Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: Froggy on November 09, 2005, 04:23:16 pm
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What do you guys use instead of Chlorine to combat the smell and burning eyes.
Aroma therapy, more like torture, the chlorine is killing me.....lol I can't seem to get away from that gaseous chlorine smell, HELP!!
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I would recommend switching to a non-chlorine system, like, BaquaSpa. Its more expensive than chlorine, but, in your situation(being chlorine sensitive) it would be well worth it.
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What do you guys use instead of Chlorine to combat the smell and burning eyes.
Aroma therapy, more like torture, the chlorine is killing me.....lol I can't seem to get away from that gaseous chlorine smell, HELP!!
How are you adding you santizer treatment, if done right this should not be an issue.
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How are you adding you santizer treatment, if done right this should not be an issue.
Lots of people switch from Chlorine to Bromine or vice versa so one option is to go that way. However, I agree wtih Mendo. My chlorine level is usually zero when I get in my spa. I add a dose of chlorine when I get out and a dose of MPS about every 2 weeks. I usually get 3-4 months out of my water. The only risk this way is if you don't use the tub for 2-3 days it can go bad quick at 102-104 degrees F. If I don't use my tub one night I hit it with chlorine before I leave for work in the morning.
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I am still at a loss to understand why anyone would not use bromine as smell, burning, itching, and the other things I read about are not issues I deal with. I keep my levels very low with the floater set to minimum.
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I am still at a loss to understand why anyone would not use bromine as smell, burning, itching, and the other things I read about are not issues I deal with. I keep my levels very low with the floater set to minimum.
We have heard people having similar issues with Bromine. In my time here I have heard people claim problems with both. Some people seem more sensitive.
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I add two ounces of Chlorine granuels and two ounces of shock after every soak, our eyes burn like hell and the skin itch????, My dog looks at us now like we're the ones with fleas.....lol
I think after talking with my dealer at lunch time today, after we dump the water we're going to try Brilliance he tells me it's pretty good for people with eye and skin sensitivity issues.
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Lots of people switch from Chlorine to Bromine or vice versa so one option is to go that way. However, I agree wtih Mendo. My chlorine level is usually zero when I get in my spa. I add a dose of chlorine when I get out and a dose of MPS about every 2 weeks. I usually get 3-4 months out of my water. The only risk this way is if you don't use the tub for 2-3 days it can go bad quick at 102-104 degrees F. If I don't use my tub one night I hit it with chlorine before I leave for work in the morning.
MPS ?????
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2 OUNCES!!!!!! Are you that dirty that you need that much or is your tub that big? You need enough dichlor to reach a level of 3-5 PPM after your soak. For me at 400 gallons that is aproxamitly 1.5 tsp for 2 people. As was mentioned your soak the next evening should be at 0 PPM or there abouts. If your not going to use it the next night or the next couple nights just add a double dose or 1 TBLS this lasts a few days for me before the level is back down to 0 PPM.
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I add 2 tsp after 1 or 2 people soak. This gives me a reading real close to zero when I enter the tub the next night.
As stated, if I skip a night I through in 1 - 1 1/2 tsp before I go to work so it good that night.
I am running ozone and silver ions too.
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Froggy,
You might check your shock treatment too. The shock is what oxidizes the combined chlorines (source of the smell and burning eyes).
I am on a program to add enough chlorine after use (about 1/2 tbs) to reach 2-3ppm. Then shock once a week with 2 tbs to oxidize the combined chlorines.
Before the shock I may detect a small amount of chlorine smell but after the shock no chlorine smell.
If you follow the routine of small doses of chlorine and then a shock weekly your combined chlorines should never get so high as to be overwhelming, unless you are ultra sensitive. If you are ultra sensitive you probably should follow the recommendations to try something else.
If you use high doses of chlorine and insufficient shock treatment you may never be oxidizing all of the combined chlorine.
I tried MPS initially since I have the nature 2 cartridge but I found that the simple chlorine only routine seems to work fine. Cheaper and simplifies the chemistry.
Only drawback is waiting for the chlorine level to go down after the chlorine shock, I shock on Sunday night and wait until Tuesday before using the tub. Chlorine level is normally back under 5ppm by then.
Steve.
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Well said SVSPA, it's the chlorimines that create teh smell not the chlorine.
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Try ECO ONE product.........Minimum sanatiser required.
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Cut Back on the Chlorine :'(
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I add two ounces of Chlorine granuels and two ounces of shock after every soak, .
As others have indicated, this is way too much chemicals. MPS is a type of non-chlorine shock. Look at the ingredient list of what you call shock and let us know what it says. I use about 2tsp of chlorine in my 425 gallon tub after we get out and about 1 ounce of
"shock every other week, but you don't need to do both every soak.
Now wonder your eyes burn.
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use EZSPA works wonders
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Holy Crap Froggy. Who told you to add that much chlorine.
Go to this site http://www.rhtubs.com/bbs/FAQ.htm
and hit the link to: What is the "Dichlor Dosing - Vermonter Style" ?
I add two ounces of Chlorine granuels and two ounces of shock after every soak, our eyes burn like hell and the skin itch????, My dog looks at us now like we're the ones with fleas.....lol
I think after talking with my dealer at lunch time today, after we dump the water we're going to try Brilliance he tells me it's pretty good for people with eye and skin sensitivity issues.
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MPS ?????
Peroxymonopersulphate an oxidizer. Chloramines are your problem as disscussed. Cut back on the chlorine and get readings of 3-5 PPM after your soak and burn chlorimaines by shocking after 4-6 soaks you should be fine. Be carefull with any other reccomended product ( Eco-1, baqua spa, and others) they are not sanitizers and will only add great cost and reduce sanitizer.
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With N2 and Ozone I use 2 tbs of MPS before each use and 3 tbs of DiChlor weekly. Over 1 year, no water problems - no odor, no cloudiness, just clear water.
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I refilled the tub yesterday and added 2 ounces of shock. We did not use the tub last night. Is what I'm hearing in this thread is everytime you use the tub you should add 1-2 tsp of shock after you get out?
What if the tub isn't used every night?
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I refilled the tub yesterday and added 2 ounces of shock. We did not use the tub last night. Is what I'm hearing in this thread is everytime you use the tub you should add 1-2 tsp of shock after you get out?
What if the tub isn't used every night?
No. Dichlor users add a small amount of dichlor after each use (1-2 tsp depending on bather load, time in the tub and if an ozinator is being use).and shock the tub once a week.
The problem here is the poster expericeced burning and bad smell because he was shocking the tub everytime he used it. This is a no-no.
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Cappy,
I think you misread the adding mps (shock) every time part. A lot of people add 1 tsp or so of dichlor or bromine each time they finish.
I believe you are using bromine and should find 1 tsp per person each night fine with a once a week shock fine. Or, you could always do what me, Brewman and some other rebels do and buy a floater, put your tablets in and not worry about the tsp part and focus on enjoying your new spa and not sweating teaspoons. I recently followed someone's once every two weeks on the shock, stopped putting in clarifyer unless I needed it and am doing great.
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Cappy,
I think you misread the adding mps (shock) every time part. A lot of people add 1 tsp or so of dichlor or bromine each time they finish.
Nope....Froggy said
I add two ounces of Chlorine granuels and two ounces of shock after every soak, our eyes burn like hell and the skin itch?
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As mentioned earlier chloramines are your problem not chlorine.
When you add chlorine to your spa it turns to hypochlorous acid - once this comes in contact with bacteria it kills it and turns to a chloramine(the source of your burning and smells)
You have to keep track of total chlorine and free chlorine. If you have high total chlorine readings along with low free chlorine readings you'll have the problems your describing.
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Hello svspa!
You mention that you are using chorine only, did you continue to use the nature 2?
I also went to dichlor only, stopped using MPS. I was putting to much in the tub and exceeding 2000 ppm within two months, with dichlor only I have gone four months and just now approching 2000ppm, but I have not made a decision about the N2.
thanks
john mcdonough
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With N2 and Ozone I use 2 tbs of MPS before each use and 3 tbs of DiChlor weekly. Over 1 year, no water problems - no odor, no cloudiness, just clear water.
I know I am all over the forum with these chem questions, but forgive me. the more I try to undestand what others are doing, the more I get confused....
Tony, This sounds backwards. You put Shock into the tub BEFORE you use it, and once a week add dichlor? I thought you used Dichlor AFTER each use and shocked with MPS once a week.?
???
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I know I am all over the forum with these chem questions, but forgive me. the more I try to undestand what others are doing, the more I get confused....
Tony, This sounds backwards. You put Shock into the tub BEFORE you use it, and once a week add dichlor? I thought you used Dichlor AFTER each use and shocked with MPS once a week.?
???
There are quite a few people who do use a similar routine with success. Personally, I don't understand it either and it does sound backwards. MPS is not a sanitizer so I don't get how using it through the week keeps the water clean until you shock each week.
Is there someone out there who understands how this works and can explain it?
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There are quite a few people who do use a similar routine with success. Personally, I don't understand it either and it does sound backwards. MPS is not a sanitizer so I don't get how using it through the week keeps the water clean until you shock each week.
Is there someone out there who understands how this works and can explain it?
Right, Dichlor saniziers the tub and kills the bacteria. Use it after you get out of the water, it kills everything and sanitizes the water, and the levels drop so when you get back in, the water is not "harsh".
Once a week or so, you oxidize the water, burning away what the saniztier killed and freeing up some chloriine.
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Yeah it is backwards.
MPS is an oxidizer ONLY.
There are two reasons to oxidize
(1) to re-activate bromamines, or remove chloramines
(2) to destroy nitrogenous compounds , i.e. - sweat, urine, body oils, lotions, etc.
So it only macks sense to destroy these when you get out of the tub, not before you get in.
FUN FACT - For every 30 minutes spent in 102 degree water, the average person loses about 2 pints of sweat and body oils!!!!! MMMMMMMM.....YUMMY!
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Hymbaw you nasty, but wut a kool fact!
Froggy- Brilliance is a nice system, it is an all Bromine system, but remeber to shock it! Like Chlorine, Bromamines do form and cause the burning eyes & itchiness. Why not try a water softening product like Spa Silken as well. That will keep your skin from drying out. Good luck!
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I know I am all over the forum with these chem questions, but forgive me. the more I try to undestand what others are doing, the more I get confused....
Tony, This sounds backwards. You put Shock into the tub BEFORE you use it, and once a week add dichlor? I thought you used Dichlor AFTER each use and shocked with MPS once a week.?
???
The pre-soak MPS addition is recommended for users of Nature2, and the weekly dichlor would keep the free chlorine at the recommended 0.5 ppm per their website...otherwise, the dichlor after each soak and weekly shock with dichlor or MPS to get rid of chloramines is what makes sense to me after lots of reading on this forum...
Steve
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jcmsrv,
I do still use the N2 although I am considering whether I'll keep it when do my next water change.
The nature 2 site does say you can substitute dichlor so I guess you don't have to use MPS with nature 2.
I don't know, I might keep using it as a supplemental sanitizer, not terribly expensive (~$20 very 4 months).
Steve
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Froggy, while everyone seems to be in agreement with using far too many chemicals, what about your pH and your alkalinity. If your pH is low chemicals are going to gas off the water creating the smell.
I wouldn't suggest trying other chemicals until you conquer this problem. Chemical balance is just that, balance. You are using too much, cut back on quantity. If you try something else at this time you will probably perpetuate the problem. Let's get a handle on this one first. The previous infromation given should be useful, but pH is a critical issue as well, check it.
How long have you had the spa?
Do you have ozone on the spa?
??? ???
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guys I'm doing exactly what my dealer told us to do, we have had our Maxuus for about 2 months now.
I'm confused, we use keep the tub between 2-3ppm and ph is between 7.2-7.8 on the test strip.
We use Leisure time Spa56 chlorine granuels,When I check the chlorine before we enter the tub, most of it is gone.
So Question, if the test strip is saying all is o.k. then what should I do differently.
What is Dichlor and MPS ????
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Froggy,
Dichlor is the chlorine granules you are using.
MPS is typically what is called 'shock' or non-chlorine shock.
I am kind of at a loss to give you more direction after re-reading your post on how much chlorine and shock you add to your tub daily and that your chlorine level is at 2-3ppm.
You said you add 2 ounces of chlorine and 2 ounces of shock after every use. That's 3 tablespoons each. Most folks I reckon would be adding about 1-2 teaspoons of chlorine daily to stay around 2-3ppm.
Your daily dose of chlorine is more than my weekly shock dose that raises my ppm to >10. I add 1/2 tablespoon for my daily dose to get to 2-3ppm.
Of course this is also dependent on your tub size and use.
I would suggest you check out Vermonter's FAQ on chlorine dosing.
http://www.rhtubs.com/bbs/FAQ.htm
Northman also has an FAQ on the same page about using chlorine and non-chlorine shock.
Some of the more experienced folks may be able to give you more info on what may be going on with your tub.
Worst case you might consider dumping your water and starting over following one the routines specified above by Vermonter or Northman.
Steve
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What is Dichlor and MPS ????
If you are using Leisure Time chems, your Spa 56 chlorine is dichlor. Renew is MPS.
There is no way to maintain 2-3 ppm free chlorine. What you need to do is reach that mark after you exit the spa. Your Maxxus is going to take a little more of your Spa 56 chlorine than most of the rest of us just because of its size. The free chlorine level will drop to zero or near zero by the next day. If you use ozone and/or Nature2 (or SunPurity) along with your chlorine, your water will most likely stay in good shape for two or three more days without use at which time you would have to add more chlorine or until you use your spa again if sooner than that. My guess is that it will take between one tsp and one tblspn after use to get to the proper level depending on how many people and for how long. Shock once per week with Renew per directions on the bottle. Renew is a buffered MPS, so it does not affect pH, but you use about double that of other non buffered MPS products.
With this type of routine, you should not have any burning eyes or chlorine smell. Vermonter and Northman's routines are very informative and are must reading for chlorine users.
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My opinion is that you don't need MPS when using chlorine (dichlor). We have 600+ gallon tub and we put in about one tablespoon after use. Once a week we put in 2-3 tablespoons for shock but don't use MPS. We never, never have odor or burning eyes unless you lean over the beaker of mixed dichlor when mixing in the tub as the dichlor "off gases". This lasts only a few moments. The sanitizing is done in about a minute or less, 30 seconds from what I have read.
I agree with others; back off the quantity and if you intend to use MPS, don't use it daily and don't put it in with any chlorine/bromine product at the same time.
Dealer advice is interesting. My dealer is bromine only and I buy from different vendor. I did not like the bromine floaters due to odor when I was in the tub. Then when I got out if smelled as if I had washed my hands in chlorine. Hard to get off my hands.
Good luck.
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My preference is to shock with MPS over chlorine. I believe it is a better oxidizer and I don't have to put my spa out of commission to wait for the chlorine level to come down to use it.
I tend to use a minimal amount of dichlor after each use, so I like to be sure I raise my free chlorine level to 3-5 ppm once per week.
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My preference is to shock with MPS over chlorine. I believe it is a better oxidizer and I don't have to put my spa out of commission to wait for the chlorine level to come down to use it.
I tend to use a minimal amount of dichlor after each use, so I like to be sure I raise my free chlorine level to 3-5 ppm once per week.
Agreed, and if the tub does get a little cloudy for whatever reason, in my opinion the MPS bring it back faster than a chlorine shock.