spa frog

[fishman61]

We are planning to purchase a hot tub in the near future. The dealer suggests we use the Spa Frog for conditioning the water. Has anyone ever used the spa frog and if so, how frequently do you have to change out the cartridges? How effective is it to use? Thanks

[TLWR]

My Caldera came with the Spa Frog option. It is a very costly solution, the dealer even recommended against it due to cost.
We use 1TBS MPS after each use, and 1TBS Dichlor once weekly along with a Nature2 stick. We change the Nature2 every 4 months with a water change. The tub also has ozone and a circ pump Never had a problem, and much less expensive than the Spa Frog.

Spa Frog, you need to shock weekly, change the mineral stick every 3-4 months, and the bromine every 2-4 weeks.

[fishman61]

Thanks for the information. I admit that we do not know much about hot tubs or the chemicals involved. What does MPS stand for? I seen that you can buy the spa frog cheaper on ebay but I am looking for a cheaper alternative, thanks again for your suggestion. 

[TLWR]

MPS = Monopersulfate which is the fancy name of non-chlorine shock

Some use MPS daily and Dichlor (Chlorine) as the weekly shock
Others do the opposite, with Chlorine daily and MPS weekly as a shock

I use MPS daily to keep chlorine use lower, but MPS is more expensive than Dichlor.

I buy MPS from here http://www.intheswim.com/Pool-Chemicals/Pool-Shock-and-Super-Chlorinating-Chemicals/Chlorine-Free-Pool-Shock/

and my Dichlor here http://www.amazon.com/Leisure-22337-Chlorinating-Granules-2-Pound/dp/B000NCW904/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348927598&sr=8-1&keywords=dichlor

Nature2 mineral stick http://www.amazon.com/Nature2-Stick-Mineral-Sanitizer-Portable/dp/B002IT5JS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1348927766&sr=1-1&keywords=nature+2 they are about half price on Amazon over what the local spa supply store sells them for.

A pound of MPS lasts me about 2 weeks of daily use (1TBS after use). A pound of Dichlor lasts about 4 months (1TBS per week).
I also add 2TBS of baking soda weekly to balance the water.

[fishman61]

Thanks again for the helpful information.