ozonator worth it or not. circulator pump?

[mowin]

Looking at getting our first hot tub. Two dealers said dont get the ozonator as it reduces the life of the pillows and cover. Is this true?  Also is the circulator pump a good option on smaller tubs? We are looking at 3 person tubs with a water capacity of arounc 250 gals.   

[Tman122]

Either method of water circulation will filter adequate. Ozone works better the more time it's introduced so circ for sure. But it can shorten the life of your pillows and cover. Proper disinfection can be accomplished with or without ozone.

[kurt6137]

Having a ozonator will definitely decrease chemical use, yes it will wear out covers and pillows, but not drastically and there is always the choice of disabling it.

[chem geek]

An ozonator works best either for a bromine spa or for a high-use chlorine spa.  It does not work well for a low-use chlorine spa.  The reason is that ozone oxidizes bromide to make bromine so you can think of it as auto-dosing bromine even when you aren't using the spa.  However, ozone reacts with chlorine turning it into chloride salt so will increase your chlorine demand in between your soaks.  That means having to add chlorine more frequently.  On the other hand, if you use the spa every day or two, it reduces the amount of chlorine you need because it can oxidize some of the bather waste so that chlorine doesn't have to.

The ideal situation is to have an ozonator you can turn on or off so that you can decide when to use it.  Unfortunately, they aren't generally installed with such a control.

[Darzmr]

I love having an ozonator.  My first spa didn't have one, and I spent a ton of time micromanaging the water chemistry.  Now I only deal with it once a week.

[red2play]

I don't have a circ pump nor do I see a need for it.  Unless you want your spa to operate ALL DAY LONG in constant circulation, its not needed IMHO.  When you get your spa you most likely will have two choices, have it circulate all day long or have it in "REST".  If you put it in rest, it doesn't circulate the water until you have a filtration cycle.  Mine has two filters and two filtration cycles per day.  While its filtering the water, its also heating the water at the same time.  With the lid on (cover) the water will most likely stay near the temp you set it to.  Even if you cycle the water all day long (which most won't do because of the cost of electricity) the regular pumps can do the same exact thing.  So for instance, if I set my spa on READY, it will cycle the water every thirty min.  Keeping it consistently at the temp you set it to, again my spa doesn't have a circulation pump.  It uses regular pumps to "cycle" the water.  BTW, if you keep the spa in REST and to want to use it, just hit the pump button and it will cycle the water for the next hr.  That way you can leave it in rest and then when you want it, just start the circulation with just hitting the jet button.  EASY PEESY.  Just ask if your manufacturer has a READY/REST mode.  Most if not all do.

[clover]

Ozone is an Oxidizer - Sanitizer and that is very well suited for water purification in Hot Tubs and it works best with the support of a circulation pump that is drawing low electrical consumption.  Ozone is stronger than Chlorine or Bromine.  Ozone is a gaseous molecule of O³ and is made from slicing and dicing molecules of O² passing through the ozonator.  It is both fast and effective method of sanitizing and oxidizing Hot Tub water.  It is manufactured on site by the ozonator which will expire in the years to come and will need to be replaced. 

The molecule of O³ is looking for a like atom that it takes from something else, i.e. bacteria, virus, mineral, and nutrients.  As it takes that molecule, it renders it to be dead matter to be filtered clean while oxidizing and sanitizing elements are in the water. 

It has a very short life cycle, and if your water is clean, and a like atom is not found, it will break the water surface and accumulate in the air space between the water and cover until it finds that like atom, reverting back to oxygen O² going airborne.

While many dealers recommend ozone, many do not.  We have been supporting the use of ozone for 25 years and our customers love it.  The sale of chemicals are also an important factor to an ongoing business, ozone is not. 

One must ask, if ozone is stronger than chlorine or bromine, and it leaves no residual matter behind to accumulate in the water as undissolved solids that require water changes.  One can ask, why do I need to use chemicals.  That is a good questions to ask your support team to gain an understanding of what you deem to be the better choice.  This becomes an issue between you and your support team.  Both chemicals and ozone have a learning curve to maintain clean, clear water, with the minimal use of chemicals.  The ladies prefer it.

You should know that you can test for chemicals, but you can not test for ozone in the water.  IF the ozone is working, your water will be clean and clear.  There is a test that will verify an ozonator is producing ozone.

I would recommend both the circ pump and the ozonator as the better way to go.

Both chemical gases and ozone gases will attack the cover and pillows, in essence bleaching out the underside of the cover.  Chemical gases of the water will also burn the underside of a cover and damage pillows as well.

[Tman122]

I don't think it is the miracle your making it out to be. Contact time becomes so important and hard to achieve in a Hot Tub. In cities municipal water systems at a larger, sealed, pressurized scale they can be a lot more effective. But chlorine or bromine are still required there, and in your tubs water. And depending on your bathing habits, may or may not be reduced as a result of ozone.

I think they can be helpful if used properly, maintained properly. To me it seems it requires less of your time when you have ozone for the "in between soak day" maintenance. But I would never rely on it to sanitize. Longer run time results in shortened life of some components. The cost savings in any reduction of sanitizer will be offset by added maintenance costs. And electrical consumption is a wash depending on the jet pump being used to circulate in the non circ pump tub and the quality of it's insulation design. And there is data to support this.

I never really noticed a real difference with feel of the water. Some people do notice.

Good comments.

Opinion only.

[mowin]

The tub we are thinking about is a Saratoga Spa Adirondack Champlain and the ozonator is a $100.00 option.  Its a 3 person tub with a 250 gal capacity and it has a circulator pump.  Is ozone better suited for larger tubs? And does it work better with bromine or chlorine systems?

[Hottubguy]

For a $100 it's worth it.  You must be in the northeast buying a saratoga. They make a great tub but aren't well known in the rest of the country

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Show me a peer scientific study showing ozone has any effect in a hot tub!

[mowin]

For a $100 it's worth it.  You must be in the northeast buying a saratoga. They make a great tub but aren't well known in the rest of the country

I'm in upstate NY.  Dealer is only 30 min away, and was very knowledgeable about his product. 

[Hottubguy]

Show me a peer scientific study showing ozone has any effect in a hot tub!

I agree. I could take them or leave them but for a $100 it's worth it for the small benefit it adds

[Hottubguy]

For a $100 it's worth it.  You must be in the northeast buying a saratoga. They make a great tub but aren't well known in the rest of the country

I'm in upstate NY.  Dealer is only 30 min away, and was very knowledgeable about his product

They are made in upstate NY. Great company to deal with. I looked into carrying them but they don't give you much of a territory and there are many dealers close by to me

[Topline Mike]

I don't have a circ pump nor do I see a need for it.  Unless you want your spa to operate ALL DAY LONG in constant circulation, its not needed IMHO.  When you get your spa you most likely will have two choices, have it circulate all day long or have it in "REST". 

Well, this just isn't true.  I have a jacuzzi J375 with a circulation pump.  I have 7 different program options for my filtration cycle.  0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, or all day long filtration.   I use the factory setting of 8 hours per day.  Obviously, each manufacturer will have different options for this. 

These pumps run very efficiently.  The cost to run them is very small.  The heater in the spa is what is sucking so much electricity.  I have an outdoor wood heater with 2 main pumps on the unit.  These pumps run 24/7, 8 months a year.  They are made to run continually, and can last a long time.  I just replaced one cartridge this past winter after 8 years of use.