Chemical Strategy for Someone Who Travels a Lot?

[FL Person]

After a way-too-long construction process, my patio is finally ready and my new Bullfrog R6 is being delivered tomorrow.  This is my fist spa.  I travel for a living, typically 8 days to two weeks at a time.  But sometimes for up to a month or more.  When I'm gone, there is no one in my home.  And I sometimes don't don't know exactly how long I'll be gone  (e.g - thought I'd be gone two weeks but ends up being six).

Obviously, this will be problematic with regard to maintaining the water.  But it's the reality of the situation and I'll have to find a way to make it work.   If I know for sure I'll be gone for three weeks or more, I'll probably drain the spa.  But for the shorter periods, I'm looking for some guidance on how best to prepare the water both before departing and after I return?

Thanks.

FL Person

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 I would consider a bromine floater at that point.   Keep it set low, use a bubble blanket and remove your pillows before leaving.  Set the temp at 80 or lower. 

[FL Person]

I would consider a bromine floater at that point.   Keep it set low, use a bubble blanket and remove your pillows before leaving.  Set the temp at 80 or lower.

The spa salesman initially recommended a simple maintenance strategy of adding a cup of bleach per day and adding vinegar when necessary to lower the PH.  But some quick research indicates bleach (chlorine) and Bromine don't play nice together.

If I'm planning to use a bromine floater while traveling, would I simply use it 100% of the time (while I'm home as well)?  And I'm guessing the Bromine is caustic to the pillows and the spa cover, hence the need for removing the pillows and using a bubble blanket?

TIA.

FL Person

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Yes I wouldn't really mix the two.   Bromine works fine and many people use it, if you were there everyday I wouldn't recommend it.  But since you are gone quite a bit it's a good option.   Any sanitizer/ozone/steam is hard on pillows and the underside of the cover.  So a bubble blanket helps and removing the pillows is simple so why leave them in when you are gone..

[bud16415]

I started a similar thread about a month ago and my solution is in that thread.

http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/forum/index.php/topic,19861.msg197052.html#msg197052

In your case with the time periods you are away I would go with my plan B and that is to convert the tub to a salt generator chlorine system using a “saltron mini”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq6Of9aeudI

I have a friend that has this system and it works very well. There are a few other similar devices that work the same way the saltron one seemed to be the most common.

[FL Person]

In your case with the time periods you are away I would go with my plan B and that is to convert the tub to a salt generator chlorine system using a “saltron mini”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq6Of9aeudI

I have a friend that has this system and it works very well. There are a few other similar devices that work the same way the saltron one seemed to be the most common.

Thanks for the feedback.  I'm not too keen on a retrofit unit like that, mainly from an aesthetic perspective; kind of clunky with the power cords, etc.   

But I'll keep it in mind if the Bromine doesn't do the job.

FL Person

[FL Person]

A little update;  I'm using a floater with bromine tablets.  I just got back from what ended up being a month on the road.  I lifted the cover half expecting to see green water.  Much to my surprise, the water is still crystal clear.  And surprisingly, after a month, there was still quite a bit of bromine left in the floater.  I thought for sure it would have been depleted.

I left the cover open, tossed a few Renew tabs in and ran the pump for 15 minutes.  All seems well, with maybe just a bit of surface foam when the pumps are running that wasn't present a month ago.  No big deal though.

Also, I learned the hard way - don't assume the waterfall fall valve is properly installed/tightened from the factory.  I was in the tub last night, turned the valve and suddenly had a very powerful vertical gusher streaming into my lanai ceiling.  Water everywhere!

And one last thing.  The spa repair company was just here to diagnose a rattling noise.  They are ordering a new heater unit.  I was told the heater element is coming in contact with the heater enclosure.  This is a two moth old Bullfrog R6.  Obviously, it's being replaced under warranty.  I'm not sure if the heater is a generic unit or if it's specific to/made by Bullfrog.

FL Person

[Bonibelle]

Sorry, I just saw this. My husband also travels extensively and sometimes I go with him. I have a Marquis with the bromine frog built in. That system has proven to be  fantastic and we have left the tub completely unattended for weeks...we always have returned to clean water. Turn the temp down and if you are so inclined, try the frog system. I have used bromine in my tub for 10 years now, it's what works best for our situation.  Just wondering if you have a plan for the winter (assuming you are in an area that experiences freezing)? When we leave in the winter, I don't turn the temp down because I figure that would give me more time before the tub would freeze in a power outage.

[FL Person]

I'm not familiar with the Frog system but after a quick Google search, it appears to be a Bromine floater - like I'm already using.  Is there some additional benefit to the Frog Bromine floater vs. a the floater I'm now using with Bromine tablets?

Winter is not a concern.  I'm in FL.  I realize it's the middle of summer but as it is, I have the heater set to 74 degrees and the water temp is currently 96

FL Person

[FL Person]

A quick update - I was just on the road for six weeks and filled the bromine floater the day I left.  I returned home yesterday to find the spa water crystal clear.  The floater was just about empty, with maybe a dime-sized sliver of bromine remaining.

So far so good with bromine, as long as I'm not away for more than six weeks 

FL Person