Too High Bromine Throw Off Ph And Ta Readings?

[RuBaDuB]

Hi all, my water generally stays very good and doesn't change much. However, after a couple weeks of no use, I went out to check the water with the Taylor kit and found the bromine off the charts high, really high...not sure why since my floater is set to 1.

Anyway, I went to check pH and it was REALLY low, came out yellow. Then checked TA and after adding the 2 drops then 5 drops to turn the water green, the water just went a pale almost colorless blue/green...didn't even bother to add the next drops to finish since it was so off.

Question, can this happen just bec my bromine is so high?? My water is usually good and suddenly pH and TA just went crazy!! Not sure if I should even try to balance those until the Br drops way down??

Thanks!

[quantumchromodynamics]

In this case, I think that it would be best to drain and refill. High bromine and a low pH is a very bad combination.

If you can't drain and refill, I recommend that you use sodium thiosulfate to lower the bromine level. Use 0.126 grams per 100 gallons to reduce bromine levels by 1 ppm.

Example: To reduce bromine levels by 10 ppm in 400 gallons, you would use 5.04 grams of sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate.

Na₂S₂O₃ + 5H₂O

density = 1.67 g/cm^3

5.04 grams = 3.018 cubic centimeters = 0.6123 tsp (teaspoons)

[chem geek]

High halogen levels (bromine or chlorine) can change the TA test from the normal green (going to red when you reach the endpoint) to a blue (going to yellow when you reach the endpoint). So what you saw with that test makes sense.

[RuBaDuB]

High halogen levels (bromine or chlorine) can change the TA test from the normal green (going to red when you reach the endpoint) to a blue (going to yellow when you reach the endpoint). So what you saw with that test makes sense.

So I drained out half of the water and filled back up with new water to try and bring bromine down...weird, but bromine is STILL off the charts high, although pH and TA were now back in the normal range.

I don't understand how the bromine is so high all of a sudden. We haven't used the tub much at all this winter so far (only 2-3 times) but haven't been shocking and have had the floater set at 1. Bromine was always perfect until now. Even after a 50% drain and refill it is crazy high. The only thing that we've changed is we switched to a different brand of Bromine pucks when we ran out of the ones we got from Arctic Spas. Got the new ones from www.hottubessentials.com. Any chance thats the culprit? Maybe they dissolve too quick or something?

I think we're gunna have to pee in the tub or something to try and burn that bromine off!!! Any other ideas, short of complete drain and refill?

[chem geek]

It does sound like these pucks are dissolving too quickly. Take the floater out until your levels come down. Instead of doing water replacement, you can use a chlorine neutralizer since it works for bromine as well, such as sodium thiosulfate. Or you can just wait to see if the levels start to come down after taking out the floater.

[quantumchromodynamics]

My solution to chemistry that goes that far off is usually to drain and refill. That is the fastest and easiest way to solve the problem.

Different brands of tabs will dissolve at different rates. I have found that some tabs will dissolve very rapidly and disintegrate. They can drop bromine dust and chips into the water. Good tabs will dissolve slowly and evenly without disintegrating or dropping dust and chips.

You can go to the pool store to buy "Chlorine Neutralizer" to lower your bromine. It is sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate.

[RuBaDuB]

My solution to chemistry that goes that far off is usually to drain and refill. That is the fastest and easiest way to solve the problem.

Different brands of tabs will dissolve at different rates. I have found that some tabs will dissolve very rapidly and disintegrate. They can drop bromine dust and chips into the water. Good tabs will dissolve slowly and evenly without disintegrating or dropping dust and chips.

You can go to the pool store to buy "Chlorine Neutralizer" to lower your bromine. It is sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate.

UPDATE: My solution...removed the new bromine pucks and chucked em out, went and bought ones from Arctic Spas that we normally use. Used the tub one night, let son pee in the tub before getting out (serious). Let spa sit for 3 days with no floater....voila, bromine down to zero. Re-balanced pH/TA, shock, put floater back in set at 1. No more wacky water.