Switch to Bromine for the Winter

[PotomacG]

I'm thinking of switching over from Dichlor to a Bromine floater on my next water change.  This would be just for the cold weather months.  I would probably swith back to Dichlor in the Spring.

Has anyone here ever done this?  Are there any "gotcha's" switching to Bromine from Dichlor for 3 months?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[drewstar]

Can I ask, why?

Are you using the tub more, or less during the winter months?


How's your experince with Dichlor been so far?


It's my understanding that you can switch directly to a Bromine system without worrying about anything. Going from Bromine to Dichlor would require a water change out and filter cleaning.

But once again, why the switch?

[sledjunkie]

I've actually been wanting to try Bromine. I'm very happy with Dichlor, but I'd like to see how the bromine system is.
I can see why someone would be curious to try bromine. I would imagine going outside to dose with dichlor every other day in the freezing cold weather, then letting running your jets for 5-10 min with the lid open would get old in the cold.

[drewstar]

My situation is I use the tub MORE in the winter, and therefore I assume everyone else does too.   If you are using the tub a few times a week, and take some premeasured dichlor out with you, you dump the dichlor, hit the timed clean up setting and close it up and get out of there. The whole deal takes seconds.

However,

If you don't have a time clean up setting, then I can see it being an annoyance.

If you're not using the tub as much in the winter, it could be easier to maintain with bromine.

But remember, it's not necessary to keep the cover open after a post soak dichlor dose.

Most folks I've talked with switch because they experience a rash from one or the other.  Properly used, they both seem to do the job. Some folks do have a trial peroid of getting the floater dialed in correctly.

If you do switch to a floater, I'd recomend taking the floater out while soaking.  

Good luck, and let us know what you decide and what your results were.

[PotomacG]

Pretty much for the reasons sledjunkie pointed out.  I have found that missing 1 dose of Dichlor can mess up my water for 2 days.  I am sure that I will use the tub a lot this winter, however, I don't want to have to go outside on those crappy days when I can't (or don't want to) soak.

For what it's worth, I have also ordered 2 more filters for this winter bringing my total filter count up to 4.   (1 active with 3 spares).  Again, my reasoning has to do with not wanting to use the filter soak and hose in the really cold months.  My plan is to let the filters dry out dirty in the basement (or garage) and then soaking and hosing down all of the dirty filters come spring.

[Brewman]

If you are on dichlor now, you can just switch right over to bromine.  
If you are on bromine and want to go back to dichlor, you need to dump the water and start over.  I was told- once bromine water, always bromine water.

[glastron]

if u r handy or know someone with a Dremel what i did was use a .040(forty thousands end mill) in my dremel and grind the little slot locks out.So instead of 13 bucks every 3 weeks or so a 17 dollar container of bromine tabs would last all winter if not longer.By the way I am willing to do this free of course for anyone just PM me.eh thats was with the spa frog.Now if I could only find out what the "blue mineral" cartrage contains so I could do the same.

[PotomacG]

if u r handy or know someone with a Dremel what i did was use a .040(forty thousands end mill) in my dremel and grind the little slot locks out.So instead of 13 bucks every 3 weeks or so a 17 dollar container of bromine tabs would last all winter if not longer.By the way I am willing to do this free of course for anyone just PM me.eh thats was with the spa frog.Now if I could only find out what the "blue mineral" cartrage contains so I could do the same.

Can you elaborate a little further?  Are you talking about a throw-away bromine floater that you rigged to re-use?  I was going to get a re-usable floater to begin with.  Anyone have suggestions on a good floater and type of bromine?

[drewstar]

On my old tub, I had a bromine floater. It was just a canister with adjustable holes in the bottom and a big yellow decrorative duck on the tub. I kept it filled with bromine tabs  that I bought at my local supply place.  It worked marginally well for me.  But  that's just my experiece.

Concerning cleaning the filters in the winter months, I have just one spare. I bring in the dirty filter and soak it in a 5 gal bucket of filter solution/water for 2 days and hose it off in the extra bathroom shower stall using the hand held shower massage and let it drip dry. I cover up the solution for to be reused again. (I'm finding I can re-use my filter solution 3 or more times).  

Good luck.

[PotomacG]

...Concerning cleaning the filters in the winter months, I have just one spare. I bring in the dirty filter and soak it in a 5 gal bucket of filter solution/water for 2 days and hose it off in the extra bathroom shower stall using the hand held shower massage and let it drip dry...Good luck.

That's a pretty good solution.  Unfortunately, I don't have a spare shower in the house with the kind of water pressure I need for cleaning my tub filter.  

Thanks for the info.

[spa-ing]

We have only used bromine. I have no experience with chlorine. Our tub is super simple and old (1997). No fancy settings or digital displays. I read alot about all the daily this and that people add to their tubs. Don't know if this is a new tub thing (fancier jets, extra cycles etc). Bromine in the floater, shock weekly, dose of scale and dose of clarifier. The water is fine. Never add anything after use (2-3x per week). No rash either, and sometimes the bromine can get a bit high but nothing worrisome.  We pull out the filter weekly and put in a clean one. Dirty one I rinse in the kitchen under hot water until it is white again.

Good luck!

[gturn]

if u r handy or know someone with a Dremel what i did was use a .040(forty thousands end mill) in my dremel and grind the little slot locks out.So instead of 13 bucks every 3 weeks or so a 17 dollar container of bromine tabs would last all winter if not longer.By the way I am willing to do this free of course for anyone just PM me.eh thats was with the spa frog.Now if I could only find out what the "blue mineral" cartrage contains so I could do the same.

Can you elaborate a little further?  Are you talking about a throw-away bromine floater that you rigged to re-use?  I was going to get a re-usable floater to begin with.  Anyone have suggestions on a good floater and type of bromine?

I like this floater.
http://www.poolandspa.com/catalog/product000563000002.cfm
The bottom turns to adjust the amount of water that can get in.
You can get them at most Spa stores.

[PotomacG]

Thanks gturn.  That floater looks good.

Does anyone have experience with Brilliance bromine?  

[gturn]

I'm thinking of switching over from Dichlor to a Bromine floater on my next water change.  This would be just for the cold weather months.  I would probably swith back to Dichlor in the Spring.

Has anyone here ever done this?  Are there any "gotcha's" switching to Bromine from Dichlor for 3 months?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I just got back from a 6 day vacation to New York.  I use Bromine and when I got home last night I checked the chemicals and everything was right on.  My tub went 7 days unattended with no problems.

You can change to Bromine from Clorine without changing the water, but you can not change to Clorine from Bromine without a water change.  To change to Bromine from clorine all you need is a packet of Sodium Bromide that you can get at a spa store and a floater, some Bromine Test Strips, and some Bromine Tablets.  After you put the Sodium Bromide, in run the pumps for a while then test the Bromine level, the Clorine in your tub will chemicaly change to Bromine after you add the Sodium Bromide.  You will need to get the level up to 3-5 ppm before you do the floater, the floater is just to maintain the level, it is to slow desolving to bring the level up alone.  If there is not enough Clorine already in your tub to get you up to about 3-5 ppm then shock the tub. (you can use clorine or a non-clorine shock)  Set your floater on about 3 lines open and then check the levels every few days and adjust up or down until it is maintaining the proper level. (keep the floater full of tablets all the time, they last about 2 weeks)  You can use the same chemicals you already have for the ph, alkaline, and calcium levels.  

If you have a Ozonator you use less Bromine keep the level between 1-3 ppm.

[gturn]

Thanks gturn.  That floater looks good.

Does anyone have experience with Brilliance bromine?  

I have not used Brilliance but my understanding is it is part of the 2-part Bromine system.  The 2-part system does not use the tablets in the floater but is added after each use like in the Clorine method.  You add your Bromide weekly to get the base set up.(part1) Then daily you add the Brilliance granules after each use, (part2)similar to adding Clorine.  You shock weekly to get your oxidizer action.  I have heard of people putting the Brilliance granules in a floater, but I don't think they are intended to be used that way.  There is no Clorine in Brilliance to maintain the maintance free cycle.

The Tablet system is more maintance free because the tablets contain both Bromine and Clorine.  The Clorine converts the Bromide back to Bromine.  As the Bromine sanatizes it turns back in to Bromide.  You still do a weekly shock to Oxidize.