High TVC on microbial test

[benseb]

So alongside our holiday let hot tub we got our own recently.

We can obviously run this for longer, not having to empty it every 3 days or so.

So far so good I thought. Water has been in about 4 weeks so far, and have maintained Chlorine and pH correctly. (I aim for about 3ppm. It’s dropped to 1.2 but never to zero. pH 7.2-7.8. CYA is up to about 40 now so using bleach)

However… I was sending off a microbiological sample for our Hol Let tub (legal requirement) so thought I’d sample our tub too


Results are mostly fine but I’m concerned about the TVC:


TVC @ 37c = 1920 Cfu/ml
Chloriforms = 0
Ecoli = 0
Pseudomonas = 0
S Aureus = 0

Our regs say TVC (Total viable organism count) should be less than 100 ideally

what could be causing this in a relatively new hot tub with a filter and correct Chlorine and pH?

I did wonder if some of the “new filter” dirt got in but surely that would be filtered out. We’ve had a couple of sessions with 4 adults in the tub but always thrown either a DiChlor or bleach in after.

I’ll probably empty the hot tub, clean and refill but ideally wanted to keep it running longer.

 

[ajw22]

I would clean the tub with Ahhsome. New tubs can develop biofilms from the water they use to test the tub at the factory.

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A seatch will find lots of positive posts about Ahhsome.

@Ahhsomeguy

 

[cowboycasey]

Did you clean that brand new hot tub with Ahh-some and empty it the first time... They test every single tub and then drain them you can not imagine how much stuff will grow in there and stay in there even with chlorine...

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[benseb]

Ah I wasn’t aware of that. We rinsed it but didn’t purge it properly

Can you get Ahhsome in the UK? Or an alternative?

 

[ajw22]

@Ahhsomeguy can tell you what is available in the UK when he passes by here.

 

[Msch99]

I am assuming hot tubs have same targets as pools…for 40 CYA, absolute minimum is 3, target is 5-7. So anything below 3 is invitation to trouble.

 

[benseb]

Yeah I guess I hadn’t taken that into account. With the other tub we empty every 3 days so the CUa never builds up. Will keep a closer eye.

 

[Selenap]

There’s a product called oh Yuk. I use it on my jacuzzi to clean the biofilm in the pipes. I wish I still had the pictures of the first time I used it when we bought my house and inherited it. Black sludge. It was so nasty.

 

[ajw22]

There’s a product called oh Yuk. I use it on my jacuzzi to clean the biofilm in the pipes. I wish I still had the pictures of the first time I used it when we bought my house and inherited it. Black sludge. It was so nasty.

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[cowboycasey]

Ah I wasn’t aware of that. We rinsed it but didn’t purge it properly

Can you get Ahhsome in the UK? Or an alternative?

I guess you did not see the link

57g Ahh Some Spa Cleaner (Bio Film Remover for Hot Tubs)

Ahh Some Spa Cleaner Bio film remover. Reduces your sanitiser usage Improves your water clarity. Ahh-Some reduces unpleasant odours enhancing your bathing experience

www.h2ofun.co.uk

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

AJW22: Ahh-Some is available all over the Uk and a few other countries throughout Europe.
we have a large distributor in Baglan, Port Talbot called Total Water Products. They receive orders from us every 2 -3 weeks or so. Good people to deal with. Their label is different from what we use in the USA and Canada but it is exactly the same product. Contact them or look for the label at your dealer, go online or just call TWP. They will assist you.