I have been neglecting my spa.....

[searchinginfl]

Lately, I have only been using my spa on the weekends. My last fill was at the beginning of March, and I have only used it maybe 6-7 times since then. During this time, I went away for a week, and accidentally left it open (in a screen) and set to 85. I came back, shocked it, (it looked surprisingly good), and all was fine. In the last week or 2, I have been forgetting to add chlorine for a few days at a time (a lot of stuff has been going on). Last week, I remembered, and opened it up to slightly cloudy water and a yellowish/brownish ring. I shocked with dichlor and cleaned the ring and washed the filter. I used it once since then...4 people, long soak, 2 kids, the water still wasn't crystal clear, but only noticable to me.

Yesterday (Thursday), I opened for the first time since Sunday, again to cloudy water and the ring. I shocked with dichlor, but this morning it is still a little bit cloudy, and when I turn on the jets, really clouds up and stays cloudy (after turning off the jets) for a while. I tested with my Taylor....The chlorine is too high to judge, PH and Alk are fine. I have ozone, N-2 (replaced in March), and a scum bug. I have been keeping it at about 94 (I'm in Florida, it heats up fast when I use it)

I would like to use it this weekend, and don't have the time to do a drain/refill, unless I really have to. What do you guys think? I changed to a new dichlor that they sell at Publix (Spa time) because I haven't made it to the pool store. Can this water be saved? Or should I just forget about it and go for the full drain/refill? Should I add more dichlor? Should I wait a little longer? Should I leave it opened to burn off the chlorine??? :-/

[RK23]

Hello Searching,

I have cloudy water issues every 4-5 weeks, even when the water is well balanced.  I have found using Leisure Time "Bright & Clear" works very well to combine particles and allow them to be filtered and/or collect on the shell to be easily wiped up.  I have the same exact tub as you, and one ounce of this product has done the trick every time (takes about 3+ hours to fully clear up).

-Russ

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

I would add that after you use the clarifier and get the water cleared up to pull and clean you filter super good. leaving the cover open, even in a closed in spot allowed dust, pollen ect. to get into the tub. Filters only pic up to about 4 microns, so anything smaller is just passing through. The clarifer will collect these together to make them bigger so they will not pass through the filter, then you can rinse them out of the filter.

[Zep]

Searchin.....

your post only makes me wish even more the tub makers would offer an "automated drain feature" option....just a freaking option....dont want it?...dont like it?.... then don't order it!

But for those that do want it.... have an option where you push one button and drain every single ounce of water.....not leave the freaking inch here-inch there in the seats ect....no clumsy sump pumps...ect.

I would drain mine at least once a month....and i think it would increase tub sales long term......people get tired of water issues.....look at all the posts in here about water issues.....can you imagine trying to keep a bathtub full of the same water for months even if you were just soaking in it? (not bathing)

Jezzzz add the freaking $1000 dollars to the price! Whatever.....GetterDone!

[spa-ing]

We filled out hot tub last October. We drained it the beginning of May. Never cloudy or smelly. Water in balance. Just did nothing but add tablets to the floater and a little baking soda if the ph got too low. Tub water can sit a long time as long as you don't abuse it.

[Zep]

re: "We filled out hot tub last October. We drained it the beginning of May"

would you do that with your bath tub if you could?
(if your bathtub was just for soaking not bathing)

if not why not?

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

If the bathtub had a filter and you added chemicals, it would be like a 2 person spa....a bathtub is for washing off dirt with soap, all of which is not suggested in a spa. Why pay to heat the spa back up each month if you can get 3 months with proper chemical use, good filtration and clean bodies using it? Also with some areas, water itself costs a pretty penny, or some wells can not supply enough.

I will note, if I was having water quality issues that would not clear up with a little bit of chemical maint. I would drain and start over. A bunch of chemicals costs the same as the heating at a certain point and there is nothing like the feeling of the water after a freah fill!

[Zep]

So it's a money issue?
Keep the same old water to save some money.
Ok i can understand that.
Again I just wish they would offer an a "one push button" option to do otherwise.

[searchinginfl]

I think I'll drain today. It isn't a money issue, it's a "pain in the butt" issue. My drain works like poo (nice word), so I have to start a syphon with a gigantic hose, drag it across my yard, then clean the yellowish goo off my shell, and it is about 93 degrees here in South Florida today.

Speaking of cleaning the shell. The "ring around the tub" keeps occurring in the same area of my tub (across from the filter. I have a spray cleaner, but how do you make sure the cleaner doesn't leave a sudsy residue in my water?

[Zep]

"It isn't a money issue, it's a "pain in the butt" issue. My drain
works like poo (nice word), so I have to start a syphon with a gigantic
hose, drag it across my yard"

BINGO
I AGREE 100%

[searchinginfl]

OK, so I drained and refilled. For some reason the water I used to fill was greener than ever, like almost food coloring green!

Since I haven't made it to the pool store, I recently bought Spatime chlorinating granules at Publix. I used about 6 Tablespoons, and water is still green. Chlorine is reading beyond 10. Could it be that this brand just stinks? Maybe that is why I've had issues the past 2 weeks? (I think that might be about when I started using this brand.) I had been using Brilliance before and did not have issues if I neglected the water. The Spatime says it is 99% dichlor.

Not sure what to do now.....

[ndabunka]

OK, so I drained and refilled. For some reason the water I used to fill was greener than ever, like almost food coloring green! The Spatime says it is 99% dichlor. Not sure what to do now.....

Well, Green USUALLY means you've got METAL in your water.  Chlorine won't help that so the fact it's still green shouldn't be a surprise.  Get some "metal-gone" or whatever or just search this site for metal in water assistance.

[searchinginfl]

Thanks! I had no idea. On my first fill I didn't use anything but dichlor, and my water was great. Second fill, I used so much stuff, metal-gone, alk & ph stuff, and it always felt like a chemical cocktail, so this time I decided to go back to just dichlor. I have the metal gone, I'm so glad you told me! Thanks. Is there a test for metal? Why is it in my water anyway?

[tony]

Thanks! I had no idea. On my first fill I didn't use anything but dichlor, and my water was great. Second fill, I used so much stuff, metal-gone, alk & ph stuff, and it always felt like a chemical cocktail, so this time I decided to go back to just dichlor. I have the metal gone, I'm so glad you told me! Thanks. Is there a test for metal? Why is it in my water anyway?

Clear green indicates copper.  Iron or manganese will stain brown.  Metals come from the ground that your source water passes through or sometimes from the piping that carries the water to your house.  Water from wells typically are high in metals.  Generally water with minerals "taste" good but are more difficult to clean with.  If you use municipal water, your water department should be able to give you a breakdown of the contents of your water.  If you have your own well, you can and should send a sample to a water testing lab for analysis.  I find Leisure Time Metal Gon to be an excellent product to use.