Bromine or Dichlor with "Peak" Ozone from Arctic?

[NorthWoodsDipper]

Well, I finally pulled the trigger on my spa.  I purchased an Arctic Summit Ultra, along with the Peak Ozone option.  My question for you is this - after reading all the threads of the benefits of Dichlor over Bromine, I had my heart set on using Dichlor - "The Vermonter Method".  But I have also read that Ozone works better in conjunction with Bromine, not Dichlor.  Thoughts / comments?  Keep in mind that the Peak Ozone option from Arctic is the "super output" ozonator.  Does that make a difference in the Dichlor / Bromine argument?

If I do need to use Bromine, any idea how much more yearly chemical cost would be over Dichlor?  Also, what other pros/cons are there with Bromine over Dichlor?

Thanx for your input!  The weather here in Minnesota is cooling down fast and I can't wait for my Summit to arrive!

Steven

[ORANGEPEEL]

Our tub, not Artic, has an Ozonator and 24/7 circ. pump.
Using Dichlor based on Vermonter's method. It has worked great so far, and no known problems.
We're in No. Wis. and ya-eh definately turning cooler.

[NorthWoodsDipper]

Our tub, not Artic, has an Ozonator and 24/7 circ. pump.
Using Dichlor based on Vermonter's method. It has worked great so far, and no known problems.
We're in No. Wis. and ya-eh definately turning cooler.

I hope I don't sound really uninformed (although I am green as grass to this spa thing) but what do you think about this idea?  Is there a way to run the Ozone only AFTER the Dichlor has worked it's magic?  What I mean is, depending on the spa controller, does it make sense to have the ability for the Ozonater to wait to start for a few hours after adding dichlor.  Maybe this is not possible, but just an idea...

[Vinny]

Our tub, not Artic, has an Ozonator and 24/7 circ. pump.
Using Dichlor based on Vermonter's method. It has worked great so far, and no known problems.
We're in No. Wis. and ya-eh definately turning cooler.

I hope I don't sound really uninformed (although I am green as grass to this spa thing) but what do you think about this idea?  Is there a way to run the Ozone only AFTER the Dichlor has worked it's magic?  What I mean is, depending on the spa controller, does it make sense to have the ability for the Ozonater to wait to start for a few hours after adding dichlor.  Maybe this is not possible, but just an idea...

The only manufacturer that I know of that you can do this somewhat is Artesian but its based on the fact you can program the ozonator to come on at a certain time every 12 hours. It will not come on so many hours after you soak but at xx:xx every day for x # of hours. If you soak at the same time every day (highly unlikely) you can figure that you want the ozonator to come on at how many hours after you soak. When I was running the ozonator 8 hours a day (which I might go back to) I would have it come on at 11:30 and run for 4 hours and it would do that twice a day.

One thing that you should know that some tubs will wait 40 minutes after any button is pushed before turning on the ozonator. This may be what you would be looking for ... that's assuming an ozonator even works as the industry wants you to believe!

[anne]

I have an arctic with "arctic" not "peak" ozone, but I dont think that makes a difference in this particular case: The ozone (since Arctic doesnt use 24 hr circ pumps) only runs when the filtration cycle is going (basically whenever pump #1 is on) so theoretically, you could control when the ozonator runs after the addition of chlorine. But why do you want the ozonator to not come on until a few hours after adding chlorine?

[NorthWoodsDipper]

I have an arctic with "arctic" not "peak" ozone, but I dont think that makes a difference in this particular case: The ozone (since Arctic doesnt use 24 hr circ pumps) only runs when the filtration cycle is going (basically whenever pump #1 is on) so theoretically, you could control when the ozonator runs after the addition of chlorine. But why do you want the ozonator to not come on until a few hours after adding chlorine?

Well Anne (scratching my head in a confused way) I guess from what I have read on this forum I was thinking it might be a good idea.  Since I have absolutly NO understanding of how the chemicals work, I thougth that since Ozone somewhat negated the Dichlor, maybe it would be best to let the Dichlor do it's thing for a few hours and THEN allow the Ozone to run.  Or am I really out in left field with this idea?

[Tman122]

I have an arctic with "arctic" not "peak" ozone, but I dont think that makes a difference in this particular case: The ozone (since Arctic doesnt use 24 hr circ pumps) only runs when the filtration cycle is going (basically whenever pump #1 is on) so theoretically, you could control when the ozonator runs after the addition of chlorine. But why do you want the ozonator to not come on until a few hours after adding chlorine?

Well Anne (scratching my head in a confused way) I guess from what I have read on this forum I was thinking it might be a good idea.  Since I have absolutly NO understanding of how the chemicals work, I thougth that since Ozone somewhat negated the Dichlor, maybe it would be best to let the Dichlor do it's thing for a few hours and THEN allow the Ozone to run.  Or am I really out in left field with this idea?

Ozone does not negate dichlor. If Ozone could come in contact with all your water while it is being clorinated and was at about a 100 times more powerfull than any ozone system available in a hot tub it may be able to effect chorinating a tub. I think your reading the ozone chlorine thing wrong. If you had a very slight residule of chlorine .00001PPM and a very powerfull ozone system as used in water treatment facilitys you could negate the effects of chlorine, you would then want to add your clorination after the O3 proccess as they do in water treatment. Don't sweat it dichlor and ozone are a great combination. Use your ozone more to stretch your chlorine use, in other words if you use your tub on monday and add dichlor after your use, instead of going back out on tuesday to add more chlorine if your not going to use it wait till wendsday of thursday assuming your ozone is maintaining your water after your chlorine has dissapated. But if you use it Ozone will not be enough to kill bacteria as introduced by people.

[NorthWoodsDipper]

I have an arctic with "arctic" not "peak" ozone, but I dont think that makes a difference in this particular case: The ozone (since Arctic doesnt use 24 hr circ pumps) only runs when the filtration cycle is going (basically whenever pump #1 is on) so theoretically, you could control when the ozonator runs after the addition of chlorine. But why do you want the ozonator to not come on until a few hours after adding chlorine?

Well Anne (scratching my head in a confused way) I guess from what I have read on this forum I was thinking it might be a good idea.  Since I have absolutly NO understanding of how the chemicals work, I thougth that since Ozone somewhat negated the Dichlor, maybe it would be best to let the Dichlor do it's thing for a few hours and THEN allow the Ozone to run.  Or am I really out in left field with this idea?

Ozone does not negate dichlor. If Ozone could come in contact with all your water while it is being clorinated and was at about a 100 times more powerfull than any ozone system available in a hot tub it may be able to effect chorinating a tub. I think your reading the ozone chlorine thing wrong. If you had a very slight residule of chlorine .00001PPM and a very powerfull ozone system as used in water treatment facilitys you could negate the effects of chlorine, you would then want to add your clorination after the O3 proccess as they do in water treatment. Don't sweat it dichlor and ozone are a great combination. Use your ozone more to stretch your chlorine use, in other words if you use your tub on monday and add dichlor after your use, instead of going back out on tuesday to add more chlorine if your not going to use it wait till wendsday of thursday assuming your ozone is maintaining your water after your chlorine has dissapated. But if you use it Ozone will not be enough to kill bacteria as introduced by people.

Yes, yes, yes!  Exactly what I was hoping to hear!  You see I often travel for work and can be gone for 5 days or sometimes 7.  That is the reason I ordered the "Peak" Ozonator.  Is 7 days a problem?  My normal trips are about 4 days, but can be longer.  I would guess I would just add more Dichlor before I leave, correct? (sorry, I have not been to my dealers "spa school" yet.  That is not for a few weeks.

[drewstar]

There was some discussion in the other spa forum about this, and I gathered that although dichlor and ozone my chemicaly react, and to a degree nuetrualize some of it,   the amount is negligable.  Ozone and Dichlor in a hot tub work great.  I have ozone and dichlor and it works just fine.

There are times when the tub isn't touched for 4-7 days, and if I have dosed correctly with dichlor after the last use, I never had a problem. My tub doesn't get a lot of heavy use though.  Maybe 2-3 individual soaks a week, plus one with the wife.  

What is the differences with the standard Artic 03 and Peak 03 unit? Does it produce more ozone? If so how much? Do the Artic units run 24/7

[NorthWoodsDipper]

There was some discussion in the other spa forum about this, and I gathered that although dichlor and ozone my chemicaly react, and to a degree nuetrualize some of it,   the amount is negligable.  Ozone and Dichlor in a hot tub work great.  I have ozone and dichlor and it works just fine.

There are times when the tub isn't touched for 4-7 days, and if I have dosed correctly with dichlor after the last use, I never had a problem. My tub doesn't get a lot of heavy use though.  Maybe 2-3 individual soaks a week, plus one with the wife.  

What is the differences with the standard Artic 03 and Peak 03 unit? Does it produce more ozone? If so how much? Do the Artic units run 24/7

All very good questions, none of which I can answer due to my ignorance.  I just know that since I am going to be traveling for sometimes up to 7 days, I thought the Peak upgrade made sense.  I understand I need to dose with dichlor appropriatly before a trip.  The following is info I copied from the Arctic website.

Steven-
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Ozone is perhaps nature's most powerfulpurifier. It is widely used to purify drinking water because it is pHneutral, chelates metals and destroys pathogens and other organiccontaminants quickly and with no residual chemicals remaining in thewater. Despite ozone's (O3)great potency, nearly all systems on spas utilize designs that fail toaddress the three critical components needed for successful waterpurification. These components are:


Concentration of Ozone: You must produce enough ozone at high concentration to purifyand you must do so year after year without significant change in ozoneoutput.


Contact Time: The Ozone must come in contact with the contaminants and have long enough time period to create a reaction.


Off-Gas Destruction: Any ozone that has not reacted must be converted back to oxygen to prevent unwanted oxidation.


Length of Ozone System Operation: The Peak Ozone System operates 24 hours a day. Delivering purifying ozone to the spa constantly. Most spas ozone systems only operate during filtration, which is a fraction of that time.




The Peak Ozone System® is the only system used on portable spas that successfully accomplishes the above. Here's how...

We begin with a Cold Fusion Corona Discharge Ozone Generator that iscertified to produce 0.5 g/hr of ozone at a high concentration flowrate of 1.25 - 2 l/min. To ensure we have as much of the ozone mixedinto solution as possible, we force it through a patented Mazzei®Injector. This pushes the ozone into a vacuum where the molecules areshattered into fragments smaller than water particles. Approximately 99percent of the ozone will be mixed into solution as a result of thisprocess.

Next, the ozone is kept in solution for a minimumcontact time of 18 seconds to allow it to oxidize organic contaminatesfrom the impure spa water. This is done by forcing the water throughour Static Mixing Chamber. This special chamber utilizes the latest inmixing technology within the Tri-Pac Reaction Zone. The goal here is toincrease contact time by slowing down the water flow, further mixingthe ozone and facilitating a reaction.

A very small percentage of ozone gas will remain out of solution and this we need to isolateand neutralize. The Peak's Off-Gas Chamber accomplishes this byallowing undissolved ozone to rise naturally to the top of thischamber, where it is pulled through the Off-Gas Destruct Filter. Thiscatalytic filter converts the ozone back to pure oxygen.

Finally, the ozone in solution is injected into the vacuum of the Floating-WeirFilter and from there travels to the spa's manifolds and jetting systemuntil it is re-introduced into the spa as pure water.

The science behind the Peak Ozone System® may seem complex, but the resultsare amazing and the maintenance for you, the spa owner, is virtuallynon-existent. For Peak performance in water maintenance, choose thePeak Ozone System®, available only with Arctic Spas®.

[gturn]

I have an arctic with "arctic" not "peak" ozone, but I dont think that makes a difference in this particular case: The ozone (since Arctic doesnt use 24 hr circ pumps) only runs when the filtration cycle is going (basically whenever pump #1 is on) so theoretically, you could control when the ozonator runs after the addition of chlorine. But why do you want the ozonator to not come on until a few hours after adding chlorine?

Well Anne (scratching my head in a confused way) I guess from what I have read on this forum I was thinking it might be a good idea.  Since I have absolutly NO understanding of how the chemicals work, I thougth that since Ozone somewhat negated the Dichlor, maybe it would be best to let the Dichlor do it's thing for a few hours and THEN allow the Ozone to run.  Or am I really out in left field with this idea?

The reason you get an Ozonator is to save on chemicals.  You want to run your Ozonator often so the toxins can be destroyed by the Ozone and save on the amount of chemicals you have to use.  Ozone does destroy some clorine but the amount of clorine used with an ozonator is much less than is required without an ozonator.  Bromine and Ozone work well together also, because the Ozone renews the Bromine acting similar to a shock treatment so you only need a small amount of Bromine to maintain the proper levels.