The verdict is in for N2 ...

[Vinny]

.. And it's the death sentence for N2.

After all the info and people's opinions that I read about N2, I gave it a try as my dealer included it and IMHO - it doesn't do squat!!!

My son and I soaked on Wed night and put in 1 teaspoon of dichlor for 400 gallons - it's about 1.5 PPM and haven't soaked since. Opened the cover today and it was cloudy, put in dichlor/ MPS shock and clarifier and cleared it up in about 2 hours. If my cloudiness was from improper sanitation - what the heck was the N2 doing?  NOTHING

It's a WASTE of money! If I put 2 teaspoons in on Wed and didn't use it as I have before, I don't think it would have clouded up. As WSD says "Spare the dichlor and spoil the tub" (or something to that effect) - it's so true!

OK folks - MY opinion is: take that money and invest it in another bottle of dichlor! Don't cheat yourself in having 1/2 teaspoon for 300 gallons and think it's doing anything.

And BTW, because of the clarifier use ... I now have FOAM and I was doing so well too!

[marks]

Vinny,

I had the opposite experience.  I was using Dichlor without the Nature 2 and I could not keep the tub from getting cloudy.  I switched to Nature 2 and have gone 2 weeks without cloudy water.

Without Nature 2, I was using a Tablespoon of Dichlor daily (soak or not). Now I use a Teaspoon after a soak, and shock with 2 Tablespoons once a week.  My tub is 400 gallons.  Who knows?  

The earlier thread on MicroPure Disposable filters might be an interesting option also.

[Vinny]

Maybe it's the water's composition ... maybe I have:  H-1 1/2-O not H2O.

I have been running my tub for about 3 1/2 months and other than foam issues and cloudiness from not changing the filters out, no problems. After the last water change I still was using 2 teaspoons of dichlor even though I had the N2 in the tub. This was the first time I used less than I normally do and I got the cloudiness.

Who knows?

[JJ]

I've decided that N2 only works well for one tub full of water. If you change the water, you have to change the cartridge, even if it has only been a few weeks.  The ions and minerals have to build up to be effective.  If you can get your water to go 2 months, it's obviously more cost effective than if you change water every month.  A new N2 kind of shoots a hole in the "water is the cheapest chemical" theory.

BTW, I usually try to raise the free chlorine to 3 ppm after use.  It's down to 0.5 within 12 hours.

[Vinny]

I've decided that N2 only works well for one tub full of water. If you change the water, you have to change the cartridge, even if it has only been a few weeks.  The ions and minerals have to build up to be effective.  If you can get your water to go 2 months, it's obviously more cost effective than if you change water every month.  A new N2 kind of shoots a hole in the "water is the cheapest chemical" theory.

BTW, I usually try to raise the free chlorine to 3 ppm after use.  It's down to 0.5 within 12 hours.

I was running my tub for the previous 2 water changes at 3 PPM after soaking and no N2. On this water change, I added the N2 and was using dichlor for a 3 PPM after soaking. I decided to try using less this one time and see since people reported great results and 1.5 PPM is 3x more than N2 recommends. It didn't work for me and the water is about 3 weeks old on a new cartridge. I was using the N2 to see how well it kept the water before winter set in. I want to try to get 4 months (Nov thru March) with the water.

"A new N2 kind of shoots a hole in the "water is the cheapest chemical" theory." - I guess it depends on how much you pay for water ... I pay about $2.00 per 1000 gallons and filling up my tub 4 times (once a month - 400 gallons) would cost me $4.00 - a lot cheaper than N2!

I guess I'll go back to the way that worked best for me!

[hottub.pool_boy]

you can buy a pre-filter that puts an initial shot of silver into the water on a fresh fill. you can also use the pre-filter when topping off the spa.

Any spa we sell with the "Everfresh water care system," the pre-filter is included. It costs $50.00 and is good for 10,000 gals. (500gals x 20 spa fill-ups)

[Wisoki]

You are useing it incorrectly. Upon fill up, add 1 tablespoon of dichlor per 100 gallons, in your spa 3 Tbsp. BEFORE each use add 2 oz. potasiumperoximonopersulfate (spa shock, activate, renew etc...) to activate the N2. After heavy use small additiond of dichlor my be added. This purifier is not intended as a stand alone, it must be used in conjunction with an ozone water purifier. Try it this way and see what happens.

.. And it's the death sentence for N2.

After all the info and people's opinions that I read about N2, I gave it a try as my dealer included it and IMHO - it doesn't do squat!!!

My son and I soaked on Wed night and put in 1 teaspoon of dichlor for 400 gallons - it's about 1.5 PPM and haven't soaked since. Opened the cover today and it was cloudy, put in dichlor/ MPS shock and clarifier and cleared it up in about 2 hours. If my cloudiness was from improper sanitation - what the heck was the N2 doing?  NOTHING

It's a WASTE of money! If I put 2 teaspoons in on Wed and didn't use it as I have before, I don't think it would have clouded up. As WSD says "Spare the dichlor and spoil the tub" (or something to that effect) - it's so true!

OK folks - MY opinion is: take that money and invest it in another bottle of dichlor! Don't cheat yourself in having 1/2 teaspoon for 300 gallons and think it's doing anything.

And BTW, because of the clarifier use ... I now have FOAM and I was doing so well too!

[Vinny]

You are useing it incorrectly. Upon fill up, add 1 tablespoon of dichlor per 100 gallons, in your spa 3 Tbsp. BEFORE each use add 2 oz. potasiumperoximonopersulfate (spa shock, activate, renew etc...) to activate the N2. After heavy use small additiond of dichlor my be added. This purifier is not intended as a stand alone, it must be used in conjunction with an ozone water purifier. Try it this way and see what happens.

So I guess you're saying that it wasn't (isn't) activated because upon install I didn't put 4 tablespoons (400 gallons) of Dichlor in. AND that I can't use dichlor AFTER soaking. I don't intend to have N2 or ozone as my primary sanitizer - thats the job for dichlor.

Again IMO ... why bother using N2.

If I put in 4 tablespoons in the beginnig I would have approx 18 PPM of chlorine to shock and activate the N2 cartridge. Adding 2 oz of MPS is a lot of MPS, I use that much as a shock level now.

As I see it I need to add A LOT of chemicals to use a $20.00 N2 every 4 months ... OR I can use dichlor at $25.00 a 5 lb jug, put in 1oz (3 tablespoons) a week to shock and 2 teaspoons a use for regular dose. I could add MPS to shock into the mix at $10.00 for 2 lbs and get 16 uses (using every other week - 32 weeks, also cuts down on dichlor consumption when shocking with MPS).

I know I'm a newbie, but quite honestly, I wasn't having any problems with this last water change until I "under dosed" the dichlor and as I said before I had the chlorine level to 1.5 PPM - 3x more than the recommended dose recommended by the N2 folks. I might have dosed after soaking but I'm sure the chlorine was effectively handling it's brunt of the work. And since I added chlorine and not MPS, it is sanitizing and not just oxidizing. Please explain why there's a difference to adding chlorine before vs after - I truely didn't think it mattered that much.

For me, at this point I don't see the need for N2 but I can see this doesn't hold true for everyone.

[marks]

Just to clarify my state above.  My limited experience (2 weeks) with N2 and Dichlor (not MPS) has basically cut my Dichlor use in half. Without N2 my water was cloudy and with N2 the water is crystal clear.  Maybe it has something to due with how your tub filters.  As a note I do not have and ozonator.

[Vinny]

I truely believe that every person's tub can act differently and even though N2 doesn't work for me it seems to be working for you.

I know Beachcomber doesn't believe in ozone and I only run my ozone 8 hours a day. I have a 24 hour circ pump and no aux filter cycle except when I run my therapy pump #1 - it runs through a filter.

I really only use dichlor execpt once in a while MPS and MPS/dichlor shock which my dealer gave to me.

[marks]

Vinny,

Sounds like we are both trying the same methods.  I wonder how I am going to make out a month from now.  I never thought it would be this difficult.  My pool is much easier, I just pay a guy to take care of it.

[Vinny]

Vinny,

Sounds like we are both trying the same methods.  I wonder how I am going to make out a month from now.  I never thought it would be this difficult.  My pool is much easier, I just pay a guy to take care of it.

I too expected my hot tub to act like my pool!