Bromine level still zero?!

[kerri13]

We just got our first hot tub this week  , but are having trouble with the bromine level. It came with a Leisure Time start up, so we followed those instructions.
After we filled the tub we added Metal Gon and sodium bromide, then later did an MPS shock. Then added the bromine floater with a couple holes poked in it (I realized we will probably need a better floater than one you have to punch holes in eventually). I've had to add some spa down to get the pH right, and now everything is good except the bromine is still reading zero! One time the test strip started to very faintly hint to being close to 1, but that's as much as a reading as we've gotten. We have an oxidizer, could that be the problem? Is it safe to get in? We were planning on having some people over tonight. We used it last night and shocked after hoping that would help, but it's still reading zero. What should we do?

[Sam]

You need to poke more holes in the floater.  The tablets are not dissolving fast enough to keep up with your bather load.  I would definitely shock the tub.  If you keep granular chlorine on hand, you can add some to get an instant sanitizer reading for safe water.

Technically, it is not safe to get in the tub without the proper sanitizer reading, though plenty of people do with no ill effects.

[goneaway]

If you are using bromine tablets, I find cracking them with a hammer first, helps immensely.

[hottubdan]

Switch to chlorine.  Much easier.