Hot Tub Water Problems and Solutions

Spa Marvel Hot Tub Water Quality Problems and Solutions:

Spa Marvel users should expect to enjoy clear, odour free water at all times. On very rare occasions some users have occasionally experienced less than perfect water and have sought assistance. Click on the links below to find answers to these infrequently asked questions:

 

Spa Marvel Foamy Water in your Hot Tub?

Almost always caused by the introduction of soaps to the spa. Properly clean filters using Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner increased circulation and time will usually correct foam problems. Shower before using the spa; ensure that there are no detergents entering the spa from hair, skin, bathing suits, clothing etc. Some filter cleaning products will cause foaminess. Ensure that the filters are thoroughly rinsed after cleaning, before reinstalling. Click Here for instructions on properly cleaning filters.

Ensure that alkalinity is between 80-120 and then that pH is between 7.2 and 8.2. Balance the water using traditional spa-water balancing products if necessary using traditional spa-water balancing products available from your professional spa retailer. The acceptable range for pH when using Spa Marvel is much broader than when using traditional spa care products, so please take care to read your testing devices properly.

 

Film on Spa Walls?

Spa Marvel contains positively charged ions and your spa surface has a negative charge. Occasionally a bond between these two charges will occur resulting in a slight film that may develop on the spa walls. Simply wipe the surface with your hand or a cloth (rinsed well to remove any existing detergents) to break this bond. The bonding also creates a natural lubricant that allows your spa’s mechanical components and heaters to work better. If this situation occurs in a Softub brand vinyl-lined hot tub, you will also need to increase the amount of sanitizer you are using.

 

Musty Odour when using Spa Marvel?

Musty odours are typically a result of contaminants that have accumulated in the spa’s filters or are caused by musty water that drips from the spa cover back into the tub.

Properly clean filters using a product such as Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner, and clean the spa cover. If odour persists, shock water with a non-chlorine shock.

 

Seaweed/Pond Odour when using Spa Marvel?

Caused by the development of algae in the spa. Shock the water with 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of chlorine (sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione).

 

Cloudy or Discoloured Water when using Spa Marvel?

If these conditions occur within the first week of using Spa Marvel it is typically a case of the Spa Marvel Cleanser having not been able to completely remove all contaminants from the plumbing of the spa. Spa Marvel Water Treatment will, over a period of time, loosen these contaminants causing them to be released into the spa water. You will now experience better efficiency and longer life from the heater and stronger circulation from the jets, but consequently, as the contaminants are released into the spa water you may experience a combination of cloudy or discoloured water, major changes in pH, foam and odours. In brand new spas these conditions may occur as the spa off-gasses and Spa Marvel removes other contaminants leftover from the manufacturing process.

If these conditions occur after the first week of the introduction of Spa Marvel it is typically a result of low circulation/filtration. Ensure that your spa is programmed to circulate/filter a minimum of 6 hours per day, and even longer if possible.

To correct these conditions:

PROPERLY clean filters with a product such as Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner.

Shock spa with a non-chlorine shock.

Add a water clarifier.

Increase sanitizer level.

Check alkalinity (80 – 120), and pH (7.2 – 8.2) and manually adjust if necessary by using traditional spa-water balancing products available from your professional spa retailer. The acceptable range for pH when using Spa Marvel is much broader than when using traditional spa care products, so please take care to read your testing devices properly.

Allow the tub to circulate/filter continuously (or as much as it can) for 24 hours for these steps to work, then re-clean the filter.

If after 24 hours the water is still not perfect, repeat the above steps. If after repeating these steps you are STILL experiencing difficulty, please contact our Solutions Department for further assistance.

 

Cloudy Water after Adding the Second Bottle of Spa Marvel?

Some hot tubs can harbour dirt and debris in the plumbing that get loosened up during the cleansing process, further loosened up by the natural descalers in Spa Marvel, but despite this they still hang on in the plumbing of the spa and are not removed. It isn’t until the second 3-month treatment of Spa Marvel is added that the fresh dose of natural descalers and detergents cause this debris to be finally removed. As it is purged from the plumbing it can cause cloudy water.

To correct this condition:

PROPERLY clean filters with a product such as Spa Marvel Filter Cleaner.

Shock spa with a non-chlorine shock.

Add a water clarifier.

Increase sanitizer level.

Check alkalinity (80 – 120), and pH (7.2 – 8.2) and manually adjust if necessary by using traditional spa-water balancing products available from your professional spa retailer. The acceptable range for pH when using Spa Marvel is much broader than when using traditional spa care products, so please take care to read your testing devices properly.

Allow the tub to circulate/filter continuously (or as much as it can) for 24 hours for these steps to work, then re-clean the filter.

If after 24 hours the water is still not perfect, repeat the above steps. If after repeating these steps you are STILL experiencing difficulty, please contact our Solutions Department for further assistance.

 

Greenish/Yellowish/Brownish Tint when using Spa Marvel?

This is generally related to minerals in your water or minerals deposits in the plumbing of your spa. As minerals oxidize they change colour. For example, as iron oxidizes (rusts) it turns yellow/red. Manganese turns brown. Copper turns blue/green. These changes show up as tints of colour in the water. Your water will be beautifully clear, but have a mild hue to it, as though someone added some colour to the water.

To correct this, shock the spa with 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of chlorine (sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione) and increase your filtration/circulation for a few days. Multiple treatments may be required. Ensure that filters are kept clean. There are products available through your spa store that aid in removing metals from the water.

 

Flakes in the Water when using Spa Marvel: -- See our full article on White Mould also called Water Mould

Flakes in your spa resembling pieces of tissue paper are indicative of a white mould in your plumbing. White mould occurs in areas left damp such as garden hoses, children's bathtub toys and hot tub plumbing. White mould can develop in spa plumbing when the tub was wet-tested at the factory and then drained, in the time between when it was drained at the showroom till the time it gets to your house or if you drain your tub and don't refill it for a few days. White mould can also be introduced to spa water when filled from a garden hose that has developed some white mould from lying out in the sun. White mould can remain in your tub and be kept at bay for months and years by conventional sanitizers such as bromine and chlorine. Once you switch to a natural system (Spa Marvel) and reduce the amount of sanitizer, the white mould can proliferate to a point that it becomes apparent (often 6-8 weeks before you notice it). Left unattended white mould can overwhelm your spa.

To kill white mould, you need to super-chlorinate the water with granular chlorine (sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione). Remove any headrests and leave the lid open for at least the first hour while performing this treatment. Add 2.5 ounces (5tbsp, 75g) of chlorine per every 100 gallons (400L) of spa water or part thereof (i.e. if you have a 350 gallon (1,400L) spa, treat it as though it is a 400 gallon (1,600L) spa and add 10 ounces (20tbsp, 300g) of chlorine). This treatment will not interfere with or degrade the performance of Spa Marvel. For this to be effective it is imperative that the chlorinated water is distributed throughout the entire plumbing system. Ensure all jets, valves, waterfalls, water features, aerators and diverters are open and subjected to the chlorine. If your tub has a drain next to the pump or at the base of the cabinet to which you can attach a hose to facilitate draining, ensure that chlorinated water is bled through the drain for 10 minutes. Do not use the spa for 72 hours, and then only do so if the chlorine level is equal to or below the high end of the "ok" range.

It is important to note that the chlorine will kill the white mould so that it doesn’t continue to grow, but it will not make the flakes vanish. The flakes floating in the water will be picked up by the filter and/or can be manually scooped out using a strainer or net. If the tub is overwhelmed by the pieces of mould to the point that it would be faster to drain the spa rather than manually remove them, please contact our Solutions Department prior to draining.

 

Salt-Like Crystals on the Spa Walls when using Spa Marvel:

This condition is caused by alkalinity and/or pH being too high, which allows calcium to precipitate from the water and attach to the spa walls, leaving a rough, unpleasant surface. To correct this, balance alkalinity (80-120) and then pH (7.2-8.2) by using traditional spa-water balancing products available from your professional spa retailer. The acceptable range for pH when using Spa Marvel is much broader than when using traditional spa care products, so please take care to read your testing devices properly.

Manually scrub the buildup from the spa walls, being certain not to use anything abrasive.See your professional spa retailer for a scrubber designed to safely clean the surface of your spa walls, or at a minimum do not use anything that you wouldn’t use on a Teflon frying pan or on the paint of your car. Once the crystals are removed they will go back into solution.

There are several reasons as to why your alkalinity or pH were too high and caused this:

The source water was not balanced on the initial fill.

Due to evaporation or spillage, you have recently added large amounts of un-balanced water to the existing spa water, which raised the alkalinity and/or pH.

There was still debris in the plumbing of your spa that was not removed during the cleansing process. As Spa Marvel reintroduces the debris to the spa water it can cause fluctuations in pH and alkalinity.

Your tub is not filtering/circulating often enough. Spa Marvel works best at a minimum 6 hours a day of circulation/filtration, and if it is getting less than that it may cause the water to go out of equilibrium and then the ph and alkalinity will not be properly maintained.

In extremely rare cases users have encountered this situation during the cleansing process.Spa Marvel Cleanser is very alkaline, which will raise the alkalinity and pH of your water.In areas very high in calcium it is possible for calcium to precipitate out of the water, or to be cleaned out of the plumbing, and attach itself to the spa walls in a very short period of time as a result of using the Spa Marvel Cleanser.

To correct this, wait until the cleansing has been completed.Drain the spa and scrub the spa walls down being certain to not use anything that could damage the surface of the spa. A descaling product such as C.L.R. works well in these rare situations.

 

Pasty Film on Spa Walls after Using Spa Marvel Cleanser when using Spa Marvel:

Often described as having the appearance of "drywall compound” on the surface of the spa. This can happen in areas where water is extremely high in gypsum. Spa Marvel Cleanser can cause the gypsum to precipitate out of the water and stick to the spa walls. After the cleansing process, drain the spa and use a cleaner suitable for hot tubs to clean the gypsum off of the surface of the tub.

 

If you have any questions regarding the use of Spa Marvel Hot Treatment, please feel free to contact us.

sales @ niftystuff.ca (remove the spaces)

Phone: 866-251-7102 Toll Free Canada and Continental U.S.A.

www.NiftyStuff.ca - Canadian Spa Marvel Sales

www.SpaMarvelWest.ca - Canadian Spa Marvel Sales

www.SpaMarvelWest.com - U.S.A. Spa Marvel Sales


Written by: Dale R. Farrier -- President --   NiftyStuff Distribution is a division of D.R. Farrier Holdings Ltd.

This article is protected by copyright laws. You are free to print and use the information contained in this article for your own use only. Reproduction or inclusion of this article on any website or publication is prohibited without written permission by the author.

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