Ahh-some!… does it ever run clear?

[mjc123]

I just ran it through my almost-brand new tub and got the expected green scum. Decided to run it through again and got exactly the same result. Do I continue? It’s become obvious to me that the scum is, in fact, the gel (I assume it binds to the gunk and basically acts as a flocculant?). What does it look like when you run it through a perfectly clean system? I’m debating trying a scaled down version in a blender to find out, lol

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

There can be a myriad of scum colors that can be released after an Ahh-Some purge. Green is fairly common along with brownish/yellow. I assure you that the scum is not from the gel. Be sure that you added the correct dosage and opened all the air intake venturis to create maximum turbulence. Greenish colors usually indicate a presence of copper. Are you sanitizing with chlorine or bromine? I am here to assist with your purge. Tell me the gallonage of your tub and the make. This will be helpful. Thank You.

 

[Armor77]

There can be a myriad of scum colors that can be released after an Ahh-Some purge. Green is fairly common along with brownish/yellow. I assure you that the scum is not from the gel. Be sure that you added the correct dosage and opened all the air intake venturis to create maximum turbulence. Greenish colors usually indicate a presence of copper. Are you sanitizing with chlorine or bromine? I am here to assist with your purge. Tell me the gallonage of your tub and the make. This will be helpful. Thank You.

I can honestly say I used AC for my new install first prior to using and so glad I did. Here are 2 pics 1 while purging, then drained and refilled and balanced.And after 5 days of 2 people use and not laundered suits and pre rinsing prior to entering the latter is my water today/ balanced, I also have a SWCG that's it.

 

[Mdragger88]

What does it look like when you run it through a perfectly clean system?

No matter/detrius in the bubbles/no scum line at all. Just plain clean white foam.
Each subsequent dose/purge should only be 1/2 the initial amount of Ahhsome or you’ll be having tons more bubbles

 

[Armor77]

No matter/detrius in the bubbles/no scum line at all. Just plain clean white foam.
Each subsequent dose/purge should only be 1/2 the initial amount of Ahhsome or you’ll be having tons more bubbles

I must say that sounds spot on. I did my purge according to directions/water quantity, 1/2 hr on 1/2 off then lastly 1/2 hr on and drain. All the while getting rid of foam at the waterline and wiping so it does not dry there. Pretty straightforward and really good product.

 

[Newdude]

I wish I documented mine better but I was fairly new here and could never upoald pics from my iPhone so I just had a marathon with mine.

If memory serves I ran 10 consecutive purges. The first couple (2?) didn't get much but proved there was gunk in there, but when it broke free, oh my. The foam was gross and I sat there scooping it out. The tub itself looked like soapy water so I just went until the foam wasn't gross. For the 6th or 7th run I emptied and started over with a full dose, then went back to half doses.

Once it ran clear so to speak, I emptied, filled, ran a couple of regular cycles and then dumped that. This step was extra but after all the other work, I needed to for me.

 

[Mdragger88]

These are what I would consider a pretty clean purge
Here’s a pic of what was “collected” during my last purge - I believe most of this actually came from my filter because I throw it in but I never feel like I rinse it well enough.
You can see a very slight tinge of color in spots in the foam if you look closely

Here’s after the bubbles have been scooped & letting the tub run a bit before draining - nothing collecting on the waterline etc

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

Hello MDragger88: I think you are using the Aqua Clarity weekly formula. If so, this is why your recent purge
released a minimum of biofilms. When you use the "AC" biofilms have a hard time attaching to surfaces and your filter usually gets the minor discoloration particulates. I have a 720 gallon in-ground gunite spa that uses the Ahh-Some Aqua Clarity product weekly. When I purge, which is once a year I get little to no biofilm release. The Aqua Clarity is providing "mini purges" 24/7. With your SWG system I would bet that your water is so very crystal clear every single day.

 

[Armor77]

These are what I would consider a pretty clean purge
Here’s a pic of what was “collected” during my last purge - I believe most of this actually came from my filter because I throw it in but I never feel like I rinse it well enough.
You can see a very slight tinge of color in spots in the foam if you look closely
View attachment 528030
Here’s after the bubbles have been scooped & letting the tub run a bit before draining - nothing collecting on the waterline etc

Looks good, AC is a very nice product I used it and works good.

 

[Mdragger88]

Hello MDragger88: I think you are using the Aqua Clarity weekly formula. If so, this is why your recent purge
released a minimum of biofilms. When you use the "AC" biofilms have a hard time attaching to surfaces and your filter usually gets the minor discoloration particulates. I have a 720 gallon in-ground gunite spa that uses the Ahh-Some Aqua Clarity product weekly. When I purge, which is once a year I get little to no biofilm release. The Aqua Clarity is providing "mini purges" 24/7. With your SWG system I would bet that your water is so very crystal clear every single day.

Yes ! - I mentioned the Aqua clarity in the video. This is a only a piece of a larger video I am putting together but I thought it might be useful for the op to see.
That purge was in march & my tub is still very much crystal clear without any persistent cc’s to speak of.
I add the Aqua clarity every Saturday- I have missed a couple doses but not many.
& of course I never play kissy face with minimum
FC/CYA Levels

 

[mjc123]

There can be a myriad of scum colors that can be released after an Ahh-Some purge. Green is fairly common along with brownish/yellow. I assure you that the scum is not from the gel. Be sure that you added the correct dosage and opened all the air intake venturis to create maximum turbulence. Greenish colors usually indicate a presence of copper. Are you sanitizing with chlorine or bromine? I am here to assist with your purge. Tell me the gallonage of your tub and the make. This will be helpful. Thank You.

I have a Clarity Spas Balance 7 (by Master Spas), 390 gal per the specs: Balance 7 Hot Tub Model from Clarity Spas

Sanitizing is with Chlorine, though FC ppm is currently zero since I’m purging anyway. I don’t believe I have much copper in my municipal water, but the master spas products do use this “EcoPur” filter add-in that supposedly releases copper and zinc ions if the marketing information is to be trusted, mind you that insert was removed during my two purges.

The “gunk” that came out was sort of a rotten avocado green, and had the consistency of thick grease. Once I got it on my skin it was really rough to get off, even with soap. During the purges I skimmed off as much “funky” foam as possible to help reduce the build up on the walls. For the first one I used 3.5 tsp, for the second one I used 2.5 tsp (of the gel). Water temp is set to 80 (again, since I knew I was draining and purging).

Scum photo attached

 

[Mdragger88]

You want some sanitizer in the water as you will be touching it - you don’t want any cooties!
Keep going until no more funky stuff emerges.
This can take quite a few rounds - no need to dump the water in between.
Once you have a clean tub & refill If appropriate sanitation is maintained at all times after refilling your subsequent purge sessions won’t be so bad.

 

[Ahhsomeguy]

If the released gunk was sticky and hard to wipe off, this is good to get it out of your circulation and filter system.
You purged with the appropriate amount of gel. Good job on your part. Next time DO Not Remove the foam. Foam is your friend during a purge. Just spray the foam with a garden hose if it overflows or let it drain down the spa exterior and onto the deck or pad. I do think the greenish gunk was from contact with copper in your Master Spa ionization stick(s). Drain, rinse and wipe. Refill and balance the water. For a few days yiummay seema residual of foam and gunk. Just wipe it away. You will be good to go.

 

[proavia]

Did you pull the filter cartridge out of the filter housing before purging?

 

[mjc123]

Did you pull the filter cartridge out of the filter housing before purging?

Yes! (I followed the directions on the container to a T).

@Mdragger88, haha I have touched far worse things than some water that has been without chlorine for a day! (I have two young kids )

 

[Armor77]

I have a Clarity Spas Balance 7 (by Master Spas), 390 gal per the specs: Balance 7 Hot Tub Model from Clarity Spas

Sanitizing is with Chlorine, though FC ppm is currently zero since I’m purging anyway. I don’t believe I have much copper in my municipal water, but the master spas products do use this “EcoPur” filter add-in that supposedly releases copper and zinc ions if the marketing information is to be trusted, mind you that insert was removed during my two purges.

The “gunk” that came out was sort of a rotten avocado green, and had the consistency of thick grease. Once I got it on my skin it was really rough to get off, even with soap. During the purges I skimmed off as much “funky” foam as possible to help reduce the build up on the walls. For the first one I used 3.5 tsp, for the second one I used 2.5 tsp (of the gel). Water temp is set to 80 (again, since I knew I was draining and purging).

Scum photo attached

Wow, that is a lot of biofilm for an almost new tub. I would be curious to know if you purged prior to use. Also if u threw your filter in while purging or just took out and getting a new filter. I must say even with Ahh-some Jim's vid I did not see this kind of biofilm in his new tub. Hopefully your purge/refill go good and you can get it balanced and start enjoying it again,especially with the white stuff coming very soon for us.

 

[mjc123]

Wow, that is a lot of biofilm for an almost new tub. I would be curious to know if you purged prior to use. Also if u threw your filter in while purging or just took out and getting a new filter. I must say even with Ahh-some Jim's vid I did not see this kind of biofilm in his new tub. Hopefully your purge/refill go good and you can get it balanced and start enjoying it again,especially with the white stuff coming very soon for us.

No, didn’t know purging a new hot tub was a thing. I knew it might have funky water sitting in it from leak testing when it was manufactured but I assumed a good shocking on day one would take care of that. And yeah, I tossed the filter into the tub during purging (but left the EcoPur cartridge out as the tub instructions specifically said not to keep it in when soaking the filter in filter cleaner)

Then, I took the Master Spas sales guy at face value when he told me that with the EcoPur filter thing I’d only need to shock it “once a week” and that we “wouldn’t need one of those floating chlorine puck things” because of it. So we ended up with 0 FC far too often and the water kept getting cloudy. Finally I turned to this forum and went with the advice to purge with ahh-some and decided that the claims that the EcoPur reducing chemical requirements was marketing BS. So anyway, took a while to get the stuff and find the time to use it, but here we are, effectively starting from scratch a month later (we took delivery on Aug 1 but didn’t fill it until about a week later after I wired it in)

 

[Newdude]

you don’t want any cooties!

(insert emojii for 'exceptions')

 

[proavia]

It would be best to remove their magic "EcoPur" insert permanently to prevent staining the tub, hair and fingernails.

Glad you followed the direction to a "T"and removed the filter.

 

[Armor77]

No, didn’t know purging a new hot tub was a thing. I knew it might have funky water sitting in it from leak testing when it was manufactured but I assumed a good shocking on day one would take care of that. And yeah, I tossed the filter into the tub during purging (but left the EcoPur cartridge out as the tub instructions specifically said not to keep it in when soaking the filter in filter cleaner)

Then, I took the Master Spas sales guy at face value when he told me that with the EcoPur filter thing I’d only need to shock it “once a week” and that we “wouldn’t need one of those floating chlorine puck things” because of it. So we ended up with 0 FC far too often and the water kept getting cloudy. Finally I turned to this forum and went with the advice to purge with ahh-some and decided that the claims that the EcoPur reducing chemical requirements was marketing BS. So anyway, took a while to get the stuff and find the time to use it, but here we are, effectively starting from scratch a month later (we took delivery on Aug 1 but didn’t fill it until about a week later after I wired it in)

I advise against a floater not good. Ya a pre purge is needed prior to use 4 sure. All tubs are wet tested and sit, look at my pic I posted. Yellowish crud, then work on water chemistry set up. Hopefully you have invested in a good drop test kit as well, as this is a must have Imo and many on tfp will say as well. If you have a swcg get the TK-2006 kit and possibly the TK-1766 down the road, but the 2006 yes. TFP members have been a ton of help along with Ahh-some guy personally. Hurry and get that tub up/running so u can enjoy.