that tonight  :-/ ...

blakley33

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  • skin to win...in my tub!
Re: water care.
« Reply #17 on: May 30, 2006, 04:54:37 pm »
I will give that a try. I am going out of town on thursday for six days and the tub will be all by herself so I may need to change water when I get back anyway.
Any suggestions on what I should do to water before we leave for six days?

Vinny

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Re: water care.
« Reply #18 on: May 30, 2006, 09:06:54 pm »
Make sure all the parameters are in range and shock with a 10 PPM dose, turn the heat down and after about an hour shut the lid. When you get back, shock again to 10 PPM and use some clarifier and it should clear everything up OK.

Something that Doc has suggested is to shock and turn everything off until you come back and shock again. I've never tried it but was thinking about it when I do go on vacation - This is only good for the summer!

Also, Drewski said clarifier and I agree but try the Sea Klear stuff, if you can get it. It seems to do a good job and it supposedly all natural - 1 oz treats 500 gallons.

Oh, and I just cleaned my tub with a rag and baking soda ... it really works fantastically!! All that gunk in the tub came right out, use a little and it scours the grime away.
« Last Edit: May 30, 2006, 09:09:01 pm by Vinny »

Drewski

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Re: water care.
« Reply #19 on: May 30, 2006, 10:05:27 pm »
Quote
Oh, and I just cleaned my tub with a rag and baking soda ... it really works fantastically!! All that gunk in the tub came right out, use a little and it scours the grime away.

Huh. Learn something everyday.... COOL!

Drewski

8)
It's a HOT tub... anything else is just a POOL!

Zep

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  • Cal Spas SQ92 Dallas-Texas
Re: water care.
« Reply #20 on: May 30, 2006, 11:18:38 pm »
blakley.....

I am a "spa rookie" but you may find some of this
info helpful from a local Dallas area guy that has
a spa cleaning service. Some of it seems a bit like
scare tactics, but I am sure there may be some truth
in some of what he says.


Virus Breeding Ground

When you purchased your spa, the salesman
flooded you with the therapeutic benefits of
hydro massage and collected his commission.

Experience shows they usually fail to mention
the spa could make you and your family sick.

Warm and wet environments are very attractive
to microbes. There are several types of microorganisms
which rapidly multiply in spa water, like bacteria,
fungi, protozoa's, and viruses. Some are pathogens
which can cause diseases including forms of Pseudomonas
which affect ears, eyes, skin, and the respiratory
tract.

The microorganism that causes Legionnaires
Disease thrives in spas with inadequate sanitizer
levels.

Another big one is Mycobacterium avum which
induces flu like symptoms. And we can’t leave out
E.coli, Meningitis and herpes simplex type I just
to name a few.

Warm water increases the breeding rate of
bacteria and opens our pores to allow an easy
route for infection.

Not to mention inhaling contaminated
water droplets made airborne by the jets.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
(Granulomatous Pneumonitis) or
“Hot Tub Lung”, is a rare disease caused by
inhaling dead bacteria fragments called
endotoxins. Spa water could contain high levels
of bacteria if the water is inadequately maintained.

Brought to the proper sanitation levels often
kills the bacteria but leaves behind the endotoxins.
The spray features like jets and blowers disperse
these toxins in the air which are then inhaled into
people’s lungs and thus cause an allergic and
inflammatory reaction.

A shipboard outbreak of Legionnaires Disease
was linked to a heavily used spa where buildup
of oils and other organic matter on the filter had
created a haven for microbes. When the air jets
were turned on, the bacteria in the aerosol infected
not only spa soakers, but also people who merely
sat on the deck near the spa as well. An whirlpool
spa was identified as the source of the worlds
largest outbreaks of Legionnaires disease in 1999
at a Dutch flower show. 188 people were affected
from a single operational display spa in hall
3 of the building. Why? Because the chemicals
were not properly maintained.

Many people who complain of “allergic reactions”
to the chemicals are actually suffering from simple
dermatitis from the bacteria Pseudomonas
aeurginosa due to inadequate water balance.

Others have died from acute respiratory failure
from contracting Hantavirus Pulmonary
Syndrome caused by inhaling waste and saliva
dust from rodent infestation. In particular the
cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus and deer
mouse Peromyscus maniculatus.

They both live in Texas and as stated earlier
under the mechanical breakdown section,
love to nest under spas.

The Center for Infectious Diseases indicates
no existence of a miracle drug to cure HPS. The
best chance of survival for those infected is
immediate intensive care. Other rodents species
may play host to other types of hantaviruses that
cause a different type of infection, hemorrhagic
fever with renal syndrome for example.

Keep in mind that both blowers and turbo jet devices
suck up air from under the spa cabinets and pushes
it into the water.

Whatever is floating around in the air under
your spa, is now floating around in the spa itself.

There are numerous spa repair technicians who
refuse to work on spas which have been infested
with rodents for fear of contracting Rat Bite Fever.
A disease which can be transmitted by a simple
scratch received from operational components
which have been urinated on by rodents.
Cleaning under the cabinet is as important as
cleaning the spa shell.

These problems will be eliminated with proper
chemical maintenance, cleaning, and sanitation.

Craig’s Spa Cleaning uses antibody-based
bacteria testing which detects species of
Aeromonas (including Pseudomonas), E.coli,
Shigella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and many
other coliform and non-coliform bacteria.


http://craigsspacleaning.com/pages/3/index.htm

   
« Last Edit: May 31, 2006, 06:45:24 am by Zep »

blakley33

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  • skin to win...in my tub!
Re: water care.
« Reply #21 on: May 31, 2006, 02:41:05 am »
Man Zep I think you have me terrified to get back in my tub now.   Jk.  Good information and something we should all keep in mind.
Drewski thanks for all the info. Not sure that I will shut my tub off totally, but will shock and lower temp.
We have been having 90 degree days and I am having a hard  time getting my water temp to come down. I had my tub up to 101 a few nights ago and it is still at 99 and I have the temp set at 96.

Worse case is I drain and start with fresh water when we get back.
I do want to see if I can get my water cleaned back up though.
Again thanks for all the info, you guys are all very helpful on here.

Drewski

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  • Artesian Piper Glen since 1999 in Beachtown, USA
Re: water care.
« Reply #22 on: June 01, 2006, 01:06:43 am »
Man, Zep... your just full of good news today. Kinda makes me want to sit in a dark room and REALLY experience depression. Maybe some Wagner, a little cold coffee, some dead rabbit stew....

NOT!

;D

Drewski
It's a HOT tub... anything else is just a POOL!

hottubdan

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  • In the spa business for over 20 years.
Re: water care.
« Reply #23 on: June 01, 2006, 12:50:57 pm »
You mentioned your filter cycles of 4 hours 2 times a day.  Is your ozone tied to that cycle?  You may want to increase filter cycles.
Award winning Hot Spring dealer for a gazillion years.

Hot Tub Forum

Re: water care.
« Reply #23 on: June 01, 2006, 12:50:57 pm »

 

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