Swap to bromine: update

[Tatooed_Lady]

I haven't been online much at all lately, so I haven't been able to ask questions about the swap to bromine I did.....however, this is what I found so far.
Chlorine was great for sanitizing, so long as I kept up with the levels....that meant every day or two at most I had to add SOME chlorine to keep the residual up.  I went about 4 days once without touching the tub, and wound up with cloudy water.....oops.
That got me to thinking...summer = lots of work, and not much play time or time for "extra" stuff (like keeping up on the tub, even though it IS simple and all)....so I made the "big switch".
Bromine, once it hits a constant level (I THINK ours is about 3-4ppm right now) has less odor to me. Also, with the floater, I haven't had to worry over "oh crap, I forgot to add sanitizer" at 3am. I went a week without even remembering we had a hot tub (I told ya I get in that 'work induced trance'), and when I opened the cover....crystal clear water, with no "funky" smell. Oh, JOY!  
Now, I KNOW that a lot of people have changed from B to C, and sing the praises of chlorine.....but for us, the bromine is the cat's ass....it's just what we need for summer, and come cooler weather, we'll decide for sure if we want to keep it or go with chlorine for winter use.
I also appreciate all the people that sang praises of one or the other sanitizer.....it gives me insight on both of the "big 2" sanitizer programs, and lets me know what to expect (more or less) from each.....
ok, time to go make the donuts.........*yawn*

[cappykat]

Glad to hear the switch went well.  I use the bromine frog and although I've had a FEW problems nothing major.  I find the bromine levels do flunctuate a bit and I was thinking of making the change to chlorine, but like you sometimes I forget we have a hot-tub and I don't want to deal with daily checking.

I'm in HOT HOT Florida and I just knew if I forgot to add or check something I'd be refilling the tub.  Anyway, hope it stays easy for you.

[wmccall]

The cat's ass is a good thing?  I have three. I don't get it. The other parts are much cuter.

[Brewman]

Whatever works for you is the best way to go.

[drewstar]

Chlorine was great for sanitizing, so long as I kept up with the levels....that meant every day or two at most I had to add SOME chlorine to keep the residual up.  I went about 4 days once without touching the tub, and wound up with cloudy water.....oops.
 

I am glad it's working for you. That's really all that matters.

But something was out of whack. you shouldn't get cloudy water after 3 - 4 days.   Also, why keep the residual cholorine up constantly? That's not how I understand to use dichlor (get it up to sanitize, and let it drift down).

anyhow, I am glad you have found a system that works for you.  Let us know how it goes.  

[Vinny]

...

But something was out of whack. you shouldn't get cloudy water after 3 - 4 days.   Also, why keep the residual cholorine up constantly? That's not how I understand to use dichlor (get it up to sanitize, and let it drift down).

...
 

I get cloudy water in 2 or 3 days. I have to go and add dichlor on an every other day basis to keep my water clean. I only put 1 1/2 PPM in on the days I don't soak but I still have to add it. I'm amazed when I read that some people get 4 or 5 days out of their water between doses.

Of course when my tub gets chlorine lock, I can go a week on 3 PPM and not have it dissipate for the whole time!

[drewstar]

I get cloudy water in 2 or 3 days. I have to go and add dichlor on an every other day basis to keep my water clean. I only put 1 1/2 PPM in on the days I don't soak but I still have to add it. I'm amazed when I read that some people get 4 or 5 days out of their water between doses.

Of course when my tub gets chlorine lock, I can go a week on 3 PPM and not have it dissipate for the whole time!

Vinny, do you have an ozinator?  Do you have a 24 hr circ pump?  I just go over some poison ivy and was out of the tub for over a week.  Monday night my wife and I hopped in and the water was great.   (using Dichlor, ozone, 24 circ pump. No N2)  ?

[marks]

When using the Spa Frog, I noticed the directions say to shock once a week.  Is this needed, if so what do you shock with?

[Vinny]

Vinny, do you have an ozinator?  Do you have a 24 hr circ pump?  I just go over some poison ivy and was out of the tub for over a week.  Monday night my wife and I hopped in and the water was great.   (using Dichlor, ozone, 24 circ pump. No N2)  ?

I have ozone running for 10 hours a day and a 24 hour circ pump. I don't use N2 either. I tried it and my water was the same as without it.

I am thoroughly convinced that water is not simply water. Whatever is in one person's water HAS to effect how their water behaves.

I do pretty much what everone else does but yet I have different findings: N2 doesn't work for me but others say it works great; Enzymes foam in my tub (or at least I believe they do) and people swear by them and I now get chlorine lock in my tub and I don't use anything different than most of the people here, t can only be one thing and that's the water!

My water comes out of the tap with a low alkalinity, PH of 6.8 and low calcium which should be the "perfect" water for balancing ... yet my experiences are different than most others. Go figure!