Clarifier - How Often To Use

[mzimm]

Hi,

I'm currently using "Brilliance for Spa's Water Clarifier w/ bioplex NMF" once per week (using about 1 oz for 230 gallons). Should I only be using this as needed(when and if the water is murky) or is it OK to use this weekly as suggested on the bottle.

I haven't found too much info on clarifier use so I figured I better ask!

Thanks

Mike

[chem geek]

If you properly maintain your spa, especially with the Dichlor-then-bleach method (if you are using chlorine), then you should hardly ever need to use a clarifier. Even after heavier bather loads you could just shock with more chlorine or just wait for the water to clear. This also assumes you clean the filters as needed.

[pkillur]

Hi,

I'm currently using "Brilliance for Spa's Water Clarifier w/ bioplex NMF" once per week (using about 1 oz for 230 gallons). Should I only be using this as needed(when and if the water is murky) or is it OK to use this weekly as suggested on the bottle.

I haven't found too much info on clarifier use so I figured I better ask!

Thanks

Mike

I used to use it about once a week per the bottle's direction but since I've switched to dichlor then bleach I really don't ever need it. You might try cleaning your filters with a good TSP cleaner (rinse REALLY well before returning to tub) and then converting to DTB method (Dichlor then bleach). You might have to shock it a time or two and clean out your filter again but I think you'll find that you don't need bonding agents when there's not a whole lot to bond to in the tub!

[simonc]

Hi,

I'm currently using "Brilliance for Spa's Water Clarifier w/ bioplex NMF" once per week (using about 1 oz for 230 gallons). Should I only be using this as needed(when and if the water is murky) or is it OK to use this weekly as suggested on the bottle.

I haven't found too much info on clarifier use so I figured I better ask!

Thanks

Mike

Mike -

I agree with the others on this ... if you are properly sanitizing your tub, you shouldn't have to use clarifier.

Before I joined this forum, my solution to almost every tub problem was to add another chemical. I learned that a lot of my problems (cloudy water, foam, bad smell) were due to the fact that I was not killing all the things growing in my water (algae, germs, other microbes). I was always adding some chemical/treatment which my dealer was more than happy to sell me. It solved the problem (actually, the symptom of the real problem - poor sanitation) temporarily. Then back to the dealer (or hardware store) for more chemicals.

The best writeup on how to maintain your tub properly is this one: click here. It's a little intimidating to read. Read the whole explanation by Nitro and then go his summary section. This highlights the keypoints. Once you get your water balanced after refilling your tub, it's really just a matter of adding plain clorox bleach on a frequent basis. This is easy if you use your tub a lot like I do. (However, if you only use it only occasionally, the diclor-then-bleach method is probably not the best method.) Also, you should get a good test kit like the Taylor K-2006 so you can actually measure the important factors in your water. Test strips are OK for a quick check of chlorine or pH before you jump into the tub, but they don't work well for properly balancing your water to avoid problems.

Good luck,

- Simon