There are few feelings better than coming home after a long day and slowly dipping yourself under the steamy, clear, bubbly water of your spa. The last thing you want to come home to is an ambiguous, indistinct colour in the water you are about to soak in. That being said, at some point during your hot tub ownership, you are likely going to be faced with the issue of hazy, foamy, or milky water. Not to worry though, these are common occurrences and can be easily fixed with a few simple tweaks. Just like a human catching a cold, there are tried and tested procedures which can bring your hot tub back to its healthy self.
Foamy Water –large, “soap like” bubbles
Foamy water can be described as an above average amount of foam building up on top of the water’s surface which can eventually leave a thin, soapy film behind. We can use science to demystify the reasons behind this one, and the remedy is fairly straightforward.Foam with large bubbles is the result of body and cosmetic oils reacting with the alkalinity of the tub. Cosmetic oils come in the form of sunscreen, makeup, moisturizer, soap, deodorant, and even detergent off of recently cleaned bathing suits.
Solution
- Prevention: The best way to stop this type of foam is to take a quick shower before hopping in the tub to wash away any oils. It is also recommended to wash bathing suits in water without detergent, or simply rinse them before putting them on.
- Use Natural Chemistry: Products such as Spa Perfect can help by eliminating unwanted contaminants like the oils listed above, which counters the foam and film with enzyme technology, leaving your water pleasantly clean and clear. There are also fast-acting products such as Spa Defoamer which won’t solve the problem at the base but temporarily reduces the foam.
- Drain the Tub: If prevention isn’t working and you don’t have access to Natural Chemistry products, drain the tub completely and refill it. This will give you the opportunity to wash the oils out of your tub and start fresh.
Foamy Water – small, fine bubbles
A layer of thicker foam with small bubbles on the surface of the hot tub water is often caused by a high TDS, or Total Dissolved Solids. This means the water has been fully saturated with chemicals and can't dissolve any more, leading to a foamy surface.
Solution
- Drain the Tub: The only solution for high TDS is to drain the hot tub and start with fresh, clean water. Depending on usage, your hot tub will need to be drained and refilled approximately every 3-4 months.
Hazy or Milky Water
These two hot tub symptoms are grouped together because, while they may look different, they are often caused by the same problem or collection of problems. Hazy water is described as having tiny specks suspended in the water which look like air bubbles and, due to their size, cannot be picked up. Milky water looks like it has gained a whitish tint, making it look like watery skim milk. Both hazy and milky water are tough to diagnose because it could be one or a combination of many reasons including: a dirty filtration system, heavy use, bad water chemistry, dead algae, or accumulation of debris from an external source.
Solution
- Check Your Filters: Checking your filter status should be the first thing you do if your water starts acting up. If tiny specks can get through your filter, you should clean your filters thoroughly with a filter cleaner. If you’re having a hard time getting the debris out of the filter, it might be time to replace it.
- Balance Water Levels: Measure your water levels and bring them back to a balance.Balance your alkalinity first, and then the pH, ideally the next day. Both need to be correct to help prevent hazy and milky water. Sanitizer needs to be at the right level too, as too much of it can cause the milky colour.
- Shock the Spa: Shock your spa to eliminate any unwanted waste in the water which clogs filters and eventually gives a bad smell to the tub.
- Use Natural Chemistry: If you are in a hurry to get your spa back up and running ASAP, Spa Clear will help clear your water quickly. A natural clarifier, Spa Clear attracts small particles of debris in the water and clumps them together into larger particles which can then be scooped out with a skimmer net or filtered through the filtration system depending on the volume of debris.
If these solutions aren’t working for you, give us a shout at Pool and Hot Tub Depot. We will be happy to help you fix the issue.