Switching to Bromine

[Aimer]

Hello,

Sorry for the long post with lots of questions.

Due to developing an itchy rash, I am in the process of switching from Chlorine to Bromine and despite lots of reading I am still a little confused and was wondering if you good folk could answer my questions?

I keep adding the recommended dose of Bromine to my tub but after a few hours get a reading of 0 ppm. Am I correct in thinking that I keep adding the Bromine until I have built up a residual of 3ppm?

If this is correct, once I have built up the residual Bromine, I shock it once a week with MPS?

I have an ozone generator with produces ozone with the filter cycle that runs twice a day for 2 hours at a time. PH is in the range of 7.2 to 7.8, Alk is a little high at 180 (how can I reduce this?). My tub is a 2200l cedar wood (on reading about Bromine I discovered that this should be used for wooden tubs as it's better for the wood).

Many thanks for any help,

Mark.

[hottubdan]

Rash is not from chlorine. More likely from not enough sanitizer.  What type of bromine are you using. You do have to build up residual.  We encourage using straight sodium bromide to create the residual.  Add MPS and tabs.

finally, your ozone generator is pretty useless only running 4 hours a day.

[Aimer]

Thanks for the reply.

Interesting that the rash could have been caused by not enough sanitiser. I have always kept the chlorine at the levels on the 3 way test strips, however I have never shocked the spa. Should I have? This was not mentioned when the tub was commissioned.

I have started using bromine infused granules by aquasparkle (recommended by the local tub dealer). I also have some MPS for the weekly shocking. No tablets or floater.

Stupid question but why is the ozone a waste of time?

Thanks,

Mark. (Confused).

[Tman122]

Unless Ozone is introduced 24/7 it is pretty much useless. It is such a slow sanitizer that it can only take care of residual bacteria after a proper sanitizer (chlorine/bromine) has been deployed. And then only if the contact chamber is very long to increase it's contact with the water. Are you sure your rash isn't exyema? Very common for hot tub use. It flares up with the extreme changes in temperature that a hot tub can create on your skin. A doctor would be my first choice. As long as you have maintained proper sanitizer levels in the past.