Best Sanitizer to Use Without An Ozonator

[BigUgly]

Since my spa will be installed in an enclosed porch area (separate from the house), I am unable to use an ozonator.  Given that, which is the best sanitizer to use.....chlorine or bromine? 

Which has less odor, is the most effective and easiest to maintain?  It will be a small spa (approximately 300 gallons).

Thanks.

[RUBADUBDUB]

IMO A lot of it comes down to personal preference. My friends parents have a small Spa indoors and they use Dichlor and a Nature2 Cartridge. You wouldn't even know the tub was there as far as having an odour. My mom uses Bromine tablets as that's what she got used to when she bought her  Infiniti Spa 12 years ago!  Personally I like the Nature2 cartridges.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Curious why you can't use a ozonator, doubt it would hurt anything with the lid closed 60% or more with the lid closed?   Otherwise a sun purity stick Sundance name for nat 2 shock and some dichlor should be fine.   I still think a ozonator would be fine.

[BigUgly]

I was informed by a moderator on a different spa forum to never use an ozonator on a tub that is indoors due to it causing unhealthy air conditions.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

"Most" spas (not all), have a fair amount of off-gassing. It doesn't take long for the ozone to fill the air space between the bottom of the spa cover and the top of the water, then start "spilling" out of the spa.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)  has concerns that high ozone levels result in the detrimental affects on the respiratory system including:

    * irritation of the respiratory system causing coughing and irritation in the throat and chest
    * a reduction in lung function, making breathing shallow and labored
    * inflammation and temporary damage to the lining of the lung

One other down side to ozone is it's corrosiveness to certain plastics, most notably plastics used for electrical wire insulation and printed circuit boards.

Outdoors ozone is rarely a problem since the concentrations are very small and dissipate quickly.

[HTW]

I like Pristine Blue. I have used and sell Bromine, Chlorine, Spa Frog etc. and have like it the best. Great for indoors since there are almost no odors.

[hottubdan]

Salt system

[chem geek]

I like Pristine Blue. I have used and sell Bromine, Chlorine, Spa Frog etc. and have like it the best. Great for indoors since there are almost no odors.

If you use Pristine Blue without any additional sanitizer, then it is not sanitary.  Copper ions alone at the concentrations used in pools and spas will not kill the most common fecal coliform bacteria -- Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and some phenotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  It doesn't just kill too slowly -- it doesn't even prevent uncontrolled bacterial growth for these bacteria because they have developed the ability to survive in the body (mostly G.I. tract) where low levels of copper are present.  High levels of copper, such as on solid copper surfaces or with higer concentration solutions, will kill them, but not the concentration used in pools and spas.  This post I wrote summarizes the kill times for chlorine, copper and silver.

If you truly want a nearly halogen-free system, then use Nature2 with MPS.  The combination of silver ions from Nature2 with MPS at hot spa temperatures pass EPA DIS/TSS-12.  You usually need to add chlorine once a week to keep the water quality in good shape as the MPS will not oxidize everything the same as chlorine.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Salt system

 Your drinking to much Kool Aid! 

[hottubdan]

Salt system

 Your drinking to much Kool Aid! 

Not referring to ACE.

[Micah]

Look into AquaFinesse.  They have a tablet version (that everyone will freak out about) and a di-clor version.  Of all the systems I have tried, this has the least offensive smell.

P.S. I second the salt rec.

[hottubdan]

Look into AquaFinesse.  They have a tablet version (that everyone will freak out about) and a di-clor version.  Of all the systems I have tried, this has the least offensive smell.

P.S. I second the salt rec.

I hear salt with AquaFinesse or SilkBalance works great.