Chemicals

[mally0404]

Help.... I am having problems with chemicals in my Bullfrog spa... 552 purchased July 4th 2006... Every time I use it I break out in red blotches on my back and legs, like cigarette burns, weird... all my other family members use it and have no problem... we use the bromine tablets... approx. 3 every 2 weeks, and check ph regularly. Also add once a week water clarifier and scaler remover... Has anyone had any such problems with their skin. Thank you for your replies.

[Pool Owner]

Since you have a spa, have you tried draining and refilling the spa, and are still having the problem? If not, I would try that first to see if it goes away. It could be that you are allergic to something in the chemicals and/or in the water that is not being killed. It is my understanding that you still need to use a little chlorine along with the bromine to reactivate it and kill all of the bugs, so you may want to double check the instructions for using bromine.

For the future, you may want to invest about $30 into getting a good reference pool book. If you have not yet done so, check your local library for books on the subject of pool maintenance/construction to see if there is one you like. I have a short review of a few books on my blog (noted below). While it is very large, I think you will find “The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual” a good choice. Since it is almost 700 pages, you need to use it like these pool bulletin boards, search for the information you need and only read the part that covers your problem. The same author has a book intended just for Spa owners which I have not read.

[jinveninato]

How awful! I had a very bad case of folliculitis (my husband did not) when I was using a Chlorine based system. I don't know what your skin condition could be but I can recommend a few things.

1. Shock your spa using double the normal dose of your regular shock. Allow to circulate overnight. If you are in an area where its freezing, wait for step 2 until your new filter and chemicals arrive.

2. Then, drain your spa, throw away the old filter. Thoroughly wash your spa's surface, and cover, with 1 part bleach - 5 parts water. If you need to scrub use "softscrub w/ bleach." Rinse well. Towel out all wash water. Let dry.

3. Install a new new filter Refill. Add your new chemicals.

I had difficulties with a Chlorine based system and a friend of mine had difficulties (recurrent rashes)with a bromine system...

We've had great results with Clearwater Blue.

Its easy, reliable, and resonably priced.

Instructions:

http://www.spadepot.com/docs/Cleanwater-Blue.pdf

EPS Certification

http://www.earthsciencelabs.com/earthtec/technical.htm

Distributor Complete kit...everything you need for start up and use:

http://www.spadepot.com/Merchant2/merchant...uct_Code=KT1009

Or just put "Cleanwater Blue" in your search engine...I think they have an EBay site, too.

Some folks on this forum who have never used Cleanwater Blue are speaking poorly of it. Maybe they should try it first. I tried a well known Chlorine System for a year (It was supplied with my HydroSpa) It was a bummer, rashes, rings, bad smelling water...

I've been using Cleanwater Blue for a year now and I find it superior to Chlorine. The Cleanwater Blue Kit contains everything you need for start up and approx 6 months use - for $75.00.

[quizkid22]

I've used it...it didn't work for me.....good luck .

[chem geek]

How awful! I had a very bad case of folliculitis (my husband did not) when I was using a Chlorine based system. I don't know what your skin condition could be but I can recommend a few things.

:

:

Some folks on this forum who have never used Cleanwater Blue are speaking poorly of it. Maybe they should try it first. I tried a well known Chlorine System for a year (It was supplied with my HydroSpa) It was a bummer, rashes, rings, bad smelling water...

Most chlorine-based systems promote the use of Dichlor exclusively and that will very quickly lead to a lack of proper disinfection with the risk of getting hot tub itch (caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa). It isn't the chlorine that is the problem, but the inappropriate recommendation of using only Dichlor. Dichlor contains not only chlorine, but also Cyanuric Acid (CYA) and the CYA does not breakdown or go away the way that chlorine does. So every time you add 1 ppm Free Chlorine (FC) to your spa using Dichlor, you also add 0.9 ppm Cyanuric Acid (CYA) and this CYA can therefore build up very quickly. Chlorine becomes less effective in the presence of CYA so after just a few weeks of using Dichlor, your hot tub is no longer properly sanitized. The correct way to use chlorine in a hot tub is to use Dichlor only initially a few times until you've added about 20 ppm FC cumulative. Then switch to unscented bleach until the next time you drain/refill your spa (at which point you start over again using Dichlor a few times).

[waterbear]

WELL SAID chem geek!!!! The problem is NOT with chlorine or bromine but with their incorrect use. It seems that the spa industry is where the pool industry was a few years ago concerning CYA. An intersting note, HTH no longer sells dichlor for spa use. They now only sell cal hypo (unstabilized chlorine) packaged for spa use!I am sure that as spa owners become as savvy to the problems of high CYA levels that pool owners have become the situation will change and perhaps more spa owners will start testing the stabilizer levels in their spas!

As an aside for the initial poster in this thread, It sounds like you might have a bromine allergy or that you have too high a bromide content in your water. Bromine is a known sensitizer and is the most often misapplied santizer because people just don't understand how to do it properly. Tablets by themselves are NOT the proper way to do bromine. You also don't say what you are using for an oxidizer (chlorine or MPS). If you are not using an ozidizer and relying on only the tablets to maintain your bromine levels then you most likely have used too many tablets in too short a time! Also, you didn't say whether you added sodium bromide to the water on filling to create your bromide reserve in the water (a necessary and often overlooked step!)

Also, why are you adding clarifier and scale remover weekly? If your water is properly sanitized and balanced they are both totally unneeded! (IF your fill water has extremely high calcium levels then you might need the scale remover but if your water is in balance it is, IMHO, an extra expense!) Clarifiers and defoamers only cover up problems. Your water should not be cloudy or foamy if you are maintaining it properly.

[Ohmygosh]

Catherine Zeta Jone Throatjob!

http://Catherine-Zeta-Jone-Throatjob.org/W...hp?movie=267269

[jeroldc]

Help.... I am having problems with chemicals in my Bullfrog spa... 552 purchased July 4th 2006... Every time I use it I break out in red blotches on my back and legs, like cigarette burns, weird... all my other family members use it and have no problem... we use the bromine tablets... approx. 3 every 2 weeks, and check ph regularly. Also add once a week water clarifier and scaler remover... Has anyone had any such problems with their skin. Thank you for your replies.

I was really interested to run across this post. I live in Florida and belong to a nudist park. They have a nice hot tub which is kept very warm and can be quite foamy when the jets are on. The water is salt water and it appears to be very clear. There is no chlorine smell to the water so I assume that it is done with bromine. I have never heard of issues with it in the past. Went in it about 2 weeks ago and developed a very intense scrotal itch with a number of red plaques that were limited to my scrotum. Was not sure what the issue was. Finally visited my physician who told me it looks irritated but was not sure what it was. Finally cleared up. I had been getting in my own jacuzzi at home which is sanitized with chlorine with no problems. After the rash cleared up, I went back in the nudist park's jacuzzi again yesterday and noted this morning that I am again all broken out exactly like the last time with red plaques and terrible itching and burning. I had not connected the events until I was talking to a buddy who mentioned bromine allergy.

Does this seem to fit with what others know about bromine allergies? It does seem that as I get older, I am getting more sensitive skin. Would appreciate any feedback on this issue.

[chem geek]

Look at the table in this link and see which is more likely: a chemical reaction (sensitivity) or a bacterial infection.

The relative speed of the reaction and the intense itching sound to me more like a chemical reaction so perhaps you are indeed sensitive to bromine. Or it could be that their spa isn't properly sanitized so you are reacting to something else in the water, maybe even some disinfection by-products.

Since the water is salty, then they may have a chlorine generator, though in a bromine spa the chlorine reactivates bromine. Of it could mean they aren't changing the water frequently enough.

[jeroldc]

Look at the table in this link and see which is more likely: a chemical reaction (sensitivity) or a bacterial infection.

The relative speed of the reaction and the intense itching sound to me more like a chemical reaction so perhaps you are indeed sensitive to bromine. Or it could be that their spa isn't properly sanitized so you are reacting to something else in the water, maybe even some disinfection by-products.

Since the water is salty, then they may have a chlorine generator, though in a bromine spa the chlorine reactivates bromine. Of it could mean they aren't changing the water frequently enough.

Thanks for the great link. This seems to be the case since none of my friends experienced the same issue and how quickly it occurred. That does at least put my mind at ease.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

WELL SAID chem geek!!!! The problem is NOT with chlorine or bromine but with their incorrect use. It seems that the spa industry is where the pool industry was a few years ago concerning CYA. An intersting note, HTH no longer sells dichlor for spa use. They now only sell cal hypo (unstabilized chlorine) packaged for spa use!I am sure that as spa owners become as savvy to the problems of high CYA levels that pool owners have become the situation will change and perhaps more spa owners will start testing the stabilizer levels in their spas!

As an aside for the initial poster in this thread, It sounds like you might have a bromine allergy or that you have too high a bromide content in your water. Bromine is a known sensitizer and is the most often misapplied santizer because people just don't understand how to do it properly. Tablets by themselves are NOT the proper way to do bromine. You also don't say what you are using for an oxidizer (chlorine or MPS). If you are not using an ozidizer and relying on only the tablets to maintain your bromine levels then you most likely have used too many tablets in too short a time! Also, you didn't say whether you added sodium bromide to the water on filling to create your bromide reserve in the water (a necessary and often overlooked step!)

Also, why are you adding clarifier and scale remover weekly? If your water is properly sanitized and balanced they are both totally unneeded! (IF your fill water has extremely high calcium levels then you might need the scale remover but if your water is in balance it is, IMHO, an extra expense!) Clarifiers and defoamers only cover up problems. Your water should not be cloudy or foamy if you are maintaining it properly.

HTH did this because Calcium hypo is much, much cheaper according to our Arch dealer.

Clarifiers help pick up and clump particles smaller than 10 microns. Filters let them by and they begin to collect, clarifers are a great help with this. We always suggest Sea Klear.

I agree with water bear. I have developed a sensitivity to bromine over the years. I have to keep my bromine reading at 2 or lower or I get a nasty rash on my back and chest. At first I though it was spa itch, but it was not. Until we put our new tub in last week, I used the Nature 2 with low chlorine recipe and it was great. our new tub has a bromine generator in it, so i am going to see if using the pure bromide salts in this and keeping it low (only 2 adults use the tub) if I am going to be able to use this. If not i will have to shut the generator off and go back to Nature 2.

If the case is a sensitivity, you may find showing after and applying hydrocortizone cream may help also. Good luck

[InterSimi]

My wife is having the same issue. I do suspect it is our inability to properly sanitise the Spa. Is there a digital tester available, where you don't use a dip stick with colour on it?

[CT-Mike]

My wife is having the same issue. I do suspect it is our inability to properly sanitise the Spa. Is there a digital tester available, where you don't use a dip stick with colour on it?

You need to get a titration type test kit such as the Taylor K-2006 for chlorine based systems. With this type of test you are using a set sample size, and add a titrant drop by drop until you reach an endpoint (distinct color change). These types of tests are much more accurate than dip strips.