Question for Chas and other Bromine Gurus..

[Repeat_Offender]

Lately I've been going for longer periods without using my spa and I'm having trouble keeping the bromine level low. This wasn't an issue when the spa was being used 3-4 times per week. I use a bromine floater with the tabs and I have the setting on 1 (lowest setting). After 6-8 days of non use my bromine levels reach approx 18-20ppm, making it unuseable. In addition my spa has an ozinator. Would it be more advantageous to switch to dichlor? What do dichlor users do during stretches of non use?
Any ideas/recommendations are appreciated.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

You can pull your feeder out which will help the bromine drop. No need to be feeding bromine into the tub when the levels are high already. Bromine is a "renewable"sanitizer, as you dissole tablets over time, there becomes more and more of a bromine bank. The ozone and the chlorine in the tablets will keep re-establishg the bromide ions in the tub, with no use, they are not getting used up quick enough. I usually see this about 3 months into the water, which is when most people change the water. Maybe a partial drain will help so you can use your tub if you are not due for a water change.

If you have stretches of non use and use dichlor, I would use the Nature 2 stick also, or plan on going out to add dichlor every couple of days. Chlorine goes away rather rapidly in hot water enviornments. If you let your sanitizer level drop to zero, germs start multiplying quickly.

[Chas]

With Bromine - as Mr. HillBilly said - you need to remove the floater as days of non-use add up. With Dichlor, you need to add a teaspoon of the dichlor as days of non-use add up.

With a working ozone and a Nature2 cartridge, you can still have fresh water weeks later with no attention to the tub, but it would be advisable to add a bit of Dichlor before the first use after sitting idle for some time.

I prefer the dichlor in the situation you describe, because when the Bromine level gets way up there the water entrains air and looks gray and foamy when you run the jets. That also aspirates the bromine salts and you breath them.

Also - with Bromine you tend to have to change the water at about the same interval even if the tub gets little or no use, whereas the Dichlor water change interval can be stretched with little or no use.

HTH

 8-)

[Repeat_Offender]

Thanks for the replies. I have pulled the floater for now. This is really the only inconvenience I can think of, keeping track of the bromine level. The amount of use varies from month to month. I'll look into Nature2.