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3 Step Bromine And Ozonator


Rufus1

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Hi,

I am trying to maintain the 3 step bromine regimen, although I just received my Taylor 2106 yesterday, so I think I really messed up my Bromine levels thanks to the test strips. I kept opening my feeder up because the strips were telling me I had 0-1 ppm of Total Bromine, even after adding 3oz. of bleach earlier in the day. So I ended up with the feeder opened up to 13. When I used my kit last night, it showed Bromine levels at 16, yikes! Needless to say, the feeder is out of the tub for now.

Anyways, I'm curious what the effect of having a 24/7 ozonator has on the 3step bromine process? Does it eat up the bromide bank faster? Does it reduce the amount of bleach needed, or the frequency? When I first started the 3step, i was adding bleach everyday, and my eyes were on fire (probably due to the inaccurate readings detailed above and overdoing it), but then I stopped adding the bleach and the water seems nice now to my sinuses and eyes, so I started wondering about the ozonator's affect.

Thanks!

Woody

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Well, my understanding is that the point of the bleach is to oxidize the bromine, and ozone is also an oxidizer, so I would expect the ozonator to make it unnecessary to use bleach (or at least, you'd use a lot less bleach). But I'm far from a chemistry guru.

--paulr

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PaulR is pretty much on the money and yes, it can deplete the bromide reserve faster since ozone tends to oxidize bromide into bromate, which is not "renewable", but the bromide is constantly being replaced by the tablets in the floater is constantly being refreshed with tablets.

The main effect you might see is having to change the water a little bit sooner but the truth is most ozonators in tubs really do next to nothing and they are more of a selling feature than anyone else.

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  • 11 months later...

Hey Waterbear - I replied to this topic because I was searching for info on how an ozonator affects the depletion rate of bromide. Lately I've had one heck of a time keeping bromine levels up to par, even with shocking, using the floater and adjusting TA (which is about 90 right now).

The water feels comfortable and looks great, but I can't get good bromine readings (Taylor K-2106). I'm beginning to wonder if I need to add sodium bromide as you advised during start-up, but I don't want to make that move without consulting you first.

The main effect you might see is having to change the water a little bit sooner but the truth is most ozonators in tubs really do next to nothing and they are more of a selling feature than anyone else.

Here comes the confession ... although I use my little hot tub nearly every evening, I have not changed my water in over a year!! I rotate two filters and rinse them every other week or so. I just find it difficult to "dump" perfectly good water, especially during this crazy drought! Maybe the bromide is saying, "COME ON, LADY! I'M SOOO EXHAUSTED ... LET ME GO!" :rolleyes: ... but I'm hoping I can just add a few more buddies to help it do its job! Okay, I'm ready for your reply ... Hit me with it, good and bad! Thanks!

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If you want do to bromine properly you MUST CREATE A BROMIDE RESERVE IN THE WATER UPON FILLING. The easiest way is to add sodium bromide on filling.

Ozone can oxidize bromide into non renewable bromate and 1 YEAR IS TOO LONG FOR A BROMINE TUB TO GO BETWEEN WATER CHANGES.

Because of the high bather to water load and the elevated temperatures hot tubs get a LOT of waste products and organics in the water from each bather so water changed are necessary every 3 to 4 months. Period!

TA has NOTHING to do with your bromine levels.

If you have no bromide reserve in the water shocking will not create bromine sanitizer. If you are relying on ozone or MPS you have no sanitizer. If you are using chlorine you have a chlorine spa, not a bromine one.

Please read Bromine for Beginners and follow it. You will not have problems if you do.

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OUCH! i knew that was going to hurt! :wacko: I shall drain my tub and start fresh, being sure to invest in my bromide bank as well as follow the rest of your bromine protocol. If you don't mind another question ...

I have a couple 2 oz. packets of "hth spa" brom-start (99% sodium bromide, 1% inert other). I bought them about 4 months back and they've been stored on my sun porch. Since there is no expiration date on the package, does this mean that these granules stay "active" indefinitely? The stuff is relatively cheap and I don't mind buying more, but I don't want to bother if I can use these to get the results I need.

What's your opinion on that? Thanks so much for your time and excellent advice!

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Thank you, Most Helpful Tardigrade! If I may humbly request, please consider adding the following info to "Bromine for Beginners" -

1) Ozonators: Help or Hype? The roll ozone plays in your 3-step bromine spa

2) Air Controls: Open or closed when spa is not in use (and yet runs its filtration process)?

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A good ozonator can be useful in a hot tub. However, the UV ozonators and CD units that bubble right into the body of the tub water tend to not do much good.

Air controls should be closed except when wanting the extra turbulence since they will aerate the water, causing a faster outgassing of CO2 and therefore a faster pH rise.

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Well, I feel like the "hot tub idiot"! Sorry to bug you again .... I may have made a huge faux pas last night -- after draining our hot tub, I cleaned it with borax, a non-scratch cleaning pad and LOTS of elbow grease.

I've always thought borax to be non-abrasive, and I did this to remove stains that had been left behind from the previous owner's use of well water. (When we bought it last year, my husband took care of cleaning it up and filling it while I consulted the local pool/spa store for chemical assistance. Thought we were doing everything right ... then the water started to choke us and turned green ... THEN I found this amazing forum. WHY do I do everything in reverse order?) :wacko:

So, AFTER I cleaned the fiberglass shell with borax (removing each and every stain I might add!), my hubby said he wants to "wax" it before we refill. I decided to see if anything was posted along those lines, and also read a couple of your posts on not scrubbing a hot tub.

I would love to have your input on that ... is it necessary? If so, what product would be best to use? Have I possibly ruined my finish by using borax on the stains? Water still beads nicely on the surface - if that makes any difference. Once again ... S. O. S. !! (Save Our Spa!)

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Did some surfing to see what material our tub is actually made of, and it looks like it's high density polyethylene (not fiberglass). Also convinced my husband not to apply any wax and just let me do my "Bromine for Beginners" thing....I have been so anxious to actually start up the spa the right way this time!!

Here is where the test results stand, 3 hours after process was started:

Br = 12

pH = 7.8

TA = 80

CH = 280

Floater = set on 1

I was surprised by a couple of things: TA tested at 200 to start (city water), and it took less than half of the recommended dose of acid (sodium bisulfate) to lower it to 80 (using Nitro's instructions) within 30 minutes! The other surprise was that after adding the sodium bromide and shocking, the bromine only spiked to 12. Are both of these figures good?

So, the little hot tub is all tucked in for the night and I am hoping that tomorrow morning will bring good results. At least I know it's fresh water and a nice, clean shell! :)

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