Teeny Tiney Bubbles

[Gebo]

Water balanced. Crystal clear.

When I aerate, I get a gadzillion times 1000000 Teeny almost microscopic bubbles. As soon as cycle ends, the water completely clears in about 1-2 minutes. Is this normal or is it just me?

This appears to be a new phenomenon.

 

[Mdragger88]

Water balanced. Crystal clear.

When I aerate, I get a gadzillion times 1000000 Teeny almost microscopic bubbles. As soon as cycle ends, the water completely clears in about 1-2 minutes. Is this normal or is it just me?

This appears to be a new phenomenon.

It is totally normal- the jets are aerating the water as you said yourself (there’s air in them bubbles )
I suspect you just didn’t quite notice it before. It’s possible that some other chemistry component has changed a little (ta/ph/ch) making it a bit more noticeable. Did you add a swcg?

 

[Gebo]

No swcg. We normally go at night. Maybe just never noticed it???

It’s like we are sitting in a tub of hot champagne . If you know what I mean.

 

[Mdragger88]

No swcg. We normally go at night. Maybe just never noticed it???

It’s like we are sitting in a tub of hot champagne . If you know what I mean.

Mine is like that - most people want more bubbles in their tub. It’s supposed to be therapeutic.

 

[Gebo]

Mdragger88, I feel much better. Thanks!

 

[RDspaguy]

I know what you mean, and have no answers. It's not normal aeration, it's like carbonation, and the bubbles pop little droplets inches above water, right? I have always associated it with a slight odor and an astringent-like tingling in the nose.
I have no idea of the chemistry involved, but if you've never seen it you can't understand, which is the hurdle on a forum. Video won't capture it, and those giving advice often misinterpret the description. It's not normal aeration, and the water "holds on" to the bubbles longer than it should once turned off.

 

[Gebo]

How did you know ? You are 100% correct!! Your description is much better and more accurate than mine. The super small water droplets come straight up out of the water about 6 inches and explode on/in your face. All over the surface of the water. Nonalcoholic champagne fizz droplets…carbonation.

Sorta feels good, actually.

 

[elbow]

Do you use any kind of maintenance product? I have the same thing and I was wondering if it was from the Aqua Clarity I add weekly or maybe residual from the filter cleaner I use.

 

[Gebo]

I use Aqua Clarity weekly.

 

[elbow]

I use Aqua Clarity weekly.

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

Fairly common:
Why is water cloudy when jets are running and a minute or so after turning the jets off? When water is oversaturated with gasses from air and has tiny bubbles in it, then it will look cloudy since the very tiny bubbles refract and internally reflect light such that they make it look hazy/cloudy. After the jets are turned off, these tiny bubbles slowly coalesce and rise to the surface where they outgas back into the air. When enough of these tiny bubbles are removed from the water, the water will look clear again. This is not caused by Aqua Clarity.

 

[Gebo]

I don't think it is Aqua Clarity either. But RDSpaguy in #6 explains it much better than I do. I don't think what I am seeing and experiencing in normal. The bubbles rise out of the water
about 6 inches and will bust on my face. LOL

 

[Mdragger88]

I understand the effect you’re talking about- as rdspaguy said I just don’t know the chemistry behind why this occurs to some but not others - but it does happen in my tub.
I tend to notice it more if I get in right after opening the tub especially if it’s been closed a while so maybe it just needs to “air out” a minute so it dissipates? Its an effervescent effect similar to alka seltzer in water or popping the top on a soda. In my pool I have tiny bubbles sometimes on the walls or our skin under water. I assumed there it’s something to do with my swcg & it’s hydrogen gasses. There’s no cover on my pool.

 

[Gebo]

You know exactly what I’m talking about

 

[Mdragger88]

Maybe @JoyfulNoise knows why this occurs for some more than others?

 

[Gebo]

I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It would be interesting to find out why it happens.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

High HP pumps pulling air into the water is going to cause gasses to dissolve. Heat and agitation will drive them back out once the over saturated water enters the tub. There’s a very large pressure differential between what’s in the pipes and what’s in the tub. Add to that any kind of surfactant (Aquaclarity does act as a surfactant) along with skin oils and hair products (giving you ladies in the mix the mild stink-eye ) and you have the perfect storm for creating “Tiny Bubbles” (as the old Don Ho song goes …).

 

[Newdude]

Teeny bubbles are great. Big bubbles notsomuch.

 

[elbow]

High HP pumps pulling air into the water is going to cause gasses to dissolve. Heat and agitation will drive them back out once the over saturated water enters the tub. There’s a very large pressure differential between what’s in the pipes and what’s in the tub. Add to that any kind of surfactant (Aquaclarity does act as a surfactant) along with skin oils and hair products (giving you ladies in the mix the mild stink-eye ) and you have the perfect storm for creating “Tiny Bubbles” (as the old Don Ho song goes …).

I really only use my tub on the weekends and I used to keep my air vents open all the time. I think I noticed it happening more once I started keeping them closed most of the time I’m not using it throughout the week. Could that be part of it?

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Could this also be a consequence of a very small suction side air leak? One that possibly only opens up when the pump runs but otherwise doesn’t really really leak when the suction pressure (vacuum) isn’t present? From all the pictures I’ve seen, hot tubs are not the paragon of plumbing perfection … lots of times it looks like it was plumbed by an 8 years old with ADHD hopped up on Mountain Dew and NoDoze…