A Couple Of Questions On Bleach And Needed Chemicals

[kychris]

I've bought a Caldera Makena which hopefully will be delivered soon (waiting on dry weather). It has the inline Spafrog system. I want safe and easy versus saving money with chlorine.

I plan to use Bleach as a weekly shock after I use up the non-chlorine shock that the dealer sold me. I've also read that you can refill the Spafrog bromine cartridges with Bromine tablets which I might try.

1. How do most people add this? I can imagine me spilling it all over the place trying to put in a few tablespoons. I've thought of using some kind of syringe or pipette. I also thought of those bottles where you squeeze them and it allows you to squirt a set amount into a separate section of the bottle which can then be poured out.

2. What chemicals and accessories do I actually need? My dealer tried to sell me all kinds of stuff but I only bought MPS and pH up. Now I've read that I can just use baking soda for pH up. Should I buy the stuff for metals and scale or use a hose filter attachment or both?

Thanks for any suggestions and help.

[chem geek]

If you want to disinfect with non-chlorine shock (MPS) then you need silver ions in the water such as with the Nature²® Spa system. MPS alone is not a disinfectant and not EPA-approved as such.

If you aren't using the tub every day, then bromine is usually easier because more bromine can be added automatically via bromine tabs in a floating feeder or via ozone oxidizing bromide to bromine. Does your spa have an ozonator? See Bromine for Beginners.

If your water supply has metals, such as water from a well that may have iron, then a hose filter is usually the best for removing the metals during a fill.

Since you are getting a new spa, I suggest you buy some Ahh-Some to remove any biofilms and greases in the pipes that are usually not completely blown out in a new spa. Otherwise, your first fill is going to have a much higher oxidizer demand and the water may not remain clear for very long.