Bromine to Chlorine?

[bulmer4nc]

Well... we're about 6 months into our Optima and I think we're going to make the switch from Bromine to Chlorine.  I've been having a pretty hard time keeping the bromine level consistant and it always seem to skyrocket for days after I shock with MPS.  We're also seeing some issues with very dry skin.   At this point it can't hurt to try something different.

So... A couple of questions:

1.  What type of Dichlor to use?  My dealer sells LeisureTime products and their dichlor (Spa 56) is only 56% chlorine when it looks like others are in the 62% range.  Is there a big difference in how these two work?  Will I need to use more of the Spa56 than others?  Anyone have a preference?

2.  When to add?  I've read a few FAQs on using dichlor and the consensus seems to be to add dichlor AFTER you use the spa.  However I read the instruction labels on the dichlor products and they say to put it in BEFORE you enter the spa.  So... which is it?  Should I just go with either the Northman or Vermonter style as outlined in the rhtubs.com FAQ?

3.  Our current water is only about a month old with a new microfilter and Spa Frog.  Can I empty the spa this weekend and refill and use these?  Or should I replace them if I'm going to change from bromine to dichlor?

I guess if anyone has any other ideas please let me know.

Thx... Ken

[steve771]

(1) I started out with the leisure time product (it was in the spa pack provided by my dealer).  It worked fine, but after it was gone, I switched to the cheapo stuff at the home depot (97% dichlor) and it seems to work well.

(2) We add a teasp00n after use (ozone use too), alternately shocking with MPS & Dichlor weekly.  My theory is to add it afterwards as it will dissipate between uses and you're not subjecting your skin to the higher level of chlorine.

(3) Don't know on that one.

[Lori]

I "adapted" both Vermonter and Northman's methods and went from there.  I add my dichlor after use, that way I am not sitting in a bunch of chemicals (as Steve has mentioned)!  It should lessen the dry skin that way!  

I don't know about the Spa Frog, isn't it similar to N2?

[tony]

I use LeisureTime dichlor.  There are less expensive brands if you prefer.  It all does the same thing and the amount you add would be essentially the same.  I also add after use and follow a modified version of Northman and Vermonter.

I don't see why you couldn't keep using your frog and micro clean filter.  Just be sure to rinse both well.  You don't want any bromine residual.

[bulmer4nc]

I think the frog might be a bit easier to rinse than the microfilter.  You're not really supposed to hose it down as it can come apart pretty easy.  Maybe I can try soaking it for a while in 'clean' water prior to putting it back in.

[Brewman]

What exactly happens if you switch from bromine to chlorine and have residual bromine in the water?

Would your microfilter need to be rinsed to rid it of the bromine water, or would just letting your bromine level crash prior to the water change be adequate?
Brewman

[bulmer4nc]

That's an option too...  I could pull my bromine floater today and by this weekend there wouldn't be much left...  After tomorrow though I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be in going in though.

[RNPS05]

Most of the bromine you will find on the market carries a a small percentage of chlorine. As a matter of fact alot of
spa owners run bromine hot tubs using a Dichlor (spa56) as a shock treatment. Though i am not familiar with the frog system, i would read the label and chances are you will find a percentage of chlorine and any additional rinsing of the microclean filter would not be necassary. You will also want to add the Dichlor after
use to avoid any skin irritation.

[Brewman]

Good point.  I use Brilliance, which is pretty much just bromine, no chlorine listed on the container.  But I see a lot of bromine that has chlorine as an ingredient, which is why I'm confused on the compatibility issue.
Brewman

[tony]

Adding an oxidizer to a bromine tub will recharge the bromine.  Chlorine acts as an oxidizer to bromine, same as mps.  The bromine just stays and gets recharged unlike chlorine that disappears.  It becomes this never ending circle.  That is why you can add chlorine to a bromine tub and it remains a bromine tub.  Now if you add bromine to a chlorine tub, you have just converted to bromine.

Once a bromine tub, always a bromine tub...until you drain, clean and fill.

[Brewman]

Thanks, that makes sense.  By adding the teaspoons of MPS each week, I do notice the bromine test reading go up.  
Brewman

[bulmer4nc]

Tony,

Thanks for the info.  That does make sense... Guess I'll be refilling this weekend.  

[tony]

My pleasure.  If you go to the poolandspa forum, Bob Lowry who started and used to own LeisureTime just answered the same question in a much more technical and thorough way.

[Bigbender]

If you remember back to the Eco One thread started by newtohottubbing, I was interested in getting away from Bromine because of dry skin and rashes. Instead of Eco One, I decided to try "The Natural" because my dealer had it on inventory. Because of extremely cold weather and new water, he said to make the transition without purging my tub. I let my Bromine level drop to a very low reading and shocked the water with Dichlor before introducing the Natural the next day. After the switch, my water was as easy to care for as when I used bromine by itself and it had a softer feel and a sweeter smell to it. We're very happy with our decision.

The biggest mistake I made was a week later when I decided to shorten my circulation time from 12 hours to 8. The Natural and Eco One are both enzymes and they prefer a lot of circulation so my water got very cloudy and musty smelling and it had a greenish cast to it within a few days. I changed my circulation times back to 12 hours per day, shocked with 3 tbsp of chlorine again and by the next day, my water was clear again.

What I missed about the bromine treatment was the slow release "tabs" that I carried out in my hand and dropped in on my pre-filter. No bottle to carry, no measuring... I went to a local spa shop and asked if they had chlorine in tablets. She said that she had them for pools, not for saps but since I requested them, she sold me a bottle. I started using the Trichlor tabs (not dichlor) this week and I've noticed my chlorine levels are holding steady but my ph and alkalinity levels are dropping faster. Last evening was the first time since I've owned the tub that I've ever needed to adjust my alkalinity. I'm not sure at this time whether I should forget the tabs and go exclusively with granulate dichlor for treatment and shocking.

Has anyone else tried Trichlor ?

[spahappy]

Adding an oxidizer to a bromine tub will recharge the bromine.  Chlorine acts as an oxidizer to bromine, same as mps.  The bromine just stays and gets recharged unlike chlorine that disappears.  It becomes this never ending circle.  That is why you can add chlorine to a bromine tub and it remains a bromine tub.  Now if you add bromine to a chlorine tub, you have just converted to bromine.

Once a bromine tub, always a bromine tub...until you drain, clean and fill.

Thanks Tony for the best, simplest, and understandable answer to that question. I've never been able to quite get a handle on this.