Just Got Back, Cloudy Water Wth?

[Venams]

I've had crystal clear water in my new hot tub since I got it about 2 months ago (hot springs Gleam = 550 gallons)

Water was balanced with specs below:

TA= 50ppm

ALK = 7.5

CYA= 30

BORIC ACID= 50ppm

I was using clorox (8.25%) and adding a little over 2 ounces each day based on my chlorine demand tests. I would test one day at about 2.5-3ppm and add enough to get it to about 5ppm.

I had to go out of town for 2 days so I added enough clorox to compensate for the 2 missed days.

I just got back popped the cover and water is completely cloudy. Temp still at set point of 97 degrees.

I added about 1.5 ounces of dichor and added 1 ounce of Super Blue (clarifier) and ran all jets for about 45 minutes.

Water is still cloudy?? What the heck!

Any suggestions?

[chem geek]

Do you have an ozonator? Was the chlorine at zero when you returned? It sounds like the chlorine got depleted though that was pretty fast unless you have an ozonator (ozone reacts with chlorine) or unless you didn't add enough chlorine at your last soak to handle all the accumulated bather waste. The chlorine also depletes more quickly at higher temperature.

I'd raise the chlorine level and keep the filtration running. You want to kill off anything growing and filter out the dead cells. It will take longer than an hour to clear, but shouldn't take more than 4 or so hours of filtration since in a spa that's quite a few turnovers.

Note that clarifiers can sometimes cloud the water if overdosed, but I presume you used the amount recommended on the bottle.

Also be sure the pH isn't too high -- get it back down to 7.8 or lower if it got too high.

[Venams]

Thanks Chem Geek. I have an ozonator installed and operating.

It was cloudy before I added the clarifier, and I dosed per instructions. I also checked the FC before I left for the short trip and was around 3.5ppm

We're getting dangerous storms right now in Chicagoland so I'll have to check the tub in the AM to see if it's cleared

[chem geek]

An ozonator will often cut the FC in half or more every 24 hours and perhaps there was some leftover bather waste as well, but something doesn't sound right about this if the ozonator was working. If water circulates and the ozonator is on then even without any chlorine it shouldn't get that cloudy. I could understand if the walls were slimy with some bacterial biofilm if the chlorine got used up but the bulk water that is able to circulate to the ozonator should have been maintained better even with no chlorine. Shocking and filtering should hopefully clear it up.

[Venams]

 

An ozonator will often cut the FC in half or more every 24 hours and perhaps there was some leftover bather waste as well, but something doesn't sound right about this if the ozonator was working. If water circulates and the ozonator is on then even without any chlorine it shouldn't get that cloudy. I could understand if the walls were slimy with some bacterial biofilm if the chlorine got used up but the bulk water that is able to circulate to the ozonator should have been maintained better even with no chlorine. Shocking and filtering should hopefully clear it up.

 

I agree chemgeek. It's a new tub so I doubt the ozononator is bad already. I would have thought that the ozonator would've helped out even if the FC dropped too low.