New owner of an Artesian Antigua with Crystal AOP. Tips for water chemistry?

[MrLobster]

Hi All,
After many weeks of waiting our new Artesian Antigua is here and ready to use.  Still playing with getting the water balance right, using info I've pulled together about Ozone and Nature2 systems, but I've a feeling they aren't quite what I need based on the Crystal AOP system treating the ozone with UV before it reaches the rest of the spa.

A search of the forum hasn't turned up much info, I'm hoping that's because I'm searching for the wrong thing and there's a generic name I should look for instead.  Anyone able to point me in the right direction?

[Sam]

The Crystal AOP is a unique system only found in Artesian spas.  Basically, you just need to keep around 1 ppm of chlorine or bromine in the spa and shock it every 1 to 2 weeks depending upon bather load.  I personally would get a bromine floater and some tablets, stick it in the filter area and leave it on a very low setting.  You shouldn't be able to even notice 1 ppm of bromine in the water.

Congrats on the purchase.  That is a really great spa!

[MrLobster]

Thanks for the info Sam, that sounds like a really simple plan.  Would it make much difference if I went with chlorine in the floater instead?  The starter kit chemicals were all chlorine, so that's what's in the water at the moment.  I think I'd need a water change to switch to bromine? 

I'm thinking a small pack of chlorine tablets, then switch to bromine at the next water change.

Really loving the spa, we've been in every day since it arrived.  So glad we went with a good brand rather than one of the cheap imports that are very common over here in England.

[Sam]

Chlorine in tablet form is different than chlorine in granular form.  It is very low in ph and can cause water balance issues. It also tends to dissolve too fast in hot water. It is typically only used in pools. 

Also, you do not need to do a complete water change.  You can start using bromine tablets at any time.  Keep the chlorine on hand to use as a shock.

[MrLobster]

Great info again, very much appreciated.  Tablets and a dispenser have been ordered, and it's good to know I'll still be able to use the starter kit chemicals.

[ksugrad]

I also have an Antigua with Crystal AOP, purchased last October (and love it).  My dealer set me up to use Leisure Time chemicals, including Replenish as the chlorine shock.  I just put a couple of ounces in when I first fill the tub and get it warm (along with adding Calcium Booster and a little Spa Up to raise the pH).  After that, I just add an ounce or two after using the tub, and that's about it.  I find that once I get the water balanced, it stays pretty well balanced, even if we are using the tub heavily.  I will have to occasionally add just a little Spa Up, and I don't think I've even opened the container of Spa Down.  Check it with a test strip once a week, change the water and Nature2 stick every 4 months, and our water stays pretty darn clean.

I am not a chemical expert by any means, but the Leisure Time chemical suite seems to be working well for me.

I hope you enjoy your Antigua as much as we enjoy ours!

[MrLobster]

Thanks for the info ksugrad, always good to know the options out there.

At the moment I'm using the floating bromine dispenser, going well although I did have the levels bouncing all over for a day or two.  Adding some alkalinity increaser sorted that out.

The Antigua is great, we're spending an hour in there most days, but the time does go by quickly.

[GamblySmurf]

I know this is an old topic, but does this spa not come with a Frog @Ease system?

[Tman122]

Yea if they are using bromine they should be using a frog system. N2 works with chlorine.

[The Wizard of Spas]

@ease is pretty new and may not have been available when this thread originated.  @ease can only come on Marquis, Caldera and Artesian Spas as a built-in delivery system, but they also have a floating aftermarket option that will work with any system.

@ease has a lot of similar traits as the frog or nature II systems but it is different in that the mineralizer is different than what is found in the frog/NII sticks.  Additionally, the chlorine used is completely brand new to the industry as a whole.  I have been a big fan of NII/frog over bromine and/or chlorine but I will be switching to @ease as it costs the same as running an NII system but I've had tremendous feedback from diehard NII customers who I let try @ease for free to determine if it really was appealing or if it was just another salesman-y gimmick.

The Cyrstal AOP system is their version of a deluxe ozone.  Ozone is not a substitute for your chemical sanitation system but rather an assistant to it. 

[htnj]

I also just purchased a brand new 2016 Pelican Bay with the Crystal AOP system.  It seems like the @ease with smartchlor is so new there really is NO information about it on the web, so time will tell I guess.

I'm just finishing up with building permits and hope to have the spa delivered ASAP (it's sitting in the dealers warehouse right now.)

[The Wizard of Spas]

To break it down in simplistic terms:

pH/alkalinity are the same, as they are in reference to chlorine, bromine, frog, nature II, etc.

Its very similar to spa frog where you have a 4 month cartridge and a 1 month cartridge.  The 4 month cartridge has a slightly different mineral content that is formulated specifically for the "smartchlor" cartridge.  What makes it "smartchlor" different (besides clever marketing) is that the chlorine is altogether different.

Di or Tri chlors have 2 atoms that split and immediately become free chlorine.  This "smartchlor" allows for one atom to become free chlorine and the other stays in reserve.  Thus, you tend to have a resting free chlorine reading of .5-1.0 (approx. the same as your tap water) but a reserve to total chlorine of 10-15ppm. 

Where this becomes a benefit is that when you use the tub, the chlorine levels do not fall off a cliff.  Rather it pulls from the free chlorine to keep a consistent level of approx. .5-1.0ppm.  It handles heavy bather loads as well, since the free chlor can keep up with the burn up of the active sanitizer.

This allows for you to only have to shock with potassium peroxymonopersulfate (MPS) once a month.  That is a nice benefit.  However, it is also very much reflective of your pH level.  While pH is always important to your sanitzier, as it is the the basis of how effective your sanitizer is is, its even more-so with @ease. 

I have found that the cost (as a dealer, I am always looking at pricing) for a 4 month supply of @ease to be on par with NatureII/Spa frog.   So I am comfortable with that angle.

I get presented a lot of chemicals that are "new" and "revolutionary" to carry in my store but in the end they are just some other BS that some salesperson/marketing dept. came up with.  Kudos for ingenuity but I'm still not buying it.  Why I am comfortable with this as the chlorine was tested for 6 years before it even was approved.  Additionally, I have tried it on my tubs that are filled in my showroom and have had a positive experience. 

I hope this helps you guys out.  I have all of my South Seas/Artesian Spas coming in with the @ease systems built in.  I've also brought in the @ease floaters for my other two lines of tubs so that they can use it after-market.  The after-market @ease is a round floater that will tip upside down when the 1 month cartridge is spent, which is pretty handy.

Finally, @ease is actually made via King Technology, the parent company of Spa Frog.  So if you have been using Spa Frog ask your rep/distributor. 

Good luck moving forward. 

[htnj]

Thanks for the info!  Yeah, my dealer told me a lot of the same things you're mentioning, so that makes me feel comfortable.
I couldn't tell if it were just a sales pitch or not, but he said it's so easy that it really is close to being automatic and takes a lot of the guess work out.

HOPEFULLY I'll see that in a few weeks!

[MrLobster]

Hi All,
I've not been around for a few months, quite surprised to see an old thread of mine near the top of the page when I dropped by.

Do you know if the @ease system can be retro-fitted to an existing tub?  I'm using bromine in a floater at the moment, and would really like to switch to something built in.  I see that @ease can be used in a floater but would prefer to avoid that route.

Hope you have a great time with your spa htnj, I'm still very much enjoying my Antigua - even using it through the cold British winter

[The Wizard of Spas]

@ease has its own floater for aftermarket sales.  It is round, about 5" in diameter.  Its not very cumbersome at all, in my opinion, and I float one in my showroom in my demo spa. 

However, the in-line @ease that is so far only available on Artesian, Marquis, and Caldera is the same size as the Spa Frog systems that used to be put in-line in tubs about 10 years ago.

Here is how they look:  http://www.kingtechnology.com/frog-at-ease/frog-ease-ways-sell/

Retrofitting in any other manner seems more hassle than its worth. 

Good luck moving forward.