new spa..chemical issues

[beaugart_mr]

after much debating, we finally went with the Jacuzzi 345.  Was delivered last week.  Couple of questions...

1)  Can't seem to get a bromine reading.   Does it take time?  Any suggestions?

2)  Temp is hanging around 102 degrees, although we have it set at 100.  We live in Southern CA by the beach.  Not extremely warm, although the last week has been warmer than normal.  Is tht normal to read higher?  The ozonator kicks off when the spa is 2 degrees above the setting.  Any suggestions?

thanks

[SpaNE]

Congrats on the new Jacuzzi.

1. You need to establish a bromine base.  It is recommended that you add this "bank" in order to ensure that the sanitizer in the water is all bromine from the moment you first start using it. (From PoolSpaCare.com)

2. Check out page 26 of your manual.  Set the spa for code F6 and you will get 2 hours of filtration per day - which will help if the spa goes into "Summer Logic."  Some people use tennis balls to prop up the cover so it doesn't get too hot.  You may also want to try a spa unbrella to shade it from the sun.

[Mez]

after much debating, we finally went with the Jacuzzi 345.  Was delivered last week.  Couple of questions...

1)  Can't seem to get a bromine reading.   Does it take time?  Any suggestions?

2)  Temp is hanging around 102 degrees, although we have it set at 100.  We live in Southern CA by the beach.  Not extremely warm, although the last week has been warmer than normal.  Is tht normal to read higher?  The ozonator kicks off when the spa is 2 degrees above the setting.  Any suggestions?

thanks

Congrats on the New J-345 as well...you have some good company in Spane, Chad , myself and a few others on here in the "J-Club".
I cannot help you out on the bromine as I use a system my dealer gave me...Silspa along with Oxy Shock, etc...my readings have been right on since day one and the water is sparkling. I can tell you that my temp usually reads 1 degree higher than what I have it set at, at least when I open the cover, it seems to drop back down by the end of a 15 miunte session though and 25% of the time, it reads exactly where I have it set when I  open it up. I think alot has to do with ambient temperature.
What color setup did you go with?

[Brewman]

How did you start your spa's chemical routine?

Typically when on bromine, you add a quantitiy of sodium bromide- which is different than the tablets that you might have.  The sodium bromide I used was in granular form.  A certain quantity based on your spa's water capacity, is added on startup or whenever you change the water.  At the same time you add how ever many bromine tablets are called for to your floater or weir gate, or whatever dispenser you're using.
The sodium bromide gets into the water instantly.  The tablets take a while to dissolve into the water.  
 That should have been discussed with you when they installed your spa.  I'd ask your dealer for help- that's part of what you paid them for.
 
When I used bromine, I had a hard time regulating the readings.  One day I'd get nothing, a couple days later the readings were off the charts.  
 It was very frustrating.  

[beaugart_mr]

at this point my dealer is a nice guy, but doesn't seem that knowledgable with bromine (he likes chlorine)...let alone the spa itself.  I had to ask why the ozonator had been turned off...he had no idea....figured out myself in the manual about summer mode.


I did put a couple of packages of some kind of sodium a head of time in.  I was told by someone to take a bromine tablet and crush it up....that may help get it going.