New Bromine Tub Questions

[JoeHotTub]

So first of all that you guys for so much information, I'm ready to tackle my first tub.

I'm getting a 425 gallon tub.  Setting up the 3 step bromine system. 

I'd really like to use Dichlor to activate the bromine due to convenience of the powder.  My question is will there be anything noticeable with the high CYA levels I'd probably build up to, like 300? Will the chlorine not convert to bromine quickly or will the water start to feel different. 

Another question, I have an ozonator, what would be a good starting place to adjust my floater, amount of tabs and setting on the floater?  My goal is to add an amount of dichlor to oxidize bather waste after soaks and have the floater to maintain sanitation levels around 3-4ppm. 
 

About how long does it take to oxidize bather waste?  Iunderstand there are variables but as a rule if you add dichlor to convert bather waste does it take 30 minutes, 12 hours?  My question is to see how long to check to see if I've added the correct amount after a soak.  Also if we soak in the morning then want to get back in a few hours later will the levels still be high or should the elevated bromine and waste be "used up"
 

Thanks to you all I think I understand the importance and how to get balanced water.  If I can maintain sanitation levels do you need (or should I say is anything very useful) anything else for crystal clear comfortable water.

Thanks again!

[bud16415]

Personally I started out with bromine and hated the fluctuation to the levels with it and was constantly doing what you suggest doing and using dichlor to tweak based on bather load. I had an inline frog unit and that should even be more accurate than a floater. I figured if I was adding something everyday and testing all the time to know what to add I might as well just do the whole job with the dichlor and be done with it. So after a year I switched my tub to chlorine.

With just using dichlor I found as you also suggest will happen and the stabilizer CYA will get high and then slow the action of the sanitizer so I switched over to the dichlor/ liquid bleach method. I start out with dichlor and when CYA reaches 50ppm I switch to cheap household liquid bleach. I have a similar gallon tub as yours and found about 1 tablespoon of dichlor per day was good for the two of us in it each day for up to an hour. I then found 1/3 cup of Clorox gives close to the same amount of sanitizer doing this when you get out spikes the chlorine up to about 5ppm and by the next evening it is down to about 1-2ppm. I wouldn’t worry going back in even if it is slightly higher. Public tubs and pools are much higher all the time.

The only drawback to this method is you have to pretty much look at your tub every day. If I know we will be gone a few days I take that opportunity to give it a chlorine shock that holds it over good. The rest of the time I just go by the look and feel of the water and when it’s not sparkly I do a non chlorine oxidizing shock. Maybe every other week or longer.   

If we are going away for a couple weeks I shock it and then stick in an @ease canister in the frog inline dispenser and I feel good being gone for 3 weeks.

The reason I don’t use the @ease all the time is cost and you need to keep your eye on that just like bromine with bather loading so if I’m testing and adjusting anyway what is the point.

Hope this helps and I don’t want to take you away from bromine many people seem to like it. It is just my experience with it is all.