When your spa becomes cloudy, it is usually a sign that the water chemistry is out of balance, the filter needs to be cleaned, or the filter just isn’t running long enough. When you check your water with test strips or drop test kits keep an eye out for the following.
1. If the chlorine is low, bacteria and mold can grow and multiply causing cloudiness.
2. When the pH, alkalinity, or hardness levels are high, it will cause cloudiness and scaling. To fix this, bring a water sample in to be tested for free. We will be able to tell you exactly what the cause is if it is caused by water chemistry.
3. If the water is balanced properly, then the filter could be dirty. Even if it looks clean when you take it out, the pleats can be clogged with oils preventing adequate filtration. In this case, you’ll need to chemically clean your filter. Similar to showering without soap or shampoo, rinsing the filter with water takes visible debris off the filter but does not remove greases and oils. Make sure to use a filter cleaner made for spas and to rinse it thoroughly until the water runs clear and is free of suds. It is helpful to have a spare set of filters on hand to swap out, because you need to let the filters dry competely before putting them back into your spa. Letting them dry allows the pleats to shrink and filter the most effectively.
4. Check the filter settings of your spa. If it is not running long enough then contaminants in the water are not being removed and they will accumulate causing the water to look cloudy. Contact us or the spa manufacturer for the recommended minimum filter run time.
If none of these steps seem to help clear the water, it may be time to do a drain and refill of your spa water. In general, a good rule of thumb to follow is to drain and refill once per season. If you want to figure out a more exact time frame for when to drain and refill, you can follow this calculation. Hot tub volume ÷ 3 ÷ estimated average bather load = days before draining and refilling. For example, If you have a 400-gallon spa, and there are usually 2 people at a time… 400 ÷ 3 ÷ 2 = about 67 days between each drain and refill.
And always, when in doubt give us a call!
