Jump to content

B0Darc

Members
  • Posts

    230
  • Joined

  • Last visited

B0Darc's Achievements

Spa Savant

Spa Savant (3/5)

0

Reputation

  1. OMG It's time to do this again!! I had to come back here to get my own tips, like plastic thickness etc. Now my cover is now SEVEN years old. The black plastic liner looks like it did originally when first replaced, and the vinyl cover is now unfix-ably stiff but in reasonable condition/appearance ...I'm going to attempt this re-redo anyway. The Gorilla tape worked not problem, but it was likely the manner in which I wrapped the plastic itself that allowed the tape to be successful for FOUR YEARS. Wow 2010 sooo long ago. ThX! Bo
  2. Thanks guys. I think I just saved myself $300 for $8.95. I went to the Hombre Depot and bought a roll of 4 mil vapor barrier black plastic in a roll 10' X 25'. I cut it in half for two pieces 10' X 12.5' The cover is 84" X 84" and is made in the familiar two piece hinged way (two foam cores). TECHNOTE: I have been using various car vinyl protectants on the cover over the last two years. They all worked well to make it shiny and clean but the plastic was feeling extremely stiff. I knew I was going to have to manipulate the vinyl and it needed to be more flexible so as not to get damaged, so I thought back to a recommendation I got from this forum for a product called 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's just a familiar vinyl spray like all the rest, but everybody raves how wonderful it is, and that turned out to be TRUE. It's easy enough to Google yourself, so I am conspicuously leaving out a link. Also it's available everywhere. I went to the store, bought, came home and applied the day before. This stuff fully restored a high degree of flexibility to the cover ...and in the cold. If all the other claims are true, why use anything else? The only con is that it is very slippery, be careful where you spray! ...and I only used it on my vinyl cover and NOT on any of the other surfaces of my spa. I unzipped the vinyl cover halves and the foam cores came out easily. The original vapor barrier black plastic had been seamed thermally for a complete seal, but that didn't help the plastic from deteriorating where it was exposed to the water/steam/chems ...the daily friction sliding it on/off didn't help. I removed the plastic and found Styrofoam slabs with a metal reinforcing beam embedded on the thick edge. They were not waterlogged and it was somewhat impossible as they are Styrofoam. I let them air out in the shade for about 18 hours after washing them with some sanitizer and a big soft tire brush. The next day I cleared a large work area and spread out one piece of my new black plastic (tabletop) The plastic was large enough to get 3+ wraps on the core. I started by overlapping the side of the core that faces up/sky about 4 inches and wrapped the first layer on the side that faces down/water. That means I wrapped the wet side, then the top side then continued around the bottom/wet side (3 wraps) so that the wet side had two layers and the seams were all on the top. The ends extended 2+ feet and I was able to fold them also up onto the top. I used Gorilla Tape which is like a thick black duct tape (had it on-hand), but the Tyvek Vapor Barrier tape would probably be closer to perfect. Gorilla tape seems fine but we'll see how well it holds up after Summer in Texas. ;-) Before my repair, the moisture was building up and freezing inside the cover, and it seemed like I was trying to insulate my hottub with two blocks of ice. Now I know there was a thick layer of Styrofoam actually in there, I feel better. I was also worried about the foam tea that was brewing as chlorinated water was bathing the unprotected cores... and dripping back down in the tub. First thing post-repair, the wife gets in the next morning and goes to slide the cover off and it goes flying. "Is it lighter!?" Yes it is! It's working great, looks great. Don't think I have to worry too much as the way the seams face up and are close to the middle and Gorilla taped like a Gangsta Christmas present ...should be good. Plus it fits so perfectly (wrapped core) inside the vinyl that there's little to no room for the moisture to make it's way up top and cause it all to fail. The cover is in good condition and the threads are now all soaked full of 303 Protectant for reasonable exterior water/moistureproofing. It's amazing how perfect a condition it was still in (no signs of mold etc.), regardless of spa water exposure inside and the elements (heat and cold) after the failure of the moisture barrier. Other than the black plastic, the level of overall quality will surely translate into another two years ...hmm maybe I can re-wrap it one more time ;-) I'm cheap! Thanks again guys Bo
  3. Thanks. Yeah the foam is in great condition, but I have seen older going-south covers. If mine was NOT STILL rigid I would replace. Watching TV I see them using a special tape on moisture barriers (walls of houses) I'll see what they have at he Hombre Depot tape-wise. I'm pretty sure that's the secret ingredient in this fix. I previously had the cover take on a little water from water penetrating the stitching (hose pressure), Obviously the plastic can fight moisture directly, but once it gets between/under the Vinyl it can bypass the seam where it was overlapped topside. Since I'm in Texas maybe I won't have to wait 3 months for warm/dry shade ;-)
  4. My foam cover is approaching 3 years old. It was very nice quality but I understand 3 years is about it lifecycle-wise. A few months back the black plastic wrap on the foam cores started to deteriorate. The things has zippers so I imagine it can be dismantled and re-wrapped to get another year or so before replacing (some stitching also showing signs of age.) Is it a certain kind of plastic (or mil thickness?) to stand up to the chlorine/chems? Can I just walk into the local hardware and buy heavy duty drop-cloth kinda plastic? The foam has started to take on moisture. I was imagining letting it get some warm sunshine for a day, re-wrapping, and saving myself $300 (84" X 84" spa) Typically I like to save the $300 to give it to the electric company over the next couple months (sarcasm) please save me from myself ...I mean is my dreamlike scenario acceptable (drying foam cores? using over-the-counter plastic?) Also I know about different types of plastic like HDPE etc. Is there a certain chem resistant stuff I need? Lastly as advice. I just slide my cover off and on. I use it as a privacy block. The plastic failed only on the half that constantly gets slid over that back edge (makes contact/friction). Good reason to get a lift of some kind... extend the life of your cover. The stitching also is suffering (only slightly) where I grab it to slide it back on ...thinking a lift would eliminate that problem too.
  5. My foam cover is approaching 3 years old. It was very nice quality but I understand 3 years is about it lifecycle-wise A few months back the black plastic wrap on the foam cores started to deteriorate. The things has zippers so I imagine it can be dismantled and re-wrapped to get another year or so before replacing (some stitching also showing signs of age.) Am I wasting my time? Is it a certain kind of plastic (or mil thickness?) to stand up to the chlorine/chems? Can I just walk into the local hardware and buy heavy duty drop-cloth kinda plastic? The foam has started to take on water. I was imagining letting it get some warm sunshine for a day, re-wrapping, and saving myself $300 (84" X 84" spa) Typically I like to save the $300 to give it to the electric company over the next couple months (sarcasm) please save me from myself ...I mean is my dreamlike scenario sound (drying foam cores? using over-the-counter plastic?) Also I know about different types of plastic like HDPE etc. Is there a certain chem resistant stuff I need? Lastly as advice. I just slide my cover off and on. I use it as a privacy block. The plastic failed only on the half that constantly gets slid over that back edge (makes contact/friction). Good reason to get a lift of some kind... extend the life of your cover. The stitching also is suffering (only slightly) where I grab it to slide it back on ...thinking a lift would eliminate that problem too.
  6. They forgot to show the snow and wind blowing and the rocks your kneeling on, and dog barking and customer who won't pay. Hey Bo, long time. 3 years ain't bad outa those pumps. You may be able to get a better one but it will maybe cost more. Wait for it to stop spinning, where do you live? Thanks for the "just let it run..." I may just do that.<snip> Well I just pulled a muscle patting myself on the back. To all the cryers complaining about paying spa repairmen... those guys earn your money. I fix everything all the time, so I have wide ranging experience with most modern electro-mechanical stuff. I'm a car guy, and professionally do computer everything, and I have to say ...Spas are crazy! I let it run for a little while longer but the 24/7 circ pump was just getting too loud. Finally before Christmas I started worrying the temps might drop below freezing while I was outta town. I ordered the part. I'm not even gonna give you the link as they apparently own the Internet Spa parts world and you couldn't miss them blindfolded. Great web site with actual pictures of the part which is how I was confident enough to know I had the right part... the real challenge when doing something like this online. Actually the online spa parts place was awesome because the two piece filters I ordered were discontinued and replaced with a one piece dual filter which was cheaper and looks kick@ss (design/surface area), but it delayed my shipment because they had to OK with me to change CC charge ...remember I'm outta town. I was sweating getting my circ pump today because it's going to be the coldest day in 14 years in central Texas... tomorrow. It's not supposed to get over 32 F all day ...not good for a powered off spa. Long story short, pump on porch when I got home from work. Ate some dinner real quick and got busy. Bundled up, as it's so cold the hookers downtown are charging $20 just to blow on your hands. Wow, Spa repair should not be classified as entry or even mid-level DIY. Not impossible for me, but it called in all my skills/experience ...challenging. Add the fact I was laying on the icy concrete ..wet concrete ...which for some reason fascinates dogs. Nothing more exciting than water, (LOTS of!) electricity, and a couple grand worth of motors and circuitry ...the only DIY challenge missing was an explosive liquid and some fire. It'd be easier to install a kitchen sink under the hood of a Corvette ...with a garbage disposal. It runs so quiet! <happy sigh> it'll be warming up all night ...as opposed to freezing and cracking. I was thinking about video taping the job, but my motivation ....well. It's been weeks with no soaking! Man! I'm going to bed now so I can wake up and get in my hot tub @O'DarcThirty ...it'll be like 20 degrees with 20 mile an hour winds ...and I'll be sipping a cup o' beans with the Miz ...hhmm maybe I'll go raise the temp a degree. So ...not for the faint-of-heart, but if you're mechanically inclined, and have some common sense, and patience (GD o-Rings! heh) it's rewarding ...me? I'm just cheap!
  7. They forgot to show the snow and wind blowing and the rocks your kneeling on, and dog barking and customer who won't pay. Hey Bo, long time. 3 years ain't bad outa those pumps. You may be able to get a better one but it will maybe cost more. Wait for it to stop spinning, where do you live? Thanks for the "just let it run..." I may just do that. I'm in Central TX but it's going down to 25 degrees tonight (?!?!?) I was planning on pulling it tonight, but I think I'll put it off. I did find some seal kits online but don't know what's really under the hood... heh maybe I'll video it. Barking dogs and rocks? Thanks for the reality check ;-) One of you guys needs to come to my house so my dogs can bark at you, so *you* can freeze, and I can whine about how much you have to charge me... but first I think I'll do it all wrong ...break something else ...cut the back of my hand ...electrocute myself ...and save $100 ;-) That'll pay for my trip to the ER!~
  8. Sorry Bo, the Costco dopes just don't see it that way. But they do get a label. But it's nice to know we are appreciated. Our PM's tell us anyway. BODarc, excellent response, over time a good relationship with your local dealer is very important. All businesses need to make a fair profit to be there when you need them, of course this applies to all stores including Costco or Walmart. “Costco dopes”, wow that certainty improved your creditability This reminds me of the arguements about whether a Walmart should be allowed to move into a small town. Generally, most of the people want it, but the local small business owners always object, knowing correctly that they cannot compete on price, and it may drive them out of business. For better or worse, most (but of course not all) consumers are willing to trade less expertise for better price. I think that is in part becuase the expertise can be found, and for free, on the internet. As far as continued support from a Spa Dealer that's been around for 30 years v. Costco that's been selling Spas for 2 years...well, unfortunately, there have been a lot of spa, furniture, and other home stores that have gone out of business in the last year or 2, after a successful multi-decade run...So I feel more comfortable with Costco being there for me (at least for refund if I am dis-satisfied in 3 years), than any spa dealer being able to support me in three years. heh It shouldn't remind you... it IS the argument. Your words are true. The world changes... I remember when Netscape tried to sell their browser software for $50. "hey you can see pictures on the Internet with that stuff!" ...then next week Microsoft gives away I.E. 3.0 (?) as a download for Win95. I was more or less the victim of WallyMart, and I believe we have traded alot for "lower prices", and I mean culturally speaking, but that's another forum. One thing I know is that the majority of folks are not so bright, nor are they mechanically inclined. A spa can be a little daunting without some self-confidence about one's chemistry skills and a little mechanical ability, and some folks just have the money and don't want to even know about such trivialities. There are also still folks who cannot squeeze an email or g00gle search result from that PC their kid bought them last Christmas. This New World Retail Order requires you be a savvy self reliant person. I think the retail model of which you so wisely speak leaves out those perhaps not-so-savvy people. With the mom and pop shops gone they have no alternative. Who's left? The High end customers. Retailers for big ticket items like spas/pools/boats/Porshes have always been boom or bust, so if it feels like they're going for the maximum margin, it only makes sense.
  9. Wow, I hate this topic. Like a pet peev. I didn't even bother to read the previous 2 pages, no disrespect. On the Ford Truck forum are they spending their time talking about that damn profitable Ford Motor Company? You know who keeps them competitive? The market. It's almost 2010 people and "you get what you pay for..." was never more true. What I have read many times on here and similar forums is about folks going back for warranty claims only to find the dealer is no longer there to provide service. Wow, now that's even true of many car dealers. The guy who charges a reasonable markup is the guy who by definition will be there when you need him. The guy who charges you too much and the guy who gives you a great deal will be out of business soon enough. How do you choose? Look for the guy who's been in business already for 5+ YEARS. You can't worry about how much he's making on those add-ons.. I'll tell ya. A majority of his profit. Almost everything you buy is half price to a retailer. He pays $5 and sells it to you for $10, he makes $5 ...gross. If he nets .50 cents of that $5 after taxes and expenses he's a genius. If he can find something he can buy for $2 and sell to you for $10, he make $3.50, that's not trickery, that's sending his kid to a better college. I don't know, but I doubt Spa dealers pay $3,000 for a hot tub they then sell for $6,000. Major purchases don't follow the pricing schedule for $10 items. For example the Ford dealer doesn't pay the Ford factory $10,000 for a truck they sell for $20,000 heh it's much more insidious than that <joke!> You make your deals in Life one-by-one. If a major purchase sounded like a good deal when you made it, don't think you made a bad deal because some other lucky/fool just ran across some poor unfortunate soul in the last months of his spa business who made some ludicrously low-ball deal. That guy who will not be around next year for warranty work... or answering a simple question. So... neighbor, when you come into my retail outlet ...not C0stco ...not WallyMart, not HommesDepot, don't disrespect the notion that some of the money changing hands might go to my family or my future. Buyer beware works. Vote with your feet and your money. Support a guy you think deserves it ..a guy who seems to be fully intent on being there to sell you your NEXT hot tub in ten years. He'll only be there because you paid him to be...you made it profitable for him ...you came back and bought chemicals, and filters, and proudly referred friends ...because he deserves it. Being loyal is a very becoming trait that garners customers the same kind of treatment in return from a retailer. When did saving every possible penny override Civility? Greed works from both ends of the spectrum. Good luck finding an honest person, but realize he's the one *not* telling you everything you want to hear. Liars are simply that, and that's the best barometer. They also rarely last long at one location... that makes lasting a long time at one location a great barometer. If you're only looking at price, you're about to be taken. Because when you *do* come back next year and need a problem resolved, it will very likely be coming out of the profits from the original sale. If I just take your money and split I get to keep it ALL, so it can quickly turn out you didn't make such a genius purchase in the long term. I'm *not* a spa retailer or even close, but I did have my own business for over 10 years. I took care of the people that took care of me. I still have people overpay for my specialist services so they can know that when the sh*t hits the fan they have someone to make it go away. I don't care if C0stco was giving away hot tubs! You think Skippy the HommesDepot dude is going to be able to truly solve your water issues, or rush over to solve any issue to repay your Customer Loyalty to HD!? Hell NO! There will be a time you need an EXPERT ...and trust me, when that time comes, he better already know you. And you don't want to be remembered as the d-bag that came back and back and back, wasting valuable time to get some free add-ons and couple hundred bucks off your spa. I don't mean not to haggle or provide your retailer with true comparables you can get right now in the next town, or down the street. That's your duty to your family, and him convincing you to buy the stereo and plasma TV option is him doing his duty to his family. Dry your eyes. It's not magic, nor is it rocket science ...it's also not a crime scene when two neighbors exchange a buck... we used to call it "The Economy". Oh and I did want to add this is directed to all the folks dropping in for a peek ..."we're thinking about buying a spa", and not the folks who contribute to this forum, which is one of the truly most generous sources of Spa Truth! If you recently bought a spa or are hoping to buy one in the near future, you owe it to yourself and COME BACK for the meat of the discussion here ...which is "So I just bought a hot tub... now what?" Bo
  10. Hello old friends. Remember this nightmare? heh I found my own old post (this one!) from a g00gle search and while I was reading it I saw 2 other "guests" were also reading this same old post. The topic still must have some life to it ...some interest. I'm having another problem and while this one *above* should be considered closed maybe it would help for folks reading it to know a circ pump can be a properly installed option. Hopefully dude got his money back for an unnecessary circ pump add-on.... meanwhile back at Bo's house. To clarify I have a Balboa board controlled system. It's a 2007 DownEast Exeter SE (4 pumps). The manual states that if you have the three-pump system (non-SE) the "Jet#1" BUTTON HAS TWO POSITIONS, high and low... low comes on during heating when the spa is unoccupied at programmable intervals for improved filtering. Obviously the more it runs the more electricity it uses, so there are 3 options from Economy mode to Most filtration mode. My SE has the additional factory-added 4th motor which disables the two-speed functionality of #1 button. My 3 motor + 24/7 circ pump only has one speed when I press #1. Obviously it's configured by the factory/dealer to have that function taken over by the 24 hour circ pump and the story preceding was just a dealer gone wild. I mean if I re-read it correctly his #1 button still had two levels high/low *and* a circ pump ...whatev So I just found the drawback of a pump that runs 24/7 ... it's 3 years later and it's starting to make noise. First I'm a motor rebuilding fool, so no worries. I know it's bearings, but my question is... "Is it worth my time to try and rebuild this pump by replacing bearings, just to have some other moving part of the pump wear out in 6 months (impeller/brushes, etc?) and seals that don't re-seal [leak!]?" After 24,000 hours of operation should I just go ahead and buy a whole new circ pump ($250-ish)? I suppose it could be also be sealed/non-serviceable. Is there an upgraded quieter, more modern/efficient/greener/lasts-longer-for-less$ motor I could pop inline? I'm old so I've already learned the hard way that trying to save money is usually very expensive. Thanks for any advice Should I start a new thread ;-) heh maybe I'll video it... oh wait I'm sure that's already been done on youtube... lemme go check ...doh! hey is this one of you guys? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEi9gL-pAyw
  11. Well I caught a "warm" day for Spa Purge (overnight) and a drain/fill the next day. Remember I ran Spa Purge 3 months ago with dramatic visual results. This time I got nothing... it tinted my water a little and I had foam (TSP related no doubt). So anecdotally speaking (IMHO) it's likely not necessary to "Purge" every drain... although I bet it keeps it maximally clean. Personally I won't be repeating next drain (near Springtime) ...maybe twice a year as next test. Since I have switched to Clorox only, this last 3 month cycle I have used zero MPS, zero clarifier, about 5 lbs DiChlor and 2 1/2 lbs dry acid, and (scratching head) maybe 6 gallons of clorox ...a couple tablespoons baking soda. I have excellent source water (for a spa) very high in Calcium. The first time I filled my spa I forgot to "bypass" the water softener, what a mess numbers-wise. This time I am also going to add Borates. Thanks for all the latest posts! One mentioned how maybe a little residual Flush might be causing foaming... very possible. After my spa was drained I shot the hose in the water at the bottom (10 gallons?) ...foam. The instructions on the bottle say to just run your jets for 5 minutes minimum as foaming can be a problem. A product material sheet for a competing product mentioned "TriSodiumPhospate" (TSP) which is the detergent-like chemical removed from laundry detergents... remember "contains no phosphates"? Makes algea grow in lakes and streams. TSP is a main ingredient in that blue stuff you rinse commercial coffee pots with... makes everything easily dissolve like burnt on coffee or crusted-on spa johnkz ...also makes lotsa suds. The fix? make sure more (that remaining 10 gallons or more) gets drained. I added some more water to the bottom with the drain still open, and last time I just used a clear hose to syphon it out ...easier to just shoot water at the problem, Man Law. Thanks for helping me dodge that bullet, that's what makes forums great. What do you mean by "major damage" and what time frame are you talking? Do you mean when I add the Borax I will walk outside the next morning and my spa will be a mound of smoking Goo .......or after years of doing this as a "bio-film removal method" before a refill, I may develop a leak or something. I know that this will not disinfect the tub, just removing the bio-film like the O/P stated. Thanks What he meant is that if you were adding the 20 Mule Team Borax to your spa you would also have to add a matched amount of (damnit don't make me do this from memory ;-) (washing Soda?) to balance the pH or it would be way off the neutral mark! Highly alkaline or highly acidic water can damage your heater and metal parts or spa shell. It's best to listen to folks who have done it for years and have been called to the houses of DIYers like you and myself ;-) to fix all the stuff we have blown up. Soooo be SURE to read the posts about adding borates via "20 Mule team Borax" instead of the pH neutral spa-centric OTC chemicals from the pool supply to see exactly what ratios of chemicals you would need to add wihte the Borax to be successful and non-destructive. [chuckle] It wouldn't have to be a pile of smoldering goo to have it's "Mean Time Before Failure" shortened. Bo
  12. Anti-Spam Bumpitization! For new peeps, this is what you need. Press print, cut/paste, whatever works. This is the info your pool chemical supply would be happier if you didn't know. You really can cut your spa maintainence chemical costs in half, and cut the time spent guessing why your water is smelly/cloudy by 100%, and increase the time you proudly share your crystal clear sanitary hottub with friends and family by 100%. DO NOT be daunted by what may first appear to be a chemistry lesson ...not so much. Remember, knowing how to sanitize a spa is very sexy! ...you know, as opposed to what can happen when you don't know. SO READ and stop weeping, and give the Old Gang Crew at poolspaforum some props. Shouts out to all moderators and "chem geek" [Richard] and "water bear" and the author of this post "Nitro" who have helped so many "get their soak on"! Bo
  13. Welcome new dude, Interesting post, but when you try and re-invent the wheel you have to first consider how long the "wheel" has been around. Salt? still a viable topic, especially here. Do a search for "SWG" or Salt Water Generator. Remember salt is sodium and chlorine and there are pool/spa systems the ionize the salt water to free the chlorine for sanitation. Also Boron salts (borates) are used to buffer the water and stabilize chlorine and change the water quality in positive tactile ways (Calgon take me away), so be sure to read any Borate or Borax topics. Spa water, simply put, is just carefully buffered salt water. The Devil is in the "careful" details, and as it has struck you, there is more than one way to skin that cat. Listen to these guys and read backwards down the list. Most any question you might ask has already been answered... it's that whole "illusion of re-invention" thing. This forum does not support "stickys" and it's just as well ...as it would ALL be stickys, so you may have to travel way down the list to find the best stuff. There is actually some truly revolutionary reading to be had... pool/spa-water-wise.
  14. Yes listen to Nitro ...he's the bomb. His best advice is "less is better". I had the most problems as a new owner applying "fixes" when in reality I probably should have been using more shock or more sanitizer or balancing my pH. Simply put, proper water management is killing germs/algae and eliminating organic matter so you can bathe in the same water for a two/three months. Most of the "fixes" can seem to help, but cause their own problems in slight overdoses or if used as substitutes for core water treatment practices like shocking, getting filters really clean, and stable free chlorine levels. Sheeesh kids in my hottub, no comment *cough*. You may never know what happened, but you can count on weird unexplainable similar events happening anytime you have "carefree" bathers. Someone already said it but it actually could have been milk or some other ...well anything. Maybe you can solve your cloudy spa problem with the proper sign. Welcome to our S_A... Notice there is no P in it, Let's keep it that way!
  15. Yes, listen to Nitro, he's the expert. Me? I'm the shade tree neighbor over the fence, so don't listen to me. However if we were sipping cervezas in your spa I might recommend trying the Clorox-for-chlorine test. Nitro is right and your CYA levels are likely high. Many folks don't want to fully change out their water in the cold of winter and you are half way to max water change out (2-3 months) schedule. Here's my over-the-fence advice. #1 Either just go ahead and drain with the knowledge you are heading into the coldest months ..or #2 drain 1/2 of your spa and refill, then switch to Clorox for sanitizer. It will provide the chlorine without adding CYA. Likely many of your other water elements are balanced, so you may have quick results/luck bringing your 1/2 refill back up to spec in a couple test/treat cycles. It sounds like you have learned a lot already on this forum, but be sure to look at some of the advice on using Clorox as your sanitizer. Maybe this makes sense to you, and remember this is casual advice. In place of your 2 tablespoons of Dichlor try 3-4 oz of Clorox for a 350-400 gallon spa. Of course testing is always important to get the right *repeatable* results. 3 oz might be enough the first weeks after refill, but that amount will increase as your water quality decreases. Luckily Clorox is cheap! The winter months are different of course depending on if you are in Michigan or Florida, and technically we're still in Autumn. Folk in frigid zones face 2-3 cold weather spa water changes if they follow the 2-3 month successful water treatment schedule. So look out ahead and think how that rotation might affect your predictable future drain/fills. I mean if it's 5 degrees below zero it might not be the genius time to drain your spa. Foaming means soap. Remember from high school chemistry that alkali and oil makes soap. It could be residual soap from laundry (soak neked!) or residual YOU and the sanitization factor. Nitro already gave you specific good advice, but basically make sure that you reduce any extra oily substances going in, especially yesterdays lotion/cosmetics. <Translation> blame it on her! Maybe she can take a quick shower and wash of those heavily lotioned areas... for my missss, that's her whole body (lotion addicts!) If you perhaps lack privacy and must get in with your swim attire, simply try washing your suits without soap. Defoamer is best used in tiny amounts as it can load up your filter and cause cloudiness if used to excess. It's best to burn off the foam with MPS shock and then chlorine ...and as someone else said, just scoop it off to speed the process. I had a party recently of lotion addicted females and found my self blowing the foam off the next day with the leaf blower ...disgusting but functional. But trust me no amount of lotion can stand up to a jug of Clorox and aeration... and a leaf blower ;-) If you have been using defoamer and having problems with oily females, be sure to chemically degrease your filters... losta good products for that at the pool supply. I just use a 5 gallon bucket with *plain old* Cascade dishwasher powder (don't use the ones with all the additives/packets) and *hot* water. Let them soak and agitate every once in awhile ...this is when it's good to have two sets of filters. Be sure to rinse rinse rinse! You don't want any Cascade residue in your filters. I have had great success with the commercial filter cleaners, they just get expensive. When you look into the "Clorox" regime the first thing you learn is that you *need* a certain level of CYA *before* switching to just Clorox. So even while I use solely Clorox I start off with a canister of DiChlor upon refill to build CYA. If your CYA is high now and you drain off half your water and top off with fresh, you will likely be in a safe CYA ballpark. Testing for CYA *before* draining might help you know how far down to drain. Finally, I CANNOT recommend you just half-drain regularly or even back-to-back as it is important to totally flush/drain/wipe down your spa between refills. Be sure to read some of the posts on "Spa Flush" I think there are about 3 different threads going right now. I would recommend performing a "flush" next time, if you chose to do a half-drain this go-round ...as you are cheating, and "payback is a ...rash!" ...and remember I'm just a dude on the Internet ...a cheap, lazy bastage that blows the foam off his spa with a leaf blower for Christsakes, so listen to the pros on here when it comes to strict chemistry guidelines and specific spa care.
×
×
  • Create New...