Brown sticky substance?

[razrbx]

I have a 580 gallon Artesian hot tub. Had it for about 45 days. I use a bromine floater to sanitize the water and add a non chlorine shock weekly. The product is "Leisure Time Renew" non-chlorine Shock oxidizer. The Spa dealer also recommended weekly use of a Swimway product called "Natural Enzyme" and second Swimway product called "Clarifier" which describes itself as "a cationic polymer flocculent designed to coagulate and floc suspend solids and minerals." Every thing was fine until today. I added the shock with jets running, waited 5 minutes then added natural enzyme, waited a few minutes and added clarifier. After a few minutes there was a small amount of foam on the surface which congealed into a light brown goo. It was extremely sticky and formed a ring at the water line that was very difficult to clean. Any thoughts as to what product caused this reaction?

Second question ion is testing kit. The test strips seem subjective at best as to what levels your water is testing. What is the best kit for a spa (don't care what it cost)?

Thanks so much for the help.

 

[ant 83]

The tf-100 kit is the one I bought. Can be found here: TFTestkits.net

I have been happy with it. I've had to buy more regents from the same outfit as they get used. I didn't have very good luck with the paper dip strips either.

I do not know what your sticky substance is, but all three products mentioned sound like garbage fodder. Monopersulfate (MPS), or non chlorine shock can be used in addition to chlorine, (or in your case bromine) but not in place of chlorine/bromine, so that stuff is alright to use. My MPS just sits on the shelf, as I don't see any need for it.

The sticky substance may be bio-film. The manufactures of the tub fill them with water to check for leaks, and oils in the pipes feed bacteria that grow and form a film in the pipes. Did your issue look like this...... Ahh-Some Bio-Cleaner Purging a 320 gallon Hot Tub - YouTube



How do I use Bromine in my spa (or pool)?

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

 

[razrbx]

The tf-100 kit is the one I bought. Can be found here: TFTestkits.net

I have been happy with it. I've had to buy more regents from the same outfit as they get used. I didn't have very good luck with the paper dip strips either.

I do not know what your sticky substance is, but all three products mentioned sound like garbage fodder. Monopersulfate (MPS), or non chlorine shock can be used in addition to chlorine, (or in your case bromine) but not in place of chlorine/bromine, so that stuff is alright to use. My MPS just sits on the shelf, as I don't see any need for it.

The sticky substance may be bio-film. The manufactures of the tub fill them with water to check for leaks, and oils in the pipes feed bacteria that grow and form a film in the pipes. Did your issue look like this...... Ahh-Some Bio-Cleaner Purging a 320 gallon Hot Tub - YouTube



How do I use Bromine in my spa (or pool)?

How do I use Chlorine in my Spa (or pool)?

The brown substance in my tub was much more sticky, but looked similar.

 

[Donldson]

Monopersulfate (MPS), or non chlorine shock can be used in addition to chlorine, (or in your case bromine) but not in place of chlorine/bromine, so that stuff is alright to use. My MPS just sits on the shelf, as I don't see any need for it.

MPS creates bromine in a bromine tub, so it can be used to raise bromine levels and shock the tub in place of a chlorine source. There is no need for a clarifier when a tub is maintained properly and enzyme treatments are often hit and miss. It could be that the clarifier is clotting the enzyme treatment, or there might have been something in your pipes that the enzyme treatment is getting out. Did you do any kind of decontamination process on the tub after you first got it?

 

[razrbx]

No, I didn't realize that was required.

 

[ewkearns]

Even though the spa is new, it is not too soon to recommend using Ahh-some Hot Tub Plumbing and Jet Cleaner..... which probably will release more gobs of the brown sticky goo. Follow the directions so you don't look like a 1950's Lucy Show, with soap suds consuming the neighborhood.