Spa Frog question for Caldera Vanto

[Bober78]

I just ordered a new Caldera Vanto but have a quick question.  We had a spa for several years before and left it when we moved.  We missed it so finally got around to ordering a new one.

The Caldera Vanto we ordered has an in-line Frog system.  I wasn't familiar with it but have been reading on line both positive and negative feelings.  It seems that even with ozone that the frog spa bromine will have problems keeping high enough levels on its own so i will still need to add sanitizer.

Their website shows that when you first fill the spa you add a "spa frog jump start".  When i looked at the ingredients on it, it is mostly dichlor.  Shouldn't it be bromide to build up a bromine bank?

Sorry if i sound stupid, but it has been a few years since i had my spa and getting back into the loop.

[Racenut]

My dealer gave us a Spa Frog in the "startup kit" so we decided to give it a go... after a month of trying to keep bromine levels up and the Spa Frog bromine cartridge due for replacement... I dropped in a regular bromine floater with tablets.  Now I have the easy to take care of spa I was used to....  have not had to add anything to the water in over a week.  For the price of the spa frog cartridges, it seems it's just a money grab.

[Bill]

I've been using the inline spa frog bromine for almost 5 years without any problems.  Yes, a bromine "bank" needs to be established each time you change water.  I usually grind up a bromine tab, mix it with water and dump in in while the tub is filling. Generally, I can keep the bromine cartridge set in the 1-3 range.  Many times it stays on the lowest (1) setting its whole lifetime.  I usually get a month or more before the bromine is spent. No fuss.

[Bober78]

so the spa comes with ozone, so i am assuming most people use bromine with it?  Do many people use dichlor with ozone and just the spa frog mineral cartridge or would that not be a very good option?

Before when I had a spa I had ozone and bromine tabs, but now I am reading alot of people prefer chlorine.  Is that compatible with ozone and mineral?

[Racenut]

Chlorine is not compatible with the mineral cartridge in Spa Frog.  There is another mineral option called Nature2 that is compatible with Chlorine.

[Bober78]

Chlorine is not compatible with the mineral cartridge in Spa Frog.  There is another mineral option called Nature2 that is compatible with Chlorine.

Do you know if the Nature2 will work inline in the Caldera spas like the Spa Frog do, or is it a different size and wont fit?

[Hottubguy]

Chlorine is not compatible with the mineral cartridge in Spa Frog.  There is another mineral option called Nature2 that is compatible with Chlorine.

In a couple of weeks you will see a spa frog system come out that uses dichlor chlorine with it. Brand new product for 2016

[Tman122]

The cartridge is mineral based. One reacts better with bromine the other with chlorine.

[Bober78]

Since I am getting a startup sample of the Spa Frog with the purchase i figure i will try it out since it is free.  If I don't like the Spa Frog and bromine setup, after my first drain/fill can i switch over to using Dichlor if i get rid of the spa frog mineral?  I figure it would be fine if i cleaned the tub and filter to get rid of the existing bromine.

Secondly, i plan on adding bromide to build up the bromine bank on the fillup, but is it still necessary to add the "jump start" then since it is just dichlor?