MPS/Dichlor

[TubGuy 21]

I have learned quite a bit about keeping my water balanced from this board since I purchased my spa about 6wks ago.  I have been using the MPS/Dichlor/Vision cartridge together. I found that adding MPS after each soak or Dichlor (depending on the chlorine level) has been working pretty well for me.  Thats it though...it had only been me and my gf using the tub and we usually make sure we are clean and use the same suits that are rinsed only and not added to the wash.  I had some friends over this weekend and we had 4 of us in the tub.  I made sure I had some level of free chlorine ahead of time and added mps after the soak and more dichlor the next day.  I have had some foam for the last 2 days and I am sure its from the heavy bather load.  My question is this...how do I avoid this in the future when I have guests??? I am kind of confused as when increase either chemical. I understand that the MPS will oxydize the Chloramines...does that mean that I should use Dichlor first to sanitize the water and then MPS to get rid of the Chloramines?

[Webini]

Did your guests wash out their suits (assuming they wore them) multiple times before soaking?  I always get some level of foam after a visitor.  Has nothing to do with MPS or chlorine level.

[TubGuy 21]

No...I didnt think it would be practical to ask people to wash out their suits and let them dry before they come over....and it was kind of late and cool outside, so I didnt think I should ask them to rinse with the hose first.   I guess I will have to deal with the foam....what is the best way to get rid of it from here?

[svspa]

tubguy,

Webini is probably right someone may have had soap residue in their suit. MPS might help oxidize out some of the soap.

You don't mention when/how you are shocking your tub.

Generally you might hear people just maintain their dichlor level daily and then shock about weekly. The shock is when you are oxidizing out chloramines and contaminants in general. You can use MPS for your shock or you could use a high dose of dichlor.

Since you are using MPS anyway you might just try shocking with MPS about once a week.

MPS, besides being more expensive than dichlor, adds more to the total dissolved solids in your tub, so limiting your use of MPS is normally considered a good thing.

Steve

[TubGuy 21]

Thanks Steve,

I have been shocking with a higher dose of MPS weekly.  I thought it was harder on the tub to have higher levels of chlorine than MPS....I have been told 2 diff things...some say to use MPS daily because I have the Vision cartridge and use dichlor as needed....other say to use Dichlor daily and MPS as needed.    I guess I will have to see how it goes.  I have just been told by the dealer and some others that I shouldnt use dichlor daily because i have the cartidge.   I was thinking that I would try the dichlor after each soak and only add MPS (in between weekly shock) if the CC level is high...does this make sense?

[Webini]

FWIW, I use dichlor daily (less if I'm not using the tub).  Enough to keep a small chlorine residual.  Shock with MPS once a week for three weeks.  Fourth week I shock with dichlor.  I am using the cartridge also.

[drewstar]

I have had some foam for the last 2 days and I am sure its from the heavy bather load.  My question is this...how do I avoid this in the future when I have guests??? I am kind of confused as when increase either chemical. I understand that the MPS will oxydize the Chloramines...does that mean that I should use Dichlor first to sanitize the water and then MPS to get rid of the Chloramines?


Foam is caused by soap, which comes from bathing suits. (suits are evil).  If guests were suits, you're gonna get foam.  I don't see how dichlor would effect soap.  

With foam, I scoop.

And then I scoop some more

And then I scoop even more.

Then finally I just add a *touch* of no foam to knock down any remaining bubbles.  I use foam down very sparingly as it really clouds up my water. In fact I put it in a spray bottle and just spritz once or twice.

I've noticed if the water hardness, Ph and Alk are dead on,  foam is significanlty less.

I've lamented about the foam probelm to a few of my close friends who use the tub, and wouldn't you know? on thier own they started rinsing thier suits more.  

Any one else got a recipe for taking care of foam?

[TubGuy 21]

Thanks for the replies and advice from everyone.

[drewstar]

Thanks for the replies and advice from everyone.

Tub guy, I forgot to mention that prior to the marathon scooping, I add a bit of a product called bright and clear, it really causes things to foam but helps clear up the water.

I have a small hand held skimmer net that I use to scoop the foam.

Once I feel I defeated the evil foam, I'll swicth in a clean filter to boot.

[svspa]

tubguy,

webini and I use just about exactly the same routine.

I follow this routine because it makes good sense to me, maintain your sanitizer level daily and then clean out any build up of chloramines and contaminants weekly.

There are a lot of variations though.

And ditto what drewstar said on the foam. You could also try some clarifier. Oops just saw drewstar replied about the clarifier as well (bright and clear is a brand of clarifier).

Both foam down and clarifier add to TDS, so you would want to use then sparingly. But they can be effective for a specific problem like excessive foam. Use the scoop method if you can.

Steve

[drewstar]

Steve

it was suggested that chlorine can help with the foam....is tht true? I never heard of it,  will super chlorination effect soap? I thought Chlroine was for organic stuff.

[svspa]

drewstar,

Well when you talk about soap in particular I guess I don't know for sure either.

Since some folks use an all dichlor routine I was assuming most any contaminant could be oxidized out with a dichlor shock.

Could it depend on whether the soap is a biodegradable formula?  :-/

Steve

[drewstar]

STeve, I don't  know either.  I get foam after guests use the tub, I shock the ever loving heck out of the tub and raise the chlorine to levels so high the EPA gets notified.  I still have foam afterwards.

[windsurfdog]

A slight variation on drewstar's suggestion:

Put a 50/50 mix of defoamer and water in a spritz bottle.  Use as needed.  I've never found this to cloud my water.

Also, soaking 'nekkid' is highly recommended... 8-)