What are you using chlorine or ?

[mopar383]

Was just at the spa place this weekend buying chlorine and saw some other systems.What is everyone using and what are the benifits and disadvantages ?

[Vanguard]

It would help if you mentioned the systems to which you are referring.

[wmccall]

I've just stuck with Dichlor and once every couple of weeks a little MPS.  Started that way 7 years ago and haven't found a need to change. 

[Bonibelle]

And while I have never used Dichlor, I like Bromine. Since my tub hasn't had much use lately, it is easy for me not to worry about dumping in chemicals everyday. I actually left the tub this summer for a long period of time with just the bromine cartridge and it was crystal clear when I got home.  Some people are sensitive however to Bromine and would rather soak without that odor.

[just ducky]

And while I have never used Dichlor, I like Bromine. Since my tub hasn't had much use lately, it is easy for me not to worry about dumping in chemicals everyday. I actually left the tub this summer for a long period of time with just the bromine cartridge and it was crystal clear when I got home.  Some people are sensitive however to Bromine and would rather soak without that odor.

We've had our tub for almost a year, and we've used Dichlor the whole time.  But your comment intrigued me...you say Bromine has an odor?  I guess I just assumed chlorine had more of an odor than Bromine...am I wrong?

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Different people have different opinions. Some think chlorine has a stronger smell, others think bromine does.

[Bonibelle]

I am very sensitive to all odors. Bromine, to me, has a distinct odor and I can  tell the bromine level (pretty accurately actually) just by the smell of the water. For some reason, the smell doesn't bother me but I can imagine it may bother some people quite a bit.

[Vinny]

Chlorine should not have an odor, can't say if bromine does or not. If you smell chlorine you need to shock the tub. Chlorine smell comes from combined chlorine. Of course if you are running a tub at 20 PPM, yes, you may get an odor.

From what I've read, combined chlorine has no sanitizing effect or very little where combined bromine is very effective.

And while I have never used Dichlor, I like Bromine. Since my tub hasn't had much use lately, it is easy for me not to worry about dumping in chemicals everyday. I actually left the tub this summer for a long period of time with just the bromine cartridge and it was crystal clear when I got home.  Some people are sensitive however to Bromine and would rather soak without that odor.

We've had our tub for almost a year, and we've used Dichlor the whole time.  But your comment intrigued me...you say Bromine has an odor?  I guess I just assumed chlorine had more of an odor than Bromine...am I wrong?

[just ducky]

Chlorine should not have an odor, can't say if bromine does or not. If you smell chlorine you need to shock the tub. Chlorine smell comes from combined chlorine. Of course if you are running a tub at 20 PPM, yes, you may get an odor.

From what I've read, combined chlorine has no sanitizing effect or very little where combined bromine is very effective.

We've had our tub for almost a year, and we've used Dichlor the whole time.  But your comment intrigued me...you say Bromine has an odor?  I guess I just assumed chlorine had more of an odor than Bromine...am I wrong?

Well it's not an odor like a swimming pool where you almost pass out from the chlorine smell.  But there's a definite odor, even when my numbers are all right on.  I'm guessing it's like someone else said...different people smell different things. 

[Spatech_tuo]

I tell people to add chlorine when they exit the spa; it spikes the chlorine level but that level drops off quickly so by the next day when you go to use it you have about as much chlorine in the spa water as you do coming from your tap. Done this way you won't have the chlorine smell like in a pool or those nasty public hot tubs because so many people use them and they need to assume the worst so they use buckets of chlorine.

I understand when people don't like bromine due to the odor because bromine keeps a constant level of sanitizer which is fine for what you want it to do but that constant level has an odor many do not like (me included).

[temronwilliams]

Owning a spa is fantastic but it can be hard to keep up with the cleaning and overall maintenance of a hot tub. Now a days there are so many different types of hot tub chemicals that it can be hard to choose which sanitizing method is right for you. Some of the different kinds of methods include: bromine, chlorine, baquacil or a natural sanitizer like Nature 2.

[chem geek]

There is nothing natural about Nature2.  It's silver and zinc ions (when in the water).  Your body produces some chlorine in its own cells, specifically white blood cells called neutrophils, that produce hypochlorous acid to oxidize bacteria or other pathogens.  I'm not saying this means chlorine is good for you -- it is not -- but rather that it is not "unnatural".  Silver in higher concentrations can be toxic as well.

Nature2 is only an EPA approved sanitizer when used in conjunction either with chlorine or with non-chlorine shock (MPS).