Dichlor or Bromine?

[searchinginfl]

I am thinking of switching from dichlor to Bromine. I only use my spa 1-2 times a week, and have been forgetting to add my dichlor on the off days. Isn't Bromine a little more self sufficient? I am often in with my 3 year old, who plays with anything in the tub, and I don't know how a floater works, do you leave it in when you use the tub? Does anyone have a suggestion on what to buy? Can N-2 or Frog be used with it? How do I change over? Can anyone give brand info, pictures???

I am draining today, because my water got icky from neglect. Not sure if I should switch or not. I have a 2 month old N-2 also.

[searchinginfl]

I just called my salesman, and he said that knowing me, I would hate the smell of Bromine. Any thoughts?

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

Most bromine has a strange smell, specially tha tablets (most common) that are a blend of bromine/chlorine. It is an easier system to take care of if you are not going to be diligent about adding chlorine.

There are some bromine systems that do not have that weird smell. The Brillance system has hardly any smell. It is a chlorine free bromine system. The frog/bromine does not seem to have as much of a smell as the traditional bromine tabs, specially if you shock with MPS.

Nature 2 can not be used with bromine.

The floater can be taken out of the tub while you use it, but you must remember to put it back in after.

I personally like the Brillance chlorine free system, I used to use the Nature 2 low chlorine recipe, which I also like, but with the heavy use my spa gets, it was more difficult to maintain than the Brillance system has been for me.

Bromine tablets (come under many brand names) have a rather different smell. It gets stronger if the tub water is at all dirty and they are "working". I personally do not care for the smell, I think it must be some sort of reaction of being blended with the chlorine since the pure bromine in Brillance does not have that smell to it. This is all IMO.

[loosenupspas]

Brilliance bromine, 100% chlorine free is a great system.  The smell is minimal.........at least with the Brilliance system.  As already stated, tablets are blended with chlorine which could account for an unpleasant odor.  

[tony]

Brilliance users, I am thinking of trying Brilliance bromine in the near future, though it is difficult to find in my area.  This would be my first experience with bromine.  I would like to use it with a Frog cartridge in my filter area so I can keep my bromine level a little lower.  I also believe I will use the Mermaid system because I do not want a floater wandering around under my blanket and the floaters with the small screens that Brilliance requires won't fit in my filter area.

A couple of questions.  Is the pH of Brilliance low like other bromine tabs that are part chlorine?
I use Leisure Time Metal Gon when I fill my spa.  I have read conflicting opinions regarding sequesting products being used with mineral cartridges.  I have used Metal Gon for years with both the Frog and N2 with what I thought were pretty good results, but  how do you really know if the silver is being sequested and thus any benefit being negated?  Any thoughts?

[fdegree]

I am still fairly new to all of this hot tub and water chemistry stuff, but thought I would share my experience.

I have been using Bromine tabs in a floater since I got the tub...about 9 months now.  The tablets definately have a very noticable odor when I am removing them from their storage container and placing them into the floater.  As for odors while soaking...immediately after opening the cover, there is a noticable odor, but after letting the tub "air-out" for a few minutes, I don't notice the odor any longer (also, my sense of smell is not the greatest...grew up on a chicken farm...strong ammonia sometimes).  My wife and child don't comment on any odors, so I assume they don't smell anything either.

I keep the floater adjusted so it is barely cracked open (took a while to get it set to my desired level).  This gives me a bromine level of about 1 - 3 ppm...I also have ozone so this low level of bromine doesn't worry me much.

Here is a link to the floater that I have been using, with no problems:
http://www.hottubworks.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=MP1973E
This floater has a weighted bottom so it will stay upright at all times.  It is adjustable, so you can set it to whatever position your tub needs.  It has a locking collar that will hold whatever setting you place it at.

I do remove the floater when we are soaking, and, as Hillbilly said, be sure to remember to put it back in when you are done.  With my low setting on the floater, I usually don't have to fill the floater with tabs for about a month, sometimes longer...depending upon how much we use the tub.

Just my experience...others may be different

[CalicoskiesNC]

We are 4 yrs into our hot tub.  I think dichlor is extremely easy.  We have not had a water issue in 4 yrs.  Water is always clear and smells good.  We've gone without a Nature2, once.  Water had a stale smell after about 45 days.  Next fill up we put in a Nature2, never again had an odor.  Maybe its a coincidence, but for us...dichlor and Nature2 make us very happy spa owners.  

[Renee]

We are 4 yrs into our hot tub.  I think dichlor is extremely easy.  We have not had a water issue in 4 yrs.  Water is always clear and smells good.  We've gone without a Nature2, once.  Water had a stale smell after about 45 days.  Next fill up we put in a Nature2, never again had an odor.  Maybe its a coincidence, but for us...dichlor and Nature2 make us very happy spa owners.  

Ditto what Calicoskies said.  We've tried bromine in the past.  Dichlor & Nature2 works SO much better, in my opinion, than the bromine.  Water is VERY easy to manage.  And I'm picky about smells.  Dichlor wins hands down in that department.