Stickey Seats

[Curmudgeon]

The submerged surface of the tub has just recently (last few days) developed a sticky feel.

The surface is textured but only recently have I noticed that I can no longer slide across a seat smoothly or rub my finger tip across the surface without feeling it "vibrate" as it alternately slides and sticks. The surfaces above the water line do not have this feel. Rubbing the surface with a relatively non-abrasive nylon pot cleaning pad seems to remove most of the sticky film.

I have a bit over three months on the water and posted the question "When to change water?" a few days ago. I mentioned persistent "islands" of large bubbles as the reason for the question.

Just analyzed the water and results are:

TCl = 0.5 - 3 (adjusted twice/day)
pH = 7.5 - 7.8 (adjusted down to 7.5 twice/month)
TA = 35 - 40
CH = 170
CYA = 0 (will try it next filling)
Borax = 40

TCl = 12-15 twice/month and filter washed

Typical load is two showered bathers/day for ca. 20 min.

Any thoughts about what is causing the sticky surface and more important, how best to clean it when the tub is drained?

Thanks,

Curmudgeon

350 gal Infinity using BBB

 

[chem geek]

In this thread you refer to you never mentioned whether you started out using Dichlor first before switching to bleach. If you don't do that and have zero CYA in the water, then the chlorine is far too strong.

That's odd about the stickiness on underwater spa surfaces. This isn't a brand new tub on its first fill, is it? If so, then you should generally change the water within one month since the first fill will have all sorts of chemicals from a new spa (many of which don't break down with chlorine). From looking at your previous posts, it looks like you got the tub in February and that this is your first fill so having that last for 3 months is definitely pushing it. Sorry I didn't catch that before. A new tub should have the water changed fairly soon, usually within the first month. After that, you can go many months between refills (especially with Dichlor-then-bleach).

For a thorough cleaning of the tub beyond super-chlorination, there is Spa System Flush, Swirl Away, Spa Purge and similar products (depending on the product they are enzymes, surfactants and even TSP, often in combination). You may not need that, but I'm letting you know just in case super-chlorination (and wiping) doesn't get rid of the stickiness. Note that if you use the spa cleaning products, you do so before you drain the tub and you need to rinse thoroughly or else you can get foaming from residual of such products.

Richard

 

[Curmudgeon]

No dichlor used so no CYA.

Which Cl conc. is too high? Daily 0.5-3 ppm or superchlorination at 12-15 ppm? What is the recommended conc.?

I missed the part about refilling after only one month. Looks like it is refill time now.

Looking at the MSDS of the three cleaning products you mentioned they all seem different. Any specific recommendation?

Any thoughts about adding some TSP to a liquid laundry detergent (Tide) after testing on the sticky surface film?

Thanks,

Curmudgeon

350 gal Infinity using BBB

 

[JasonLion]

You really want to have at least a little CYA in a chlorine hot tub. Without any CYA, FC levels above 5 can cause problems.