So I've determined that the leak is quite minor, but, this is in its present state with no motor pushing water through the tubing. But there's another pressing problem...
Of course the picture above is from the WYZE camera with its night vision so everything is in eerie black and white. It makes the water look like a sinister black pool just sitting there, waiting for its next victim. Well from what I've been reading in various articles, that may not be too far from the truth if I don't run the system at all. According to those in the know, even applying chemicals and shock treatment won't stave off the problems of it being a stagnant body of water. And of course, we are talking a stagnant body of water in swampy hot and humid Florida. All manner of nasty microbes await!
So in the morning, I'm going to attach the filter, plug the hot tub in, set it to the lowest temperature I possibly can, and run it. If memory serves well from 4 years ago, that's when we're going to see that little dribble leak turn into a bit of a gush.
I'm going to have to get to Lowe's or Home Depot again to also get new chemicals since I also read that liquid chlorine and the other chemicals I've had sitting around out there, especially as they've been exposed to 4 summers of heat, are essentially worthless having lost their potency long ago. When I went in the tub earlier today, I noticed that it didn't have a very strong chlorine smell despite pouring a good eight ounces in beforehand. In fact, it smelled a little, well, stale, to say the least. Perhaps there was a bit of algae left in the pipes, or the garden hose? And if you've lived or been to Central Florida anytime, you know our tap water doesn't smell so pretty anyway. What's more, as I sat in the tub, I did notice little bits of particulate, be it dust, pollen, or whatever, floating in the water.
It may be for the best as well since I also read that there is this stuff I can pour into the filter intake valve that essentially will flow to where the small leak is and, hopefully, block it up. Sounds like infomercial-worthy bunk but I found a lot of testimonial praising it. Not from spa technicians though, of course they don't want you to use anything that'll cut them out of their money flow. So hopefully that's available at the store and I'll pick up a bottle of that.
So the Operation continues into its "cooking" phase. We'll have crystal blue persuasion soon enough, bitch!