Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: akm on July 29, 2014, 10:08:04 pm
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Greetings...
Just about to finish my first month in my Hot Spring Envoy - loving it! Ran into two questions I was hoping I could get the "straight dope" on, rather than relying on the questionable information I see elsewhere:
1. I have 3 Tri-X filters in the filter compartment. I haven't done anything to them since I've owned the tub. Should I be cleaning these...weekly? Monthly? And, what does cleaning entail? I've seen various stuff from rinse with a hose to soak in some kind of chemical solution overnight and rinse to run through an empty dishwasher with no soap. Also, it appears that I need to drop both breakers on my shut-off panel before taking them out...haven't powered this thing off yet so that's a bit intimidating.
2. I also keep reading people talk about shocking their tub weekly. I'm using dichlor (will switch to dichlor then bleach after I change the water after the 1-month mark next weekend - didn't switch to bleach as I knew the water would be changed soon). Should I really be shocking to 10ppm FC once a week if I'm otherwise keeping my chlorine in check manually? Seems like it'd take the tub out of commission for a day or two each time while the FC levels dropped.
Thanks ya'll for making this experience a positive one for me and my family.
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Not to be rude but what's your dealer tell you? I mean you only spent 8 or 9 grand plus with him, might be worth a call.
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About the filter cleaning:
At the end of one month, I recommend a water change (sounds like you are going to do that) and clean the filters. If you pull the filters out and spray them with a strong jet from a garden hose, you will get out most of the dirt, leaves, small children, etc. But you will not get the oils. So at the one-month, use a filter cleaning solution. After that, once a year for most folks is fine - that is, CLEAN once a year, rinse as often as needed. Only you can find out how often you need to rinse: if you pull a filter and give it a rinse but nothing really comes off, you can stretch out the interval next time.
HTH
8)
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I had to rinse my filters with the garden hose after 8 hrs. of a new fill. My well water is full of rust, and my filters collect all that rust and turn orange. The garden hose sprays this right off of them with ease.
A good filter cleaner would be TSP, or trisodium phosphate. I bought mine on amazon. Here in WI, you can't buy the stuff in the stores, because of the phosphates.
chas, I have to question the oils in the filter. Oil floats in water, and therefore wouldn't make it into the filter, for the most part, right? I think the scum line that forms around the water line is created by body oils and lotions. I don't have the experience that you do, so maybe my assumption is wrong..