Chemical confusion

[bosco0633]

I just finished night shift and went out to check on the tub.  The water is clearer than ever before.  It looks great in there.  I used a test strip and held it up and noticed that ph was now low (it was high the past few days so I used Ph down)  alk was really low all of a sudden and my bromine was very low.

Now yesterday, I used the tub before work and my wife used it at night when she came home.  She did not shock it because she doesnt want anything to do with the chemicals.

I just added a cap and a half of both ph up and alk up.  I hope this will help.  I added 4 teaspoons of shock to the tub as well.  Will the shock increase my bromine level or do I need to adjust my floater.

Currently I have 7 pucks in the dispenser which is opened to 7 showing 4 pucks.  I cant figure out why everything dropped so suddenly.

My thought is that because I didnt shock.  The manual says to open dispenser to 6, and Im at 7.  Do I open it more or wait to see if shock increases it.

Sorry, I just dont want to over chem the tub.  Thanks for the help.

[Tman122]

I struggled with Bromine also. Confusing test results were pretty normal for me. My water from the tap was slightly low in both PH and TA and raising them made it easy at first. But then the floater would show low levels then high levels then the PH would go down and a shock would bounce all over.

Now I add a little dichlor after use and adjust my PH and TA about 2-3 times every 4 months and I am good to go. Shocking with dichlor also results in no noticable change in PH or TA.

[bosco0633]

I cant seem to find dichlor anywhere around here.  Alot of Canadians seem to say the same.  I want to give bromine a try first before I switch to anything else.

Should I be adding pucks to the floater often like 1 new one each day.  Or every week add like 6 to 8 tabs.  

I just read an older message saying that shock will regenerate my bromine levels.  Is this correct as well.

[HotTubMan]

Don't add more pucks...Top it up once a week.

If you are not getting enough bromine, open the floater a bit.

Yes the shock should raise your Bromine level.

Alkalinity is going to go down with:
Time, Use, Heat, and pucks if you use them (pH 4)

If not kept in check, this will cause your pH to drop too.

Be careful when your bromine is high. It is bleaching your TA and pH test. Do not adjust your pH or TA when your bromine is high.

Dichlor is not that hard to find Bosco. When and if you want to change let me know and I will direct you to some places to check out. In fact an executive from Arctic was on recently and stated that they do have the product. That does not mean your dealer stocks it, but he could if you asked.

[bosco0633]

ok, I would like to give dichlor a go if you could direct me to somewhere that stocks it in the Hamilton area.  Last time I spok to my dealer they said that arctic does not have dichlor.  the chlorine that they use is trichlor.


Anways I read vermonters method a few times, and understand the basics.  So to switch, I need to drain the water, use dichlor and MPS as shock, where do I get that stuff MPS?.  

Do I still use ph up and down and alk.


I will give the bromine 3 months and I will go from there.  any help hottub man would be appreciated.

[Backpains]

Ok Bosco..here's what I do...floater will take a few days to catch up with the rest of the tub... so add bromine concentrate as needed. I now have the floater doing it's job and I add maybe 2-3 pucks a week. So I'm actually now using LESS of the Bromine concentrate than I was at first. As far as PH I've only had to raise it once and that was it..my dealer told me with the ph increaser you have to scoop up some water from the tub into a bucket that of course they provided stir it and add it quickly to the middle of the tub...with the filtration going...now the decreaser he said just the opposite...pour it slowly into the middle of the tub. Anyway..my alk increaser I've used a bit of but not alot.

[bosco0633]

Ok went to the dealer and ph, and alk are perfect now.  I guess I did some good water work this morning.  As for my bromine it is to low.  I was told that granual bromine would be good however they are out.  It was suggested that I drop a bromine puck into the filter basket so thats what I did.  

He said the same thing backpains, that bromine takes a while to get a solid reserve going.  All in do time.

Thanks for the help.

[Tman122]

Ok went to the dealer and ph, and alk are perfect now.  I guess I did some good water work this morning.  As for my bromine it is to low.  I was told that granual bromine would be good however they are out.  It was suggested that I drop a bromine puck into the filter basket so thats what I did.  Thanks for the help.

Dont put anything directly into your pump seals with a PH of 4.0 Use a floater and concentrate.

[Vinny]

Ok went to the dealer and ph, and alk are perfect now.  I guess I did some good water work this morning.  As for my bromine it is to low.  I was told that granual bromine would be good however they are out.  It was suggested that I drop a bromine puck into the filter basket so thats what I did.  

He said the same thing backpains, that bromine takes a while to get a solid reserve going.  All in do time.

Thanks for the help.

bosco,

I don't use bromine but I thought the reserve comes from the initial "starter" packet then the pucks keep the bromine at the correct level. When you shock that brings the bromine level up also.

I don't know for sure but I thought that's what I've read - I was interested in bromine as a tub I was interested in had a bromine feeder in the filter.

As for no pucks in the filter - makes sense but some manufacturers have erosion feeders in the filter area. Also, it's a common practice to put trichlor pucks (IN POOLS) into the filter skimmer. If it's as bad as it is, then why the practice?

Vinny

[tony]

I have an erosion feeder for my pool, but it is after the filter equipment with a check valve in between for the reasons you are stating.  Although people put trichlor and slow sticks in skimmer baskets, it is not the best practice.

[Vinny]

I have an erosion feeder for my pool, but it is after the filter equipment with a check valve in between for the reasons you are stating.  Although people put trichlor and slow sticks in skimmer baskets, it is not the best practice.

I use one too, after the filter, for the same reason. I took the precautionary approach.