Yellow ring near waterline

[whiter0se]

Hi all,
I've recently drained and filled up my tub about a month and half ago. The water was properly balanced then and I've only used the tub twice since. I use bromine cartridges and keep the pH in between 7.2 and 7.8. The last time I used the tub was probably 3 weeks ago. Since then I have been away and haven't been able to test as often. I do have the Frog bromine and mineral cartridges in the tub so I haven't thought much of it until today.

I checked the pH it was low. I added 3oz of pH increaser and waiting to test again, the bromine levels seemed low (the cartridges were empty!) and the water started looking cloudy. I've also noticed a yellow ring has started to form around where the water sits. The tubs temp was set to 95*F and it goes through 2x 2 hour filter cycles daily.

Does anyone have any idea what the yellow ring is? I've attached a photo. The water has also become very foamy and forms bubbles when the air jets are on. The water never became this foamy or bubbles when I replaced the water.

I've just added some pH and some extra chlorine while waiting.

Thanks

 

[wireform]

I think a purge with ahh-some to throughly clean the gunk out followed by a drain and refill is in order.

 

[whiter0se]

I think a purge with ahh-some to throughly clean the gunk out followed by a drain and refill is in order.

Ahh-Darn. I just filled the water too and it took half a day to get it to temperature. I’ve been having back pain (picking up cases of water the wrong way) and was hoping to go in today.

Do you think a shock and some cleanup would suffice? Or do you think a purge is absolutely necessary?

 

[phonedave]

I would be inclined to go with the purge and water change.

Is there any particular reason you are using the Frog system?

The fact that your pH was going DOWN is odd. The pH in hot tubs normally rises over time, due to the aeration of the jets.

 

[whiter0se]

I would be inclined to go with the purge and water change.

Is there any particular reason you are using the Frog system?

The fact that your pH was going DOWN is odd. The pH in hot tubs normally rises over time, due to the aeration of the jets.

The previous home owner used the frog system and I just brought about 8 months worth of bromine cartridges and minerals for the tub. This was before I discovered TFP but the bromine works fine. The pH being low is a mystery as well, since the jets should’ve increased it. I purposely did not raise it to 7.8 but held it near 7.2-7.4 area.

For the time being, I put the tub in sleep mode and dropped the temperature to 70*F so it doesn’t freeze. I’ll be changing the water but doesn’t look like anytime soon since it is just starting to get cold here.

 

[phonedave]

The previous home owner used the frog system and I just brought about 8 months worth of bromine cartridges and minerals for the tub. This was before I discovered TFP but the bromine works fine. The pH being low is a mystery as well, since the jets should’ve increased it. I purposely did not raise it to 7.8 but held it near 7.2-7.4 area.

For the time being, I put the tub in sleep mode and dropped the temperature to 70*F so it doesn’t freeze. I’ll be changing the water but doesn’t look like anytime soon since it is just starting to get cold here.

You and I are in the same area, and it is getting to where a water change is not fun right now.

Bromine is something I am not very familiar with, but I know it is a viable solution for hot tubs.

I hate to see your hot tub go unused, but when you get a ring like that around it, it really needs a purge (or two)

 

[whiter0se]

You and I are in the same area, and it is getting to where a water change is not fun right now.

Bromine is something I am not very familiar with, but I know it is a viable solution for hot tubs.

I hate to see your hot tub go unused, but when you get a ring like that around it, it really needs a purge (or two)

Thank you. We are about 20 miles apart so you’re probably aware of how the weather has been lately and with next week dipping below freezing I may not be able to get to changing the water.
If I were to drain half the way and leave the half while turning off the tub, do you think it’d be enough to hold me until perhaps Spring.
My only worry is, the pipes and the remaining water freezing and creating a mess come Spring.

 

[phonedave]

Thank you. We are about 20 miles apart so you’re probably aware of how the weather has been lately and with next week dipping below freezing I may not be able to get to changing the water.
If I were to drain half the way and leave the half while turning off the tub, do you think it’d be enough to hold me until perhaps Spring.
My only worry is, the pipes and the remaining water freezing and creating a mess come Spring.

More like 35 (at least) - I am 25 directly West of the GWB. Unless you somehow have a hot tub in Manhattan (and if that is the case, then you have staff to take care of it for you), you are at least an other 5 more miles away

I would not do what you are suggesting. You do not want to leave water in a hot tub and have it freeze. You need to either drain it all of the way, which means blowing/suctioning out pipes, opening unions, removing all drain plugs etc, or you need to leave it running.

Even draining it all they way is not the best, because that will allows seals to dry out.

 

[whiter0se]

More like 35 (at least) - I am 25 directly West of the GWB. Unless you somehow have a hot tub in Manhattan (and if that is the case, then you have staff to take care of it for you), you are at least an other 5 more miles away

I would not do what you are suggesting. You do not want to leave water in a hot tub and have it freeze. You need to either drain it all of the way, which means blowing/suctioning out pipes, opening unions, removing all drain plugs etc, or you need to leave it running.

Even draining it all they way is not the best, because that will allows seals to dry out.

Understood thank you. I’ll try to get the water out today and refill since the weather should go up to 45*F today. I’m about 10-15 mins away from the Goethals Bridge. Sometimes I’ll go to the Sam's club in Elizabeth since it’s only a few minutes drive from here. The tolls aren’t too bad since we are able to get a 50% discount if we make 3x trips per month to Jersey.

 

[whiter0se]

I haven’t had a chance to drain and replace the water this weekend but while taking a closer look, it seems the brown ring may be the bromine from the yellow Frog cartridge. This cartridge is supposed to last a month or so depending on usage but it is completely empty. I’m suspecting that it may have leaked all the bromine out resulting in high bromine levels which then turned the water cloudy and left the brown ring around the tub. Or the cartridge itself may have been defective or something else may be at play here.

The blue cartridge is just a mineral cartridge and to be honest, I’m not sure what purpose it serves besides making the water softer.

I am still going to drain this week if the weather is good enough where my hands won’t freeze but looks like the cartridges may be the sole reason why the water turned into Darn. I still have a 8-10 month supply of the bromine cartridges (these are really expensive by the way, $90 for a set of 3 bromine and 1 mineral cartridge) and will probably switch to chlorine once I am done with these.

 

[Methuselah]

I haven’t had a chance to drain and replace the water this weekend but while taking a closer look, it seems the brown ring may be the bromine from the yellow Frog cartridge. This cartridge is supposed to last a month or so depending on usage but it is completely empty. I’m suspecting that it may have leaked all the bromine out resulting in high bromine levels which then turned the water cloudy and left the brown ring around the tub. Or the cartridge itself may have been defective or something else may be at play here.

The blue cartridge is just a mineral cartridge and to be honest, I’m not sure what purpose it serves besides making the water softer.

I am still going to drain this week if the weather is good enough where my hands won’t freeze but looks like the cartridges may be the sole reason why the water turned into Darn. I still have a 8-10 month supply of the bromine cartridges (these are really expensive by the way, $90 for a set of 3 bromine and 1 mineral cartridge) and will probably switch to chlorine once I am done with these.

I'm new here but have read many posts suggesting the frog system isn't very reliable as a work saver. Someone at my work used it too and abandoned it because it was too hard to maintain sanitation...

I hope you have better luck!

 

[phonedave]

I haven’t had a chance to drain and replace the water this weekend but while taking a closer look, it seems the brown ring may be the bromine from the yellow Frog cartridge. This cartridge is supposed to last a month or so depending on usage but it is completely empty. I’m suspecting that it may have leaked all the bromine out resulting in high bromine levels which then turned the water cloudy and left the brown ring around the tub. Or the cartridge itself may have been defective or something else may be at play here.

The blue cartridge is just a mineral cartridge and to be honest, I’m not sure what purpose it serves besides making the water softer.

I am still going to drain this week if the weather is good enough where my hands won’t freeze but looks like the cartridges may be the sole reason why the water turned into Darn. I still have a 8-10 month supply of the bromine cartridges (these are really expensive by the way, $90 for a set of 3 bromine and 1 mineral cartridge) and will probably switch to chlorine once I am done with these.

It is supposed to warm up into the 40's towards the end of this week (but snow / rain on Friday, so do it before then).

Sorry I cannot help with the bromine, it is something I really know nothing about.