Baqua Spa 123 system

[mothergoose45]

Anyone use the Baqua Spa 1-2-3 system? Does it work well?  It doesnt use bromine.  Thats what I want, or would it be better to go with the nature 2?

[IDW]

Nature 2 is not a sanitizer. It only helps.

[hottubdan]

Generally people who follow the recipe love BaquaSpa.  It (the technology) is the only non chlorine, non bromine EPA approved sanitizer.  If you have good dealer supprt and are meticulous with following the recipe (balancing the water, testing and adjusting weekly) you should like it.  soft on the skin.  Easy on hair, eyes, swim suits if uses.

[anne]

I have heard conflicting advice as to the use of Baqua and Ozone....the most prevalent opinion seems to be that they are not appropriate together b/c the ozone destroys the Baqua, rendering it less useful, but I have also heard that properly used, that is not the case. Any authorities out there care to comment?

And Mothergoose- if you search the forum on "baqua" you'll find all sorts of problems that people report....scum at the waterline, coughing, etc......but I have also been told by good sources that those problems are completely avoidable if, as HottubDan says, you use it properly.

I'm a spa newbie, too- NOT experienced enough to answer your question, but have been asking similar questions myself.

[alwaysperky]

I've been using Baqua for 6 months. The first thing to tell you is my water has always, always been perfectly clear.  The second thing to tell you that in these 6 months, it has been a VERY rare instance where we don't get a sticky gooey scum line.

The advice I've received has been everything from making sure to leave my cover open longer when adjusting the water chemistry, to adding metal gone ("even though the test doesn't show metal..........because Baqua didn't make the test for the high metal content in MN water") to just adding Water Line Control more frequently. I'm up to twice a week and it looks like I'll have to move that up to 3 times.  Always hopefull, nothing ever works.

I was really being careful to follow the process correctly.  Use the spa 3 times a week add x amount of #2, use the spa more add y amount of #2.  Last time I had the water analyized the guy said I had 10 times the amount of #2 than normal.  WHAT??? OMG!  The test strips don't measure the amount of #2.

Imagine, you invite some friends over for a BBQ and a soak.  The water looks fine. Everyone slides into the spa.  You turn on the jets...........ahhhhhhhh.......Ehhhhhh.......yuck.......what's the brownish, orangish, sticky, and I mean sticky, gunk? Ah yeah thanks for the, the,...............bye now.  Buzz Kill!

At one point I thought it was me, but based on all the others simular experiences, I'm feeling better about myself.

Will I switch?  Very likely that I'll go through my Spring water change, use up the stuff I've got, and then move on to something else.

[Brewman]

I am an "ex" baqua user, never could get the system to work.  We got the Baqua cough, and nobody, not any dealer, not even the people at the Baqua company, or any advice on the internet worked for us.  
In addition to that, the stuff is relatively expensive.  If you can get it to work, then more power to you.

As for the scumline, we had that too, but it gradually went away after several months- it easily wiped off with the Baqua surface cleaner and scrubby pad.

If you do switch from Baqua to something else, you shoud be sure to get as much water as possible out of the spa on the water change where you switch.  I went as far as vacumming my jets- amazing how much water is in the plumbing, on our spa anyway.

[tony]

Generally people who follow the recipe love BaquaSpa.  It (the technology) is the only non chlorine, non bromine EPA approved sanitizer.  If you have good dealer supprt and are meticulous with following the recipe (balancing the water, testing and adjusting weekly) you should like it.  soft on the skin.  Easy on hair, eyes, swim suits if uses.

About half the people I know who own spas use Baqua and love it.  The three approved sanitizers are chlorine, bromine and peroxide.  Biguanides are peroxide based.  These include Baqua, Soft Soak by Spa Guard and Free by LeisureTime.  Just the fact that LeisureTime has added this to their product line should indicate the increased popularity of biguanides.  All sanitizers have their plusses and minuses.  Research to find what is best for you.  If it doesn't work, you can always change at your next drain and fill.

[Mendocino101]

I always wonder why someone wants to go with a Baqua like system....in all my research it just seems to be to hit and miss...we (like most dealers) can carry it .....I know there are those who do like it.....but after looking in to it.....they seem to be less who have tried and stuck with it than those who tired and than got away from it.....

[tony]

I always wonder why someone wants to go with a Baqua like system....in all my research it just seems to be to hit and miss...we (like most dealers) can carry it .....I know there are those who do like it.....but after looking in to it.....they seem to be less who have tried and stuck with it than those who tired and than got away from it.....

I should add that those I know who use Baqua and love it have not tried another system.  IMO, there is nothing easier to administer than a simple chlorine system and it gives you total control over your sanitizer.

But then again, I have not used another system either.