Potassium Peroxymonosulfate?

[tubblyfub]

I have been using Bromine in my tub per the bromine for beginners sticky- ( bromine tabs and bleach) and have been very happy.

I just cleaned and refilled the spa and went to a different dealer for the bromine bank-they insisted that "Shock Oxidizer" was the right stuff. I came home and put 2 oz in the tub. Upon closer look at the bottle-It is not sodium bromide it is potassium peroxymonosulfate. I am confused as to how to undo this mistake-or is it not a problem?

Do I need to go someplace else and get sodium bromide, and can I add it any time-do I need to test for anything?

Can I add chlorine shock to the tub as it is?

Thanks in advance for your help

[chem geek]

They sold you the wrong stuff -- they sold you an oxidizer and while that can be used in place of bleach to create bromine from the bromide bank, you can't use it to create the bromide bank itself. You need to get sodium bromide for that though eventually your use of tabs will build up spent bromine which is bromide, but that can take some time.

You can add the sodium bromide anytime. If before then you plan on using chlorine, then you should instead use Dichlor and not bleach or you need to get pure CYA in the water. You should not add bleach without any CYA in the water as the chlorine will be too strong (that's the main reason dealers and manufacturers say not to use bleach).

If you have silver ions in hot water as with Nature², then you could use the non-chlorine shock as a disinfectant, but by itself without the silver ions it doesn't kill fast enough to be a disinfectant.

In the meantime until you get the sodium bromide, you could add the non-chlorine shock which will be better than nothing. Or you can use a small amount of bleach but not for a long time (i.e. don't wait weeks or months before getting the sodium bromide). Or just use the bromine tabs and don't use the spa until you get your sodium bromide.