New Tub

[CapMorgan]

Hello I have been in the market for a hot tub and have been coming to this forum reading all the topics trying to get information about hot tubs, as I am new to Hot Tubs and this forum has been a great help in my search for the right tub.

Yesterday I bought my new hot tub it is a Caldera Tahitian Utopia Series, I feel I got a great price it is a 2005 display model never used, the dealer has lower the price twice as he needed to get rid of the 2005 to make room 2006 models, I got it for $ 6,041.00 US including taxes, this also includes a deluxe cover with locks, steps, starter kit, GFCI breaker box, delivery and setting up the tub and explaining how everything works at my house. It should be about a week before I have it up and running as I am waiting on having an electrician come to my house and run the 220 line.

I now have a question, my dealer gave me an option on the how to keep the water clean. Use a floater with bromine or use nature2 with dichlor. After reading the Spa Frog- King Technologies-REFILL thread im not sure what to use, I would prefer to use the system that is easier to use so any opinion on which is the easiest to use would be much appreciated.

Can’t wait until next week for my first soak  

[wmccall]

I don't know where you are, but that is undoubtably a good value.  As for the chemical choice, either will be good. I find dichlor easy, but have never used Bromine.


The best is yet to come.



Those foot jets look great in the lounger.

[Brookenstein]

I grew up with bromine in a floater in my parents tub, but have used dichlor, nature 2 and shock with MPS in my tub (3 months now) and am very happy with the dichlor routine.  I'm not against bromine in any way, but I like the idea of not soaking in chemicals and have found the dichlor simple and effective.

Good luck your tub looks great.

[bosco0633]

I believe that there are perks to both.  Dichlor is nice because you soak with out any odour issues.  The down side, in my opinion is that dichlor is a little more work.

Bromine is nice because you fill the dispenser once a week and leave it, very easy.  The down side, some suggest that you smell when you get out.  

I enjoy the bromine without any issues.  I find it a simple solution and have not had any complications that some have expierenced.  I have never used dichlor so I can not add to much.  

Why not do one tub fill up with one method, and then when you refill, try the other.  Compare your results and then use the one that you like.

[Tman122]

Both methods work well as Bosco said dichlor is a little more work as you have to add everytime you use the tub where bromine is adding automaticly. dichlor is gone when you soak but bromine is always there (smell) And bromine is about double the cost of dichlor. So in my opinion they both are about the same, ones easier but comes at a cost.

[tony]

I think that bromine in a floater or inline system works best for people who are very regular in their soaking habits.  The sanitizer demand remains fairly consistant and you can set the amount of bromine needed and let it go.  If something changes...more people...not used...etc...you're going to have too much or too little and need to adjust.

Dichlor gives you a little more control over your sanitation because you add as you use and can adjust accordingly.  But it is not a set it and forget it system.

[landscaper]

That's not a good price. That's an excellent price on an excellent tub.

[socal]

Marquis uses the inline system (spa frog) on all 06 models. a few 05 models used the floater. personally, i have had nor seen any problem with the frog system. it might take you some time to "dial in" the frog at water changes. but once its set, you are good to go.
people are happy with both systems. as bosco mentioned, you could always flip after a water change and compare notes. it would be the simplest way to know what works best for you.

socal

btw...great looking tub

[Spatech_tuo]

I now have a question, my dealer gave me an option on the how to keep the water clean. Use a floater with bromine or use nature2 with dichlor.

As the old song goes: "Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to use Bromine".
Nature 2 w/dichlor is the way to go IMO.

[drewstar]

I've usesd both Bromine and Dichlor.

I prefer Dichlor.

The number 1 reason I switched was bromine made my skin very itchy. (Others have said the same for dichlor).


I hated the floater in the tub. It was alwasy getting stuck in the filter compartment, and I never felt it was providing the correct amount of sanitizer.

I have had much better luck with Dichlor and find its easier for me. I just add the correct amount of dichlor into the tub after i am done and run the pumps on high for 10 minutes.  (I bring the dichlor out, premeasured in a contianer with me and toss it in so I don't have to come back out when I am through soaking.

The good news is, unless you buy 10 years worth of supplies, you can switch over from one to the other if you are unhappy with out too much trouble. (You should talk to a pro before switcing, I think you need to do a complete drain and flush out if going from Dichlor to Bromine....could be the other way around, that's why  I suggest talking toa pro before switching.    

Just my 2 cents.  Good luck

[CapMorgan]

I've usesd both Bromine and Dichlor.


I have had much better luck with Dichlor and find its easier for me. I just add the correct amount of dichlor into the tub after i am done and run the pumps on high for 10 minutes.  (I bring the dichlor out, premeasured in a contianer with me and toss it in so I don't have to come back out when I am through soaking.

Drewstar what is the rule of thumb on how much dichlor to add after you soak in the tub, my hot tub is 360 gallons.

CapMorgan

[Bill_Stevenson]

The best place to go for the dichlor routine is Doc's site in the FAQs section look for the Vermonter's water treatment article. To answer your question about how much to add, the right answer is enough to get the free chlorine level up to 3-5 ppm after each soak.  You will need to buy some test strips to figure out exactly how much that would be.  As a rough approximation you would need about one teaspoon dichlor after each soak per person.  Once a week you would then shock the tub with a larger dose, say approximately two tablespoons.  

Regards,

Bill

[drewstar]

Drewstar what is the rule of thumb on how much dichlor to add after you soak in the tub, my hot tub is 360 gallons.

CapMorgan

The goal is to get the Chlorine readings up to 2-3 ppm after you are done soaking.   For me, that's about 1/2 teaspoon per person.   (350 gal tub).

Docs site has a great read by Vermonter on what to do.

[Spatech_tuo]

The goal is to get the Chlorine readings up to 2-3 ppm after you are done soaking.   For me, that's about 1/2 teaspoon per person.   (350 gal tub).

I always tell people 1 teaspoon/person after each use. It's good to follow this up with a test strip now and again to be sure you're getting up to a 3ppm level or so but I know people slack off on that and need a hard and fast amount so we go with the 1 tsp/person rule of thumb and it works well (and we tell them to shock once per week, check alk/ph, etc.)

[windsurfdog]

I think that bromine in a floater or inline system works best for people who are very regular in their soaking habits.

tony,
My view is just the opposite.  I think that a dichlor routine works best for people who are very regular in their soaking habits and bromine is better for those who may skip several days between soaks.  I use dichlor for my tub but if I had a tub in, let's say, a rental unit, I'd use bromine in it because of the occasional use.

BTW, IMHO, I contend dichlor is really no more work than bromine....it just requires more periodic attention which is no problem if the tub is used at least once every other day or two.  But, then again, I've never used bromine so I really don't know about it except what I've read.  The best benefit I enjoy from dichlor use is soaking in very little if any of the sanitizer.