Ahhh!some Purge Question

[bedelliott]

I've read many many threads on purging with Ahhh!some but see a bit of conflicting info, and the vendor site doesn't look to be as thorough as it should be, so I'm hoping y'all can answer a few questions - I inherited a 14-yr old hot tub that has never been purged and it seems to require quite a bit of chlorine so I'm hoping a thorough purge will reveal some gunk and decrease my FC demand. Here are my questions:
The vendor's site says something about adding the gel & running the pumps for 30 minutes then draining, but it also says the longer the gel is in contact with things the better, so why wouldn't I be best off adding the gel, running the pumps for a few minutes to make sure the gel is spread throughout everything, then turn it all off & let it sit for many hours or even overnight? Their site also says something about running the jets for a minute then off for a minute, etc., but would it be best to run the jets on & off for many hours? One TFP thread said the gel didn't work until she let her jets also pull in air, is that true - should I run the jets with or without the air?
People say multiple purges are needed at times but to use the same water, so does that mean that I add my 4 teaspoons (for my 500 gal tub) and do everything (maybe for a few hours), scoop out all the green foam & wipe the sides, then do it again with 1/2 the gel, and keep doing this until I get no additional gunky foam/sticky sides? At what point is it best to drain & refill then do more purges?
I'd also love to hear how your FC demand fell, if you actually noticed a difference pre & post purge.
Thank you thank you!

 

[proavia]

Maybe @Ahhsomeguy can provide more details next time he drops by the forum.

 

[Mdragger88]

People say multiple purges are needed at times but to use the same water, so does that mean that I add my 4 teaspoons (for my 500 gal tub) and do everything (maybe for a few hours), scoop out all the green foam & wipe the sides, then do it again with 1/2 the gel, and keep doing this until I get no additional gunky foam/sticky sides?

Yes!
May not need a few hours- just until the initial foam dies then go again with the 1/2 dose! Repeat until clean.
It’s a little more effective & nicer dealing with the warm water.
You can certainly let it sit overnight if you wish as well.

 

[98Poolmaster]

I've read many many threads on purging with Ahhh!some but see a bit of conflicting info, and the vendor site doesn't look to be as thorough as it should be, so I'm hoping y'all can answer a few questions - I inherited a 14-yr old hot tub that has never been purged and it seems to require quite a bit of chlorine so I'm hoping a thorough purge will reveal some gunk and decrease my FC demand. Here are my questions:
The vendor's site says something about adding the gel & running the pumps for 30 minutes then draining, but it also says the longer the gel is in contact with things the better, so why wouldn't I be best off adding the gel, running the pumps for a few minutes to make sure the gel is spread throughout everything, then turn it all off & let it sit for many hours or even overnight? Their site also says something about running the jets for a minute then off for a minute, etc., but would it be best to run the jets on & off for many hours? One TFP thread said the gel didn't work until she let her jets also pull in air, is that true - should I run the jets with or without the air?
People say multiple purges are needed at times but to use the same water, so does that mean that I add my 4 teaspoons (for my 500 gal tub) and do everything (maybe for a few hours), scoop out all the green foam & wipe the sides, then do it again with 1/2 the gel, and keep doing this until I get no additional gunky foam/sticky sides? At what point is it best to drain & refill then do more purges?
I'd also love to hear how your FC demand fell, if you actually noticed a difference pre & post purge.
Thank you thank you!

Fourteen years never being purged is a guarantee to be full of much biofilm.You may need to do more than two, make sure to wipe the sides as the spa is draining and to make it much easier use a cover pump to drain or similar pump Little Giant makes a smaller one that works really good.The gel when turns to foam is very sticky,we let it run for 25 minutes also placing filters in water so they get cleaned also.You definitely should notice a big difference in the effectiveness of the chlorine after doing this purge, take a picture of the foam as it rises you will see the biofilm in there and it can be pretty gross especially after fourteen years.Aahsome also makes a spray cleaner that works really good to wipe the sides down as it’s draining just spray some on a clean rag or wash mitt it helps break down that sticky residue they sell a kit with the purge cleaner and their clarifier all great products.The spray can be used to wipe down the spa shell top and also underneath the cover.

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

Good Morning bedelliott: Add the 4 level teaspoons of the Ahh-Some Gel to the filled and heated hot tub for the initial dose. Be sure to remove the filter cartridge(s) and any headrests prior to adding the gel. Run the high jets and open all air venturis to allow for maximum turbulence. Let the foam build up and Do Not remove it. If the foaming is coming over the top of the tub you can shut the pumps off for a few minutes or just spray the foam with a garden hose. Ahh-Some is in the foam and it is designed to do just that. It is true that some people shut the tub down and keep it full after the first or second purge. Letting the Ahh-Some soak for a few hours or even overnight can be helpful. Be sure that you have wiped all the sticky brownish films and gunk off all surfaces above the waterline before it adheres to the shell. Wipe it thoroughly. If leaving the tub full for extra soaking time be sure to shut the power off. We do not want the jets coming on creating more gunk that will not be wiped away soon after it is released. Next morning, add 1 or 2 additional level teaspoons of gel to the filled hot tub. Run the jets for 5 minutes. If you notice a large volume of new gunk being released add one more level teaspoon to the same water. Run the jets for another 5 minutes. That should do it if indeed your inherited hot tub has never been purged for 14 years. Drain the tub and wipe and rinse the shell as the water drains. Get as much water as you can out of it and rinse and wipe again. Refill, replace filter cartridge(s) and head rests, balance the water and you should be set. Please be sure to add some sanitizer to the water prior to purging. This is very important. We want to kill any bacterial spores that may be released. After 14 years you should release a plethora of nasty particulates. Use latex or rubber gloves while wiping for extra protection.

 

[bedelliott]

Good Morning bedelliott: Add the 4 level teaspoons of the Ahh-Some Gel to the filled and heated hot tub for the initial dose. Be sure to remove the filter cartridge(s) and any headrests prior to adding the gel. Run the high jets and open all air venturis to allow for maximum turbulence. Let the foam build up and Do Not remove it. If the foaming is coming over the top of the tub you can shut the pumps off for a few minutes or just spray the foam with a garden hose. Ahh-Some is in the foam and it is designed to do just that. It is true that some people shut the tub down and keep it full after the first or second purge. Letting the Ahh-Some soak for a few hours or even overnight can be helpful. Be sure that you have wiped all the sticky brownish films and gunk off all surfaces above the waterline before it adheres to the shell. Wipe it thoroughly. If leaving the tub full for extra soaking time be sure to shut the power off. We do not want the jets coming on creating more gunk that will not be wiped away soon after it is released. Next morning, add 1 or 2 additional level teaspoons of gel to the filled hot tub. Run the jets for 5 minutes. If you notice a large volume of new gunk being released add one more level teaspoon to the same water. Run the jets for another 5 minutes. That should do it if indeed your inherited hot tub has never been purged for 14 years. Drain the tub and wipe and rinse the shell as the water drains. Get as much water as you can out of it and rinse and wipe again. Refill, replace filter cartridge(s) and head rests, balance the water and you should be set. Please be sure to add some sanitizer to the water prior to purging. This is very important. We want to kill any bacterial spores that may be released. After 14 years you should release a plethora of nasty particulates. Use latex or rubber gloves while wiping for extra protection.

Thank you! But regarding the filter, I’ve read to remove it from the skimmer and let it float in the hot tub during the purge (but keep the headrests completely out), is that true? And if I let it soak for a few hours is it helpful to keep the 24 hr circulation pump (that also guts thru the heater) on, or should that be off too? Just out of curiosity, why do we care about turbulence if this process is targeting the plumbing? Lastly, shouldn’t I repeat the cycle until no more gunky foam is created?

 

[phonedave]

Thank you! But regarding the filter, I’ve read to remove it from the skimmer and let it float in the hot tub during the purge (but keep the headrests completely out), is that true? And if I let it soak for a few hours is it helpful to keep the 24 hr circulation pump (that also guts thru the heater) on, or should that be off too? Just out of curiosity, why do we care about turbulence if this process is targeting the plumbing? Lastly, shouldn’t I repeat the cycle until no more gunky foam is created?

In simplistic terms, the AhhSome product loosens up the biofilm, wherever it is. But it is mainly in the pipes. Before the purge, all of the bacteria in the pipes is protected by a very strong biological film. The AhhSome breaks down and weakens this film. The scouring action of turbulent flow in the pipes is then able to remove the weakened film and bacteria underneath it - this is why you want the jets (and air if you have air) running. You want the turbulence in the pipes, to scour away the junk that is built up in there. All the junk then comes out, and because of the foaming action, it floats to the surface and sits on the foam or the waterline of your tub where you can remove it. This is also why you want to have sanitizer (chlorine or bromine depending on what you use) in your water during the entire purge process. You are removing the "cover" from the bacteria colonies and mixing them into the water. AhhSome does nothing to kill them, it just removes their shield so to speak. Having sanitizer in the water then kills them once they are exposed.

The reason for keeping the pumps off during a long soak is that when the junk that comes out of your pipes dries, it becomes very difficult to remove. So if you have the pumps on, and the jet action is splashing the removed gunk on the waterline, and it dries there overnight, you will have a LOT of scrubbing to do. Your circulation pump should be OK, as long as it is not frothing things about.

As far as the filters are concerned, I put mine in the tub to float during my water change purge, but I get very little gunk coming out. Since this is your first purge, and you will likely have quite a lot of gunk at first, I would hold off on having the filters in the tub at all, until the amount of junk coming out of the jets slows down and then I would put them in.

You repeat the process until no more gunk is coming out. You will always have foam from AhhSome (since it is designed to foam). When the foam is bright white, and there is no gunk in the foam, or around the waterline of the tub, you are all done.

 

[bedelliott]

In simplistic terms, the AhhSome product loosens up the biofilm, wherever it is. But it is mainly in the pipes. Before the purge, all of the bacteria in the pipes is protected by a very strong biological film. The AhhSome breaks down and weakens this film. The scouring action of turbulent flow in the pipes is then able to remove the weakened film and bacteria underneath it - this is why you want the jets (and air if you have air) running. You want the turbulence in the pipes, to scour away the junk that is built up in there. All the junk then comes out, and because of the foaming action, it floats to the surface and sits on the foam or the waterline of your tub where you can remove it. This is also why you want to have sanitizer (chlorine or bromine depending on what you use) in your water during the entire purge process. You are removing the "cover" from the bacteria colonies and mixing them into the water. AhhSome does nothing to kill them, it just removes their shield so to speak. Having sanitizer in the water then kills them once they are exposed.

The reason for keeping the pumps off during a long soak is that when the junk that comes out of your pipes dries, it becomes very difficult to remove. So if you have the pumps on, and the jet action is splashing the removed gunk on the waterline, and it dries there overnight, you will have a LOT of scrubbing to do. Your circulation pump should be OK, as long as it is not frothing things about.

As far as the filters are concerned, I put my in the tub to float during my water change purge, but I get very little gunk coming out. Since this is your first purge, and you will likely have quite a lot of gunk at first, I would hold off on having the filters in the tub at all, until the amount of junk coming out of the jets slows down and then I would put them in.

You repeat the process until no more gunk is coming out. You will always have foam from AhhSome (since it is designed to foam). When the foam it bright white, and there is no gunk in the foam, or around the waterline of the tub, you are all done.

Thank you thank you!

 

[bedelliott]

Good Morning bedelliott: Add the 4 level teaspoons of the Ahh-Some Gel to the filled and heated hot tub for the initial dose. Be sure to remove the filter cartridge(s) and any headrests prior to adding the gel. Run the high jets and open all air venturis to allow for maximum turbulence. Let the foam build up and Do Not remove it. If the foaming is coming over the top of the tub you can shut the pumps off for a few minutes or just spray the foam with a garden hose. Ahh-Some is in the foam and it is designed to do just that. It is true that some people shut the tub down and keep it full after the first or second purge. Letting the Ahh-Some soak for a few hours or even overnight can be helpful. Be sure that you have wiped all the sticky brownish films and gunk off all surfaces above the waterline before it adheres to the shell. Wipe it thoroughly. If leaving the tub full for extra soaking time be sure to shut the power off. We do not want the jets coming on creating more gunk that will not be wiped away soon after it is released. Next morning, add 1 or 2 additional level teaspoons of gel to the filled hot tub. Run the jets for 5 minutes. If you notice a large volume of new gunk being released add one more level teaspoon to the same water. Run the jets for another 5 minutes. That should do it if indeed your inherited hot tub has never been purged for 14 years. Drain the tub and wipe and rinse the shell as the water drains. Get as much water as you can out of it and rinse and wipe again. Refill, replace filter cartridge(s) and head rests, balance the water and you should be set. Please be sure to add some sanitizer to the water prior to purging. This is very important. We want to kill any bacterial spores that may be released. After 14 years you should release a plethora of nasty particulates. Use latex or rubber gloves while wiping for extra protection.

Hi Ahhhsomeguy, so far the results are pretty underwhelming. I did everything (remove filter/headrests, ensure air to the jets is on, add 4 tsp, run jets for 30 mins, 30 mins off), I did this twice with only a faint hint of green in the foam, so I added 2 more tsp then repeated everything above, with only a tad more green coming out. I decided to wipe off what green there was on the sides, turn everything off & cover it up for the night to let it soak, so I'll run the jets for another 30 mins in the morning and see if anything else comes out. If nothing else comes out, does it sound like I'm done? I would consider this pretty poor results though, given it's never been purged in 14 years and it HAS gone green a few times, even since I've owned it, which is only 5 months. Any other thoughts?

 

[Mdragger88]

Lets see what the morning holds!
It’s kinda like soaking a baked on dish overnight.

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

Lets hope there is very little release. If so, hats off to the previous maintenance person.

 

[bedelliott]

Lets hope there is very little release. If so, hats off to the previous maintenance person.

Ran the jets for 30 mins and no more release at all. Sounds like my parents (previous hot tub owner since it was new) got lucky, or maybe biofilm is slower to build up in Colorado, but they never did anything besides add a cap full of bromide/dichlor after each use, they never even tested or balanced the water (they did change the water every 6 months though), they’re in their upper 80s and kept it simple. I appreciate all the help, I’ve always loved this forum!

 

[duraleigh]

It’s kinda like soaking a baked on dish overnight.

That's a great analogy!

 

[Mdragger88]

Glad to hear its not horrifying!
Upon refill if you notice any residual stuff be sure to wipe it away. It can be a little hard to completely flush the plumbing out so some surfactant can remain & loosen more crud.
When I first refill I do so through the filter area so it comes out of all the jets then once the foot well is full I pump that bit out then do the final fill. It only takes a few minutes.

 

[bedelliott]

Glad to hear its not horrifying!
Upon refill if you notice any residual stuff be sure to wipe it away. It can be a little hard to completely flush the plumbing out so some surfactant can remain & loosen more crud.
When I first refill I do so through the filter area so it comes out of all the jets then once the foot well is full I pump that bit out then do the final fill. It only takes a few minutes.

Thanks. Yea, when it was draining this morning I was spraying the walls & wiping as it went down, then when I refilled, I added a good amount of 10% bleach & ran the jets for 30 mins (to clean out the plumbing somewhat), then drained again (to hopefully drain most of what sat in the pipes all night), wiping more just in case, then the next refill should be fairly clean I'm thinking.