Ask 'Dr. Spa' Q & A Message Board

Thanks for responding Vin...Swirlaway will not do the job...I've used it for the past three drain and fill ups...this stuff is rust...I have called five or six spa places here in Southern Wisconsin...and four have disconnected phones...and the other two suggested Swirlaway...

I have found what I think is the exact replacement for the pump..so now, deciding if the pricing is okay is the issue...these places range about $70 in difference...I will not buy off Ebay..I just don't trust anything you get from the dealers who sell there. Now, I want to wait to speak with Catalina on Monday to see how they will handle the situation...having Strictly Spas be out of business makes this a DIY project unfortunately. My techie friend who had been the main tech at Strictly Spas til late 2004 for 5 years knows this spa inside and out and I was so lucky I could catch him last night and he was willing and able to drive up here and check it out for me. He no longer does this kind of work unless you call him, he tells me...so other SS customers might like to check with me if they have problems...He has no liability insurance so that could be a problem anyone who is willing to trust his opinions would have to deal with. But, he is honest and found the problem in a quick moment and he actually agreed with what my thinking was on the problem... He found that the main pump motor was on its way to death due to the bearings being in process of getting shot and I discovered looking into the spa that the interior of the pipe he had opened was bright coyote red...he says they used to use CLR to do the inside of empty used spas and that cleaned them up really good...but I am darn hesitant to put that into the pipes...it sounds really drastic...but what I have in there is most likely two and a half years of rust residue from my wonderful well water...if there is nothing to do but live with red pipes, that's one issue but if there is rust that is continuing to be spread throughout the system when it is filtering, is another...

I have never had an ozonator on this spa...so it isn't that for certain...

I wonder if I couldn't put some Cascade into the spa and let that work like John said used to done years ago before the modern day products came out...The Works? Who knows...I guess what is safe to go into the toilet and septic system might be okay for the pipes but until I get some expert advice, I am doing nothing...

Hopefully, John, TomD or Spatech will have some ideas on how to clean it up...