robd225 Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 The 3 & 1 Bromine guide talks about shocking with liquid bleach, BUT everything I have read is that liquid bleach can harm the internal parts of the tub. I'm now using MPS on my 4 day old tub and my bromine level has been up and down. After I shock its sits between 7 to 10 and by the next morning its less then 1. I followed the 3 and 1 guide and started the tub with bromine boost. My Bromine float is set to 4. My wife and I have used the tub the last 3 nights for about 45 min each night. Should I be shocking after each use? I would like to start using the liquid chlorine bleach because its cheaper, but I don't want to harm my new tub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 The 3 & 1 Bromine guide talks about shocking with liquid bleach, BUT everything I have read is that liquid bleach can harm the internal parts of the tub. I'm now using MPS on my 4 day old tub and my bromine level has been up and down. After I shock its sits between 7 to 10 and by the next morning its less then 1. I followed the 3 and 1 guide and started the tub with bromine boost. My Bromine float is set to 4. My wife and I have used the tub the last 3 nights for about 45 min each night. Should I be shocking after each use? I would like to start using the liquid chlorine bleach because its cheaper, but I don't want to harm my new tub. when you put bleach or any form of chlorine or mps into a bromine system that has excess bromide in the water (by adding sodium bromide on filling) it oxidizes the bromide into bromine santizer and in turn is reduces to either chloride ions (for all forms of chlorine) or sulfate ions (for MPS). This reaction occurs extremely fast. Also, if bleach (sodium hypochorite) damaged hot tubs then ALL forms of chlorine damage hot tubs since bleach or any other form of chlorine form hypochlourous acid and hypochlorite ions once n the water. What you have read is most likely from dealers who do not sell bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and they want you to buy their dichlor or lithium hypochloite, which are good for their profit margin. If you are following my guide on 3 step bromine (I have no idea what the 3 & 1 bromine guide is) I suggest you read it again and pay close attention to step 4. No where do I say any thng abou shocking after each use. I assume you DID add sodium bromide on filling, correct? If you did not then you are not going to be able to maintain bromine levels. What are the listed ingredeints in your "bromine boost"? If it is no at least 99% sodium bromide it is the wrong stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robd225 Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 I'm following your guide and the 3 and 1 was a typo, My sodium bromide is 99%. The 3 & 1 Bromine guide talks about shocking with liquid bleach, BUT everything I have read is that liquid bleach can harm the internal parts of the tub. I'm now using MPS on my 4 day old tub and my bromine level has been up and down. After I shock its sits between 7 to 10 and by the next morning its less then 1. I followed the 3 and 1 guide and started the tub with bromine boost. My Bromine float is set to 4. My wife and I have used the tub the last 3 nights for about 45 min each night. Should I be shocking after each use? I would like to start using the liquid chlorine bleach because its cheaper, but I don't want to harm my new tub. when you put bleach or any form of chlorine or mps into a bromine system that has excess bromide in the water (by adding sodium bromide on filling) it oxidizes the bromide into bromine santizer and in turn is reduces to either chloride ions (for all forms of chlorine) or sulfate ions (for MPS). This reaction occurs extremely fast. Also, if bleach (sodium hypochorite) damaged hot tubs then ALL forms of chlorine damage hot tubs since bleach or any other form of chlorine form hypochlourous acid and hypochlorite ions once n the water. What you have read is most likely from dealers who do not sell bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and they want you to buy their dichlor or lithium hypochloite, which are good for their profit margin. If you are following my guide on 3 step bromine (I have no idea what the 3 & 1 bromine guide is) I suggest you read it again and pay close attention to step 4. No where do I say any thng abou shocking after each use. I assume you DID add sodium bromide on filling, correct? If you did not then you are not going to be able to maintain bromine levels. What are the listed ingredeints in your "bromine boost"? If it is no at least 99% sodium bromide it is the wrong stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robd225 Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm following the 3 step bromine guide, started my tub with bromine boost 4 days ago. My water is crystal clear. But my bromine level keeps on falling below 1. I'm using the recommended floater and it's open all the way. This morning I shocked with 6% liqiud bleach and my bromine level went to 16. Tonight we went into the tub for about an hour and the level was 5. I tested the water 3 hours after getting out and its now below 1. I also noticed some brown scum on the water. All my other levels are in the proper range. The only way I been able to boost my bromine level is to shock and I have no shocked every day since the tub was delivered 4 days ago. Any advise would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robd225 Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm following the 3 step bromine guide, started my tub with bromine boost 4 days ago. My water is crystal clear. But my bromine level keeps on falling below 1. I'm using the recommended floater and it's open all the way. This morning I shocked with 6% liqiud bleach and my bromine level went to 16. Tonight we went into the tub for about an hour and the level was 5. I tested the water 3 hours after getting out and its now below 1. I also noticed some brown scum on the water. All my other levels are in the proper range. The only way I been able to boost my bromine level is to shock and I have no shocked every day since the tub was delivered 4 days ago. Any advise would be great. Sorry that I first posted this in the wrong section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbear Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Original post moved and merged with this one and then this one merged into your original thread. You do not need to start multiple threads. Doing so actually lessens the likelyhood of you getting the info you need since there is not a history of what yo have tried or not tried. Did you decontaminate your spa before filling it? Often, when a spa is wet tested water is left in the plumbing and biofilms can grow. If you cannot maintain sanitizer levels in the spa then something is growing in it, either from biofilm growth or from improper sanitation procedures. You can try shocking it 2 or 3 times in a row (which might or might not work) or you can follow the decontamination procedure and start over. The 3 & 1 Bromine guide talks about shocking with liquid bleach, BUT everything I have read is that liquid bleach can harm the internal parts of the tub. I'm now using MPS on my 4 day old tub and my bromine level has been up and down. After I shock its sits between 7 to 10 and by the next morning its less then 1. I followed the 3 and 1 guide and started the tub with bromine boost. My Bromine float is set to 4. My wife and I have used the tub the last 3 nights for about 45 min each night. Should I be shocking after each use? I would like to start using the liquid chlorine bleach because its cheaper, but I don't want to harm my new tub. My feeling is that you just not have been follwing the 3 step bromne guide and trying to mix the info in it with other info you have heard or read. My suggestion is to drain, decontaminate, and start over and follow the guide OR follow someone else's suggestions but don't mix them and expect things to work (and don't expect things to work easily if you do something other than 3 step bromine. 3 step is the easy way to do bromine. 2 step bromine is more complicated. Using tablets only is NOT using bromine since you will not have a properly sanitized tub until enough bromide builds up on the water.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robd225 Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I have only been following the 3 step bromine and I have used the bromine boost as stated. BUT I DID NOT DECON the tub before I filled it. It was a new tub and I didn't know about the bio film. I'm wondering is thats my problem. I will try shocking the tub which is 400 gallons with 8 oz of 6% bleach several times and see if I kill off anything that may be in the tub. I really don't want to have to drain and refill. How much bleach can I shock the tub with without damaging it? Tub has an ozone system and my floater is open all the way. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robd225 Posted October 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 The 3 & 1 Bromine guide talks about shocking with liquid bleach, BUT everything I have read is that liquid bleach can harm the internal parts of the tub. I'm now using MPS on my 4 day old tub and my bromine level has been up and down. After I shock its sits between 7 to 10 and by the next morning its less then 1. I followed the 3 and 1 guide and started the tub with bromine boost. My Bromine float is set to 4. My wife and I have used the tub the last 3 nights for about 45 min each night. Should I be shocking after each use? I would like to start using the liquid chlorine bleach because its cheaper, but I don't want to harm my new tub. I think I may have killed off what ever was knocking my bromine down to below 1. I shocked three times within 24 hours, each time taking my bromine level to between 15 and 17. My last three water tests over the last 12 hours was at 12.5 to 13. I'm now thinking about removing the cover an turning up the jets and air for several hours and checking the water every hour until I get it down to below 10. My goal is to maintain 4 to 6 bromine level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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