Author Topic: What is Free chlorine? (Read 42093 times)

t6texan · « **on:** January 03, 2009, 06:20:46 pm »

Hello was out at my spa a while ago tryning to check and get chemicals in ballance after sorta neglecting them. I am curently using mermaid chemicals with a floating dispensor for the sanitizer. Well when I opened the floating dispensor all the sanitizer was crusted into a brick .

So I knocked it back loose into chuncks ,addded shock and ran spa for 15 minutes. Checked chems with mermaid test strips. Everything looks good but the free chlorine is way low. What is this and how do I increase it.

Its the weekend now , otherwise Id go by my local Hotsprings Spa Store and Let The TERMINATOR set me straight.

Happy new Years Chris!

Hot Tub Forum · « **on:** January 03, 2009, 06:20:46 pm »

wmccall · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2009, 06:38:27 pm »

Free chlorine is what you get if your partner keeps Term distracted by flashing her cleavage while you heard for the door.

Now awaiting the real answers.

t6texan · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2009, 06:47:11 pm »

Lol

Nitro · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2009, 06:50:28 pm »

Quote

Free chlorine is what you get if your partner keeps Term distracted by flashing her cleavage while you heard for the door.

In that order.

Vinny · « **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2009, 06:52:26 pm »

Free chlorine is the chlorine that isn't combined with anything. If you neglected the tub and have stuff growing in it then you may need to shock the tub with 10 to 15 PPM free chlorine to kill the growing stuff and have a residue in it.

Now combined chlorine is the chlorine that has bonded with the stuff it worked on. You might find that your free chlorine turns to combined chlorine quickly if you are fighting something.

t6texan · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2009, 07:00:44 pm »

I checked the free clorine level about 5 minutes ago after running spa for the past hour and it seems to have come up one slot on the test strip. But its still barely reading anything . Will the Sanitzer granuals in the floating dispensore bring it up more?

Vinny · « **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2009, 07:07:21 pm »

I know nothing about this mermaid system.

Granuals tell me it's either dichlor (probably not), trichlor (doubt it) or cal hypo (this is the most common granual form that I know of). Since it sounds like you get your supplies from Term, I doubt he is giving you anything crappy.

Are you sure that it is chlorine and not bromine?

Anyway if it is chlorine then I would add more chlorine granuals or about 3 oz of bleach. If it's bromine then you could add chlorine or non chlorine shock.

hottubdan · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2009, 07:10:39 pm »

The Mermaid System is a way of dispensing Brilliance, a chlorine free bromine system. You should have no free chlorine. Your strips probably measure Free Chlorine and Bromine. The Bromine reading is all you should be concerned with.

Make sense?

Water Boy · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2009, 07:16:18 pm »

HTD,

Don�t most test strips read total bromine/chlorine, as well as free bromine/chlorine. I guess what I am asking is even though he is using the mermaid system, and the strip says free chlorine, wouldn�t that just really be testing the free bromine?? :-?

hottubdan · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2009, 08:37:06 pm »

Quote

HTD,

Don�t most test strips read total bromine/chlorine, as well as free bromine/chlorine. I guess what I am asking is even though he is using the mermaid system, and the strip says free chlorine, wouldn�t that just really be testing the free bromine?? �:-?

I'll have to look at my Brillance strips tomorrow.

Summitman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2009, 08:41:57 pm »

Quote

HTD,

Don�t most test strips read total bromine/chlorine, as well as free bromine/chlorine. I guess what I am asking is even though he is using the mermaid system, and the strip says free chlorine, wouldn�t that just really be testing the free bromine?? �:-?

yes t6texan is testing for the free bromine. t6texan should use more oxidizer is the free chlorine reading is low.

Nitro · « **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2009, 10:19:00 pm »

Deleted.

t6texan · « **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2009, 10:19:27 pm »

Quote

yes t6texan is testing for the free bromine. �t6texan should use more oxidizer is the free chlorine reading is low.

Ok I will recheck it tomarow and shock it some more with the oxidixer ,to get the free chlorine up. I will let you know what happens.
Thanks

hottubdan · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2009, 02:41:55 pm »

According to Brilliance book, the reading you need to be concerned with is the "Brilliance Sanitizer" which is total bromine. Maintain a level of 2-4 parts per million.

You can ignore the free chlorine test on the strip.

clover · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2009, 03:03:33 pm »

To answer the question in a simple manner is to say, FREE chlorine is the amount of sanitizer that is FREE and AVAILABLE to KILL bacteria or viruses.

When a sanitizer is put into the water (chlorine) it immediately goes to work to KILL BACTERIA and VIRUSES, as well as to OXIDIZE and break down NUTRIENTS and MINERAL. When your sanitizer is attached to Mineral or Nutrients it is still present, BUT occupied, it is not FREE or AVAILABLE to KILL bacteria or viruses, a much more importact job for the sanitizer.

MSP, or Shock is used to release the sanitizer from mineral or nutrients, so that it may return as FREE and AVAILABLE to KILL what needs to be killed, bacteria and viruses.

But, I would also agree with wmmcall, this too could be considered FREE CHLORINE in a way.

Hot Tub Forum · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2009, 03:03:33 pm »

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