Shocking Once Per Week, Bromine Sometimes High

[DGmarie]

One of the things I was told by Leisure World was to shock weekly using their Spa Essentials Spa Shock (non chlorine). Before I shock, I test and my bromine level always normal. I also have a floater with bromine tabs. Usually 4 tabs in it. The floater is in the spa when we aren't.

After shocking the bromine is on the high side for 48 hours. I'm wondering if the routine weekly shocking is required, or should it only be done when the bromine seems to be getting low. We (2) use the spa almost daily. If the bromine level reads normal, why shock it? Shocking (I thought) was short term and fast acting. Mine seems to linger a lot.

All other chem levels are normal.

[waterbear]

One of the things I was told by Leisure World was to shock weekly using their Spa Essentials Spa Shock (non chlorine). Before I shock, I test and my bromine level always normal. I also have a floater with bromine tabs. Usually 4 tabs in it. The floater is in the spa when we aren't.

After shocking the bromine is on the high side for 48 hours. I'm wondering if the routine weekly shocking is required, or should it only be done when the bromine seems to be getting low. We (2) use the spa almost daily. If the bromine level reads normal, why shock it? Shocking (I thought) was short term and fast acting. Mine seems to linger a lot.

All other chem levels are normal.

The purpose of shocking is to reactive the bromine in the spa. If you read the ingredients on your bromine tabs you will find that they contain chlorine. this is because chlorine is necessary to activate the bromine the first time. Once the bromine has been activated and a 'bromine bank' established in the water you can shock with either chlorine or MPS (non chlorine shock) to reactivate it. I don't want to get into too much chemistry here but this is necessary to keep proper sanitizer levels in the spa. how are you testing bromine levels? If you are using test strips then the high levels you are seeing after shocking are actually an interferance from the non chlorine shock and NOT your actual bromine levels. Excess MPS will stay in the water and show up on the test strip. If you shock with chlorine the free chorine all gets converted to hypobromous acid and there is no interferance with the test. To accurately determine what the bromine level is when you use an MPS shock you need to use an OTO, DPD, or "FAS-DPD drop test.

The purpose of shocking is this. Hypobromous acid is the active sanitizer in your spa. When it reacts with a contaminant it is converted into bromide ions which are what make up the 'bromide bank' in your water. When the bromide ions are oxidized by either chlorine or MPS they reform hypobromous acid. If there is an excess of bromide ions in the spa water or you are shocking at too high a level then too much of the bromide is getting converted to hypobromous acid. If you don't shock then you will not have enough active sanitizer in the water to protect you from disease! Try closing your bromine floater a bit and using a bit less shock. don't depend on test strips to test your water. Use a drop based kit. Even a cheap OTO kit is better than strips for a bromine spa!

[DGmarie]

I'm testing with strips before and after shocking. Before shocking, bromine level reads perfectly normal. Floater is set to medium.

After shocking (say 24 hours later) bromine show very high (dark, dark purple, like 10 or more). It reads this way for at least 72 hours and slowly fades into the normal range. I keep the floater in the tub the whole time.

I use 2-3T of spa shock (non chlorine) weekly. I'll use less shock this week. Otherwise the water is perfect perfect perfect.

Thanks

[waterbear]

I'm testing with strips before and after shocking. Before shocking, bromine level reads perfectly normal. Floater is set to medium.

After shocking (say 24 hours later) bromine show very high (dark, dark purple, like 10 or more). It reads this way for at least 72 hours and slowly fades into the normal range. I keep the floater in the tub the whole time.

I use 2-3T of spa shock (non chlorine) weekly. I'll use less shock this week. Otherwise the water is perfect perfect perfect.

Thanks

Like I said before, part of what is showing up on the test is the MPS and not bromine, You need the reserved of MPS in the water, unlike when shocking with chlorine. Just use the same amount and enjoy the spa. It is not your bromine that is that high. It is a combination of the bromine and the MPS that is reading on your test strips.

[DGmarie]

Like I said before, part of what is showing up on the test is the MPS and not bromine, You need the reserved of MPS in the water, unlike when shocking with chlorine. Just use the same amount and enjoy the spa. It is not your bromine that is that high. It is a combination of the bromine and the MPS that is reading on your test strips.

ok thanks. I guess I'll stop looking for problems and just soak!

[Brulan1]

ok thanks. I guess I'll stop looking for problems and just soak!

MPS=???

[waterbear]

MPS=???

MPS= potassium monopersulfate= non chlorine shock= DuPont Oxone (they developed it and manufacture it...everyone else just repackages it). Most people in the industry know what MPS is by this commen acronym.