Hot Tub Forum
Brand Specific Forums => Hot Spring Spas => Topic started by: Knettlet on March 25, 2019, 08:03:39 pm
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Hi All- new here. I am looking to buy the HotSprings Prism but have a couple questions and difficult time getting in touch with dealer to talk via phone. We are looking at the new freshwater salt system. My question is, if we don’t end up liking it, can we not use the salt system and will we have the ozone system still to use instead? Or do you have to choose when ordering between ozone and Salt? Thanks!!
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You would pick one or the other when purchasing. You could add the other one on easily enough if you find you don’t like the salt system or ozone system. I have the freshwater salt system on my tub
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Don't they offer both?
For my swimming pool I have chlorine generator (salt water) and ozone generator in single unit.
I know people who did not like salt water pools as you can taste some salt, but in hot tub people don't put their heads under water, so you are going to like it.
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Freshwater salt and ozone are not compatible. Neither come standard on the tub anymore. The dealer would install at time of delivery or at shop before it went out for delivery
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Love the ozone on our flash
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Freshwater salt and ozone are not compatible. Neither come standard on the tub anymore. The dealer would install at time of delivery or at shop before it went out for delivery
We just looked at a Prism from our local HS dealer a week ago, from what he told me ozone was stand on all Limelight/Highlife tubs and never mentioned any issues with ACE saltwater or freshwater salt systems. Ozone is only secondary and you always need primary sanitation.
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Freshwater salt and ozone are not compatible. Neither come standard on the tub anymore. The dealer would install at time of delivery or at shop before it went out for delivery
We just looked at a Prism from our local HS dealer a week ago, from what he told me ozone was stand on all Limelight/Highlife tubs and never mentioned any issues with ACE saltwater or freshwater salt systems. Ozone is only secondary and you always need primary sanitation.
Ace it’s fine with. Freshwater salt they don’t play well. You probably looked at a 2018 brochure? Or the salesman hasn’t been trained on freshwater salt yet. I own one and also sell them and they aren’t compatible and I’m 100% sure of this
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Go on the hot spring website. Ozone is not listed as standard or even a option on highlife or limelight. It’s listed as a option on the hot spots only. If you aren’t going salt you can put a ozone system on it
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ozone oxidizes the chlorine residual. Similar to how we use to sell it with ACE. So if you ozone on your tub, you won't find the chlorine residual, which is why the manufacturer recommends against it. You can technically put both on if you want, and it would sanitize just the same, but you won't find chlorine ever on your test strip.
I have both on my hot tub, but I don't care about test strips ;) My output is 2-3 all the time, despite having a big tub.
You'd just have to pay for both upfront, because as Hottubguy says, neither come standard anymore.
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Freshwater salt and ozone are not compatible. Neither come standard on the tub anymore. The dealer would install at time of delivery or at shop before it went out for delivery
We just looked at a Prism from our local HS dealer a week ago, from what he told me ozone was stand on all Limelight/Highlife tubs and never mentioned any issues with ACE saltwater or freshwater salt systems. Ozone is only secondary and you always need primary sanitation.
Ace it’s fine with. Freshwater salt they don’t play well. You probably looked at a 2018 brochure? Or the salesman hasn’t been trained on freshwater salt yet. I own one and also sell them and they aren’t compatible and I’m 100% sure of this
Interesting... so what is the difference between the ace and the fresh water salt? Because I specifically asked and they said it was pretty much identical chemicals but different delivery system? So why would ozone work with one but not the other? Thanks for the help! I'm glad to learn more and more.
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Is ozone killing chlorine last months finding?
I check the generator I am using for my swimming pool and they still sell it at https://www.intexcorp.com/products/above-ground-pools/krystal-clear-filtration-sanitation/combination-systems/krystal-clear-ozone-saltwater-system-cg-28665-110-120v-with-gfci/
I would be tempted to use 2nd the same for my hot tub.
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Ozone has always killed chlorine.
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Ozone has always killed chlorine.
Yet they've been used together for more than 20 years.
So let me rephrase the question.
When it become a problem?
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The reason I stated was it was fine with ace and not freshwater because I know of dealers and users (like Doonut) that used both with the ace system. I’m pretty sure hot springs didn’t recommend it but not sure on that. I’m a Caldera dealer and when I specifically asked the engineer about using the 2 he said not too. It will oxidize the chlorine. The idea behind the freshwater system is to keep a low level of chlorine in the tub. A ozonator would oxidize that small amount.
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The reason I stated was it was fine with ace and not freshwater because I know of dealers and users (like Doonut) that used both with the ace system. I’m pretty sure hot springs didn’t recommend it but not sure on that. I’m a Caldera dealer and when I specifically asked the engineer about using the 2 he said not too. It will oxidize the chlorine. The idea behind the freshwater system is to keep a low level of chlorine in the tub. A ozonator would oxidize that small amount.
If the system is trying to maintain a chlorine level while the ozone is in turn depleting that chlorine won't the system then continue to create chlorine which the ozonator continues to deplete...
Seems to me this creates an endless loop therefore causing premature burnout of the cell? Am I missing something?
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Seems to me this creates an endless loop therefore causing premature burnout of the cell? Am I missing something?
I think you must since manufacturers of double-duty units would not sell them for self-destruction.
However I am still confused what is difference of "fresh water" system v/s "salt water" system
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Seems to me this creates an endless loop therefore causing premature burnout of the cell? Am I missing something?
I think you must since manufacturers of double-duty units would not sell them for self-destruction.
However I am still confused what is difference of "fresh water" system v/s "salt water" system
Well I'm not portending a cascading nuclear meltdown but do think the addition of the ozonator lessens the life of the salt cell for the reasons mentioned.
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I can’t explain the specifics, but ACE did produce active oxygen which is partly why ACE and ozone, while not recommended, could co-exist. The Freshwater Salt system does not produce active oxygen and is also plumbed different changing the point where the ozone is introduced into the water if installed.
Long before I ever sold Hot Spring and Caldera and ever thought about salt, I would experience quicker chlorine loss on my display model spas with ozone than without.
Freshwater is the water care brand by Watkins for Hot Spring and Caldera.
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I can’t explain the specifics, but ACE did produce active oxygen which is partly why ACE and ozone, while not recommended, could co-exist. The Freshwater Salt system does not produce active oxygen and is also plumbed different changing the point where the ozone is introduced into the water if installed.
Long before I ever sold Hot Spring and Caldera and ever thought about salt, I would experience quicker chlorine loss on my display model spas with ozone than without.
Freshwater is the water care brand by Watkins for Hot Spring and Caldera.
Active oxygen is o3, or ozone, so I don't see how ACE system can make it unless there is an ozonator built in...
So any ozone will decrease chlorine levels? So I wonder if it works better on low chlorine systems or worse...
After some quick reading, looks like with regular use, ozone does help reduce chlorine use, but if you aren't needing ozone to clean the it can increase chlorine use?
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The long and skinny is this. In order to sell the system (Freshwater Salt or ACE) Watkins needed to make sure there was a chlorine residual to pass EPA standards. That is it. If we put an ozone into the water, it oxides the chlorine residual, which means their marketing claims of being a sanitizing system goes out the window, as the EPA tests for chlorine, not bacteria.
My take has always been this. Using a Nature 2 cartridge allows you to have very little chlorine in the water, where we shock with MPS and just dichlor once a week. I could sell a salt cartridge and it would consistently produce a small amount of chlorine while ozone oxides it. Ozone we can all agree lowers the amount of maintenance in your hot tub.
As a user, I could give a crap about chlorine residual. I just care about clean water. I keep my output low (cell/cartridge life is based on output level and CH, not ozone in the water.) My cell lasts longer, and my water stays clear.
Now if you were trying to maintain a chlorine residual, you would not be able to easily do so if an ozone system was installed. Therefore, what most homeowners do, is they panic, and increase the output of the salt system, resulting in shorter cell/cartridge life.
Again, this is what I do in my personal spa. I have not switched over to a Freshwater Salt System yet, as it is pretty darn close to ACE. However, I've been running my ACE cell (same cell) for about 4 years (just shy) and my water is always perfect.
Either way, if you use ozone with salt, or ozone without... it still is an amazing system
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As a user, I could give a crap about chlorine residual. I just care about clean water. I keep my output low (cell/cartridge life is based on output level and CH, not ozone in the water.) My cell lasts longer, and my water stays clear.
that idea seem to work in my swimming pool (where I have chlorine and ozone generator in single unit).
I have only 1 season experience, but for winter I shut everything down and with 50-60F water did stay clean. In spring time I see algae showing up in the corners.
So I start running pump with the generator. Theoretically I should keep chlorine level at 1, but normally the test kit would not show anything, even generator work for 7 hr a day.
I add chlorine 1 time to bring it to 1, but that was it.
So with no-traceable residual, the pool is crystal clear and after some brushing the algae is gone.
I also have UV unit, but did not start it at the time till we start using pool this week.
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As a user, I could give a crap about chlorine residual. I just care about clean water. I keep my output low (cell/cartridge life is based on output level and CH, not ozone in the water.) My cell lasts longer, and my water stays clear.
that idea seem to work in my swimming pool (where I have chlorine and ozone generator in single unit).
I have only 1 season experience, but for winter I shut everything down and with 50-60F water did stay clean. In spring time I see algae showing up in the corners.
So I start running pump with the generator. Theoretically I should keep chlorine level at 1, but normally the test kit would not show anything, even generator work for 7 hr a day.
I add chlorine 1 time to bring it to 1, but that was it.
So with no-traceable residual, the pool is crystal clear and after some brushing the algae is gone.
I also have UV unit, but did not start it at the time till we start using pool this week.
One thing to keep in mind is that pool water is cooler than hot tub water. Things tend to grow slower in it. My only experience with ozone and salt is with ACE. I did it on my floor models and it worked. Low output, clean water, no measureable chlorine. I had a few customers try it. Even though I told them there would be no chlorine residual, they freaked out and we disconnected the ozone. YMMV.
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I have ACE and Ozonator in my Envoy and love it. If you use the test strips you will not show a chlorine residual however if you use the Taylor reagents ( chem drop test) you will see the yellow indicating chlorine. There is nothing like enjoying the silky smooth clean hottub water and getting out and not smelling like chemicals!