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Best Mineral Buildup Cleaner?


stackz

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I've tried a couple different cleaners and scrub pads for my hot tub...even used windex as the manual stated (which was worthless).

I'm kinda down to thinking CLR will be the only thing I can use to clean the white line of what I think is chlorine/mineral buildup forming a ring around the hot tub.

anyone have any suggestions?

the ring was already there when I bought the tub used by the way so I have no idea on the chemical history of what it could actually be...

you can sorta see it at the water line in the back of this picture to give you a better idea. when the tub is drained, its MUCH more prevalent.

2010-09-01_17-02-17_167.jpg

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I have also seen what looks like this in bromine tubs, the salt builds up over time. we use sea klear thick tub and tile cleaner, it works really well,

Scale feels a bit more rough than the salt residue build up which is usually smooth. The acid water bear suggests should remove the salts too, it removes about everything!.

If the shell is like this, what about in the lines and on the heater, you may want to look into using swirl away to clean out in there also, it will also help remove some of it from the shell.

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I have also seen what looks like this in bromine tubs, the salt builds up over time. we use sea klear thick tub and tile cleaner, it works really well,

Scale feels a bit more rough than the salt residue build up which is usually smooth. The acid water bear suggests should remove the salts too, it removes about everything!.

If the shell is like this, what about in the lines and on the heater, you may want to look into using swirl away to clean out in there also, it will also help remove some of it from the shell.

I will look into that swirl away stuff. I assume I can buy it from a hot tub store?

I used a new scrub pad and CLR diluted 1:1 and most of it all came off. though, I didnt think the scrub pad was as coarse as it was and now I have some swirl marks on the shell. since the shell is fiberglass am I able to buff it like a corvette's body to remove the swirl marks or just deal with it and keep up on the cleaning so it doesnt get any more buildup/marks?

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People tend to report better results using Spa System Flush which is available at many spa stores and online. It was bought by SeaKlear and has new packaging (old packaging shown here).

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Your shell is probably acrylic. Fiberglass/polyester is most often applied to the back of the vacuum-formed acrylic shell as a reinforcement. You should be able to buff out the fine swirl marks with a slow speed buffer and fine auto cutting compound, or you can try "Gel Gloss" which is available at Home Depot and many other such places. You can also try "softscrub" which is used instead of powdered cleanser on acrylic bathtubs. Or even a little toothpaste might remove the scratches. I wouldn't let it go, since the slight roughness will make scale more likely to build up. In the future, if you do see more buildup, you might try white vinegar. It's mild acetic acid and will work as long as the scale isn't too bad.

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People tend to report better results using Spa System Flush which is available at many spa stores and online. It was bought by SeaKlear and has new packaging (old packaging shown here).

Sea klear said they changed the recipe a bit, i have not tried this one yet, but sea klear has great produts. We have had great luck with swirl away also as far as scale and bromide salts.

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so when I use this stuff, should I just dump it in while the tub is running, let it act over night and then drain/refill?? or just dump it in, wait a day, and continue to use the tub?

I mean if it can remove scale from the tub and lines, I imagine it cant be wonderful on your skin lol.

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so when I use this stuff, should I just dump it in while the tub is running, let it act over night and then drain/refill?? or just dump it in, wait a day, and continue to use the tub?

I mean if it can remove scale from the tub and lines, I imagine it cant be wonderful on your skin lol.

Best bet is to read the directions on the bottle!wink.gif

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just curious, I've got a Zodia Nature2 Spa minteral sanitizer cartridge that goes inside the tub filter.

will this work as a standalone to keep the spa running clean/crisp after the initial shock I do?

or will I still have to do pH testing, etc even with this unit?

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just curious, I've got a Zodia Nature2 Spa minteral sanitizer cartridge that goes inside the tub filter.

will this work as a standalone to keep the spa running clean/crisp after the initial shock I do?

or will I still have to do pH testing, etc even with this unit?

Have you bothered to read the directions that came with the Nature2? If you had you would know the answer to that question so RTFM!

ALL THE NATURE 2 DOES IS ADD SILVER TO THE WATER!!!!! IT DOES NOT BALANCE YOUR WATER, CURE WORLD HUNGER OR WALK THE DOG!

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just curious, I've got a Zodia Nature2 Spa minteral sanitizer cartridge that goes inside the tub filter.

will this work as a standalone to keep the spa running clean/crisp after the initial shock I do?

or will I still have to do pH testing, etc even with this unit?

Have you bothered to read the directions that came with the Nature2? If you had you would know the answer to that question so RTFM!

ALL THE NATURE 2 DOES IS ADD SILVER TO THE WATER!!!!! IT DOES NOT BALANCE YOUR WATER, CURE WORLD HUNGER OR WALK THE DOG!

only asked because I did read the manual and thats what I got from it...guess the person at the spa store sold me fish oil after all.

I prefer walking my dog versus feeding others though. feed them and they'll just come back for more instead of trying to grow their own crops.

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the nature 2 we sell have a direction book that has the full set of directions, start it with dichlor, mps before and after each use, dichlor as needed which is usually weekly or more if you use the tub daily, and to adjust you PH alk and CH weekly. I would read the manual from front to back, highlight what the dealer did not tell you and bring it back to show them that they are directing people wrong.

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  • 2 weeks later...

the nature 2 we sell have a direction book that has the full set of directions, start it with dichlor, mps before and after each use, dichlor as needed which is usually weekly or more if you use the tub daily, and to adjust you PH alk and CH weekly. I would read the manual from front to back, highlight what the dealer did not tell you and bring it back to show them that they are directing people wrong.

had some problems with my electrical (old main box went out and had to install a new one)...took some time to get breakers for all my "toys" as money was thin for a while due to traveling for family stuff.

anyway, what is dichlor? chlorine salts??

CH is short for chlorine also right?

I filled it up yesterday and got it back up and running and I went ahead and used spatime shock on it per the directions on the shock bottle (3tablespoons/500gallon). here's the thing though, I have no clue what size tub I have? the instruction manual that comes with it does not mention its gallon size and the tag on the outside of the spa only refers to electrical hookup info. what would you guys estimate this tub is? I'm just assuming its 500 gallon.

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also, when i added the shock some didnt dissolve. I stirred it around with a pool skimmer pole and more dissolved. went out this morning and checked the tub and it was up to 93*F (felt good in 53*F weather mmm) but still some shock particulate in the bottom. I guess I added too much or does this stuff take time to dissolve even in warm water?

I'm going to read through my manual at lunch time as well as a spatime spa care manual I picked up from lowes with the chemicals so dont beat me up too bad if I answer my own questions after lunch

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just curious, I've got a Zodia Nature2 Spa minteral sanitizer cartridge that goes inside the tub filter.

will this work as a standalone to keep the spa running clean/crisp after the initial shock I do?

or will I still have to do pH testing, etc even with this unit?

Have you bothered to read the directions that came with the Nature2? If you had you would know the answer to that question so RTFM!

ALL THE NATURE 2 DOES IS ADD SILVER TO THE WATER!!!!! IT DOES NOT BALANCE YOUR WATER, CURE WORLD HUNGER OR WALK THE DOG!

only asked because I did read the manual and thats what I got from it...guess the person at the spa store sold me fish oil after all.

I prefer walking my dog versus feeding others though. feed them and they'll just come back for more instead of trying to grow their own crops.

In answer to your first point... fish oil is a healthy food supplement that supplies eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to our diets (both necessary omega 3 fatty acids) while 'snake oil' refers to products or claims that are fraudulent. It comes from the fact that snake oil was sold as a quack patent medicine in the 18th century by traveling medicine shows.

FWIW, Nature2 when used with MPS according to the manual in a spa kept at 100 degrees or hotter IS an EPA approved sanitizer and is not snake oil.

In answer to your second point... I said 'cure world hunger'. I never said anything about either feeding others or teaching them how to grow their own crops. This seems to reinforce that you do not read things carefully and do not comprehend what you read so I guess this explains why you thought that you could just use the N2 cartridge and not do anything else to your water even though the manual clearly states (and this is a direct quote from the Zodiac N2 spa cartridge manual):

"Before each use Test the water with Nature2 Spa Test Strip (or equivalent).

If the MPS level is low, add 1 tablespoon of MPS to spa per 250 gallons (approx. 1000 liters). Note: 1 tablespoon

is approximately 1/2 ounce or 16 grams

Use the Nature2 Spa Test Strip (or equivalent) to test the

spa water after each addition of MPS.

If the test strip indicates levels below the OK range, add

1 tablespoon MPS to spa per 250 gallons and re-test.

Enter spa only after test strip indicates a sufficient level of MPS.

After each use Add 1 tablespoon of MPS to spa per 250 gallons

Once per week Adjust the pH, total alkalinity, and hardness as needed"

only asked because I did read the manual and thats what I got from it...guess the person at the spa store sold me fish oil after all.

The instructions are pretty clear. Not really sure how you could get that you needed to to nothing to the spa except shock and put in the cartridge after reading the manual.

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also, when i added the shock some didnt dissolve. I stirred it around with a pool skimmer pole and more dissolved. went out this morning and checked the tub and it was up to 93*F (felt good in 53*F weather mmm) but still some shock particulate in the bottom. I guess I added too much or does this stuff take time to dissolve even in warm water?

I'm going to read through my manual at lunch time as well as a spatime spa care manual I picked up from lowes with the chemicals so dont beat me up too bad if I answer my own questions after lunch

What is the actual chemical listed on the label of your bottle of 'shock'? Is is a chlorine shock (which can be either dichlor,, lithium hypochlorite, or calcium hypochlorite--however, the first two are very fast dissolving) or a non chlorine shock (MPS)?

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BTW- dichlor is chlorine, and you are going to want to learn the different kinds of chlorine because to react differently with your water chemistry, and CH is calcium hardness. you would be advised to learn all the abrviations also, such as TA, PH TC, ot CC, you will see them a lot. Go to the chemical section of this forum and read about the chemicals rather than a lowes handbook, those handbooks are made to sell you spatime chemicals, many of which you may not need, they also do not tell you anout what happens if the CYA is to high, or what adding each to your water does to the balance.

You also must find out the gallons, which leisure bay is it? I know it is not 500 gallons, more than likely 300-350. I can help with that if you remind me of the model, but if you adjust the water to the wrong gallons, you will have nothing but issues because of that too. it is very important. if it is only 300 gallons and you are treating as 500 gallons you are almost doubling the chemicals, that would be really bad with PH adjusters.

And another thing, you started this topic about scale, did you do as i suggested with swirl away or plumbing cleaner. if you did not, the scale maybe coming off the lines/heater/jets specially if your PH is a bit low, or if spa time shock is calcium hypochlorite, it may be that. What does your water test kit tell you? that would help

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