Nasty Brown stuff/ spa doesn't seem to be filtering!!!

[whoozer]

Well I have a four winns spa that has been a nightmare since it arrived on my door step but that is another story. It is about 450 gallons and seats 6 comfortably. I use the soft soak products and I am concerned that I'm always "relaxing" with floaties and lots of them. The filter doesn't seem to pick up squat even after it is cleaned thoroughly. Now even if it hasn't been used I get this disgusting brown sticky like gue sludge that keeps appearing on the water line. I'm very embarassed to open it because I never know if it will be clean or not, even if I just cleaned it. The test strips seem to be in level so I just don't get it. How do I keep this thing clean? Dang my pool was easier than this! Oh yeah I've had it 6 months and already drained it and washed it all out.

 

[JasonLion]

Please tell us what brand/type of test strips you are using and exactly what they are reading. Also, are you using chlorine, bromine, or some other sanitizer? If chlorine, what are you using for chlorine?

 

[whoozer]

I'm using soft soak(bioguard division), it is bromine/chlorine free. They are the 4 way strips. calcium-250ppm/ph-7.5/alk-100ppm/softsoak sanitizer-45ppm. Have you ever seen anyone using this system? It is supposed to not smell like chlorine at all but I'm questioning if it even works.

 

[Guest]

You are seeing what is commonly called 'baquagoo' (named after the first biguanide product, Baqua from Arch Chemical). SoftSoak is Chemtura's (parent company of Bioguard) brand of bigunaide.
You have discovered one of the BIG downsides of biguanide sanitizer systems. The 'goo' is actually the cell walls of bacteria that have been killed and 'exploded' by the biguanide. The problem with biguanide is that it does not oxidize or burn up this bacterial goo and relies on the hydrogen peroxide that is added as shock to do it. Problem is that the peroxide is just not as effective an oxidizer as either chlorine or bromine at the levels it needs to be kept at.

Have you checked your peroxide levels and are they within range? If not then keeping the peroxide at proper levels will help. If they are then learn to live with it or switch to chlorine or bromine. IF you do you will save a LOT of money and probably be much happier with your spa.

 

[whoozer]

which is better

If I switch over to chlorine or bromine I must have to empty completely right? What's involved? How often do I have to put chems in etc? So a zorbo wouldn't pick this sludge up?

 

[Guest]

For a spa the easiest way to switch is to drain the spa, refill it and shock it with chlorine the change the filter once the water clears (this gets rid of any biguanide that might be in the plumbing). Then start the new sanitizer regieme. You will also find that your filters don't need to be cleaned or replaced as often! Bromine is less work but slightly mope expensive than chlorine. This sticky is a bromine primer.