Water Care Troubleshooting

Cloudy Water

Probable Cause:

Dirty filters
Excessive oils or organic matter
Improper sanitizing
Suspended particles or organic matter
Overused or old water

Solutions:

Clean filters with FreshWater® InstantFilter Cleaner or FreshWater Filter Cleaner
Shock spa with sanitizer
Add sanitizer
Adjust pH and/or alkalinity with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up or FreshWater Alkalinity Down
Run jet pump(s) and clean filters with FreshWater InstantFilter Cleaner or FreshWater Filter Cleaner
Drain, clean and refill the spa

Water Odor

Probable Cause:

Excessive organics in water
Improper sanitization
Low pH

Solutions:

Shock spa with sanitizer
Add sanitizer
Adjust pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up to recommended range
Drain, clean and refill the spa

Chlorine Odor

Probable Cause:

Chloramine level too high
Low pH

Solutions:

Shock spa with sanitizer
Adjust pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up to recommended range

Musty Odor

Probable Cause:

Bacteria or algae growth

Solutions:

Shock spa with sanitizer
If the problem is visible or persistent, drain, clean and refill the spa

Organic Buildup/Scum Ring Around Spa

Probable Cause:

Buildup of oils and dirt

Solutions:

Wipe off scum with clean rag
If severe, drain the spa, use FreshWater Spa Shine after cleaning to protect the spa shell, and refill the spa

Algae Growth

Probable Cause:

High pH
Low sanitizer lever

Solutions:

Shock spa with sanitizer
Adjust pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Down to recommended range
Shock spa with sanitizer, and maintain sanitizer level

Eye Irritation

Probable Cause:

Low pH
Low sanitizer lever

Solutions:

Adjust pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up
Shock spa with sanitizer, and maintain sanitizer level

Skin Irritation/Rash

Probable Cause:

Unsanitary water
Free chlorine level above 5 ppm

Solutions:

Shock spa with sanitizer and maintain sanitizer level
Allow free chlorine level to drop below 5 ppm before spa use

Stains

Probable Cause:

Total alkalinity and/or pH too low
High iron or copper in source water

Solutions:

Adjust total alkalinity and/or pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up
Use FreshWater Stain & Scale to inhibit metals

Scale

Probable Cause:

Total alkalinity and/or pH too high
High calcium content in water

Solutions:

Adjust total alkalinity and pH with FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Down
If scale requires removal, drain the spa, scrub off the scale, clean spa shell with FreshWater Spa Shine, and refill the spa
Add FreshWater Stain & Scale and balance the water using FreshWater pH/Alkalinity Up or Freshwater pH/Alkalinity Down