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Cloudy Water


styro

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Hi everyone,

I have a problem with my water. Slowly getting less and less clear.(coine of cloudy)

I'm on bleach.

The water hemistry looks ok.

F.ch - 1.45

T.ch - 1.55

TA - 7.7

CA - 60

Water hardness = 120

My spa is 1200 liters

The spa is always cover when not in use and not expose to sun.

I will apriciate some edvice since this is a second time happen after a new refill 3 weeks ago.

Please help.

Thanks

Adam

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Did you start off using Dichlor first to build up your CYA to around 30 ppm? If not, use some Dichor to shock the tub. If you already have sufficient CYA in the tub, then use bleach to shock the tub. You are probably not using enough bleach after each soak. Is the chlorine level ever getting close to zero between soaks? You don't want that to happen. Do you have an ozonator (in older posts it sounded like you did)? Ozone will deplete chlorine but it should keep your water clear so something does sound right. Are there any oils/lotions on your skin when you get into the tub?

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Thanks for replay,.

I did bild 27ppm CYA with dichlor first.I my have to incrise for few more cycles of my ozonator since it is setup for 2 times per day only.

My chlorine level is always more then 1ppm.

To fix this I did add now bleach to shock it with more then 10 ppm of chlorine.

I will see if this will fix my problem for now if not then I do not now what to do next.Do I have to regularly shock my spa and how often.For last 3 years of use I did not shock it and water was always mostly clear.

Not much of oils or lotions since it is only me and my wife using the spa all the time and we coming clean.

Thanks for all advice.

Adam

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You should not normally have to shock. The key to keeping the water clear is to use sufficient chlorine after each soak and to not let the chlorine get to zero between soaks. You say for last 3 years you didn't have this problem. Were you similarly just adding chlorine (perhaps Dichlor) right after each soak and maintaining chlorine levels similar to what you are doing now? Did you have an ozonator similar to now? I'm trying to understand what's different this time.

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You should not normally have to shock. The key to keeping the water clear is to use sufficient chlorine after each soak and to not let the chlorine get to zero between soaks. You say for last 3 years you didn't have this problem. Were you similarly just adding chlorine (perhaps Dichlor) right after each soak and maintaining chlorine levels similar to what you are doing now? Did you have an ozonator similar to now? I'm trying to understand what's different this time.

Yes all adds of chemicals same except I've notice amount of chlorine must be double now then previous year.

Egzample: last year when I use my spa by one person/per half hrs soak, around 100ml 6% javex and about 50 ml 6% daily if the spa was not in used.

Now I have to add double amount same 6% javex 200ml every soak and 100ml without going in.

That will last for a day.

My water hemistry looks ok.

F.ch - 1.45

T.ch - 1.55

TA - 7.7

CA - 60

Water hardness = 120

My spa is 1200 liters

the only difference I see is the water hardness I keept at 120ppm instade going to 150ppm like previous years.But I do not think consuptions of chlorine is higher since water hardness is lower.

Please advice.

Thanks

Adam

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You didn't happen to add or turn on an ozonator, did you? Ozone uses up chlorine so if a spa isn't used frequently then it can increase chlorine demand.

The other possibility is that the chlorine level got too low (to zero) for too long at some point and biofilms formed. Next time you do a drain/refill you can use Spa System Flush and decontaminate the spa if that's what is causing the higher chlorine demand. Also, wipe the spa just above the waterline as there might be a buildup of biofilm there that is increasing demand. Though the bacteria don't grow in the bulk water due to the chlorine, they can grow on surfaces outside the water and they love the organic film that forms and the moisture.

A half-hour of one person would normally need about 75 ml of 6% bleach. For maintenance when not soaking, adding 1 ppm FC each day would be about 20 ml. So your previous amounts were at least in the ballpark of what is expected (well, daily dosing was more than usual) while now it is indeed more than twice expected. You could see if the bleach is truly still 6% and isn't 3% for some reason.

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I did winterize the spa first time last winter and the antifreeze fluid was put in.I was advised to just clean with some water and drained before full refil.

Maybe thats why it is higher demend of chlorine after this winter maybe antifreeze it is still there.

Last night I did soak for about 40 min.the chlorine level before was 3ppm after finish I did input 200ml of virox and this morning after 10hrs the chlorine level was almost 0.

Something is not right.

Spa system flush is the product sales in USA or Canada?.Since I'm in Canada I will have to find similar product here.

It is exact name Spa system Flush I have to look for?

Thanks again for all help.

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I don't know of any Canadian source for Spa System Flush. I order it from Spa Depot in the U.S.

http://www.spadepot.com/shop/Spa-System-Flush-16-oz-P436C57.aspx

I usually put together a large enough order to make the shipping cost worth while

Swirl Away is available in Canada.

http://discounterspoolandspa.com/Store/Swirl-Away-Pipe-Cleaner-475mL-P399C131.aspx

I can only tell you that I have tried "similar" products with NO success. Only the SeaKlear Spa System Flush worked for me. Other members of this fourm have had success with Swirl Away.

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I don't know of any Canadian source for Spa System Flush. I order it from Spa Depot in the U.S.

http://www.spadepot....oz-P436C57.aspx

I usually put together a large enough order to make the shipping cost worth while

Swirl Away is available in Canada.

http://discounterspo...L-P399C131.aspx

I can only tell you that I have tried "similar" products with NO success. Only the SeaKlear Spa System Flush worked for me. Other members of this fourm have had success with Swirl Away.

how much need to be used for 1200 liters size spa to do proper job?

And do you think do I have to use this product after winterizing to clean antifreeze?

Thanks

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how much need to be used for 1200 liters size spa to do proper job?

1/2 bottle is all you need

And do you think do I have to use this product after winterizing to clean antifreeze?

Thanks

Can't say for sure but most likely wouldn't hurt. Antifreeze is a PIA to get rid of, it requires a lot of flushing

Most people keep their spas working through the winter, it's actually the best time to use them, but everyone's circumstances are different

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Add 1/2 bottle to the spa before you drain. The spa should be about 1 inch higher than normal so that any biofilm on the edges (above the waterline) can be eliminated. Run the pumps for about an hour then let sit overnight. Drain & refill

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I did winterize the spa first time last winter and the antifreeze fluid was put in.I was advised to just clean with some water and drained before full refil.

I hadn't thought about winterizing the spa. Well, it's quite possible the water in the lines, even with antifreeze (you should be using pool/RV anti-freeze which is propylene glycol, not auto anti-freeze which is ethylene glycol), allowed bacteria to grow there. Antifreeze isn't a disinfectant, but high concentrations of 25% are toxic to most bacteria (but at much lower levels it's actually a food source -- see this link and this link). It's possible that having a shock level of chlorine in the water when you winterize might last a long time if the water is very cold. Otherwise, it might just be easiest to do a Spa System Flush treatment for each spring opening. Perhaps next year, if you're willing to experiment, you can try the chlorine-on-closing (along with anti-freeze) approach and let us know if that works.

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Thanks all for replay and advice.

If I decide to closed down for the incoming winter I will try to add to anti freeze extra chlrine (I'm afraid of adding regular liquid javex since the antifreeze will be not anti anymore) So I think I will add egz:(granular Litium) ???

I will post results at the end.

For now I will follow Spanky's instractions with Swirl Away.

Thanks

Adam

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