Chlorine (Clorox) Then Renew?

[walleye]

I have a question. Currently I am using Bromine in my Hot Tub and it is working very well and it is EZ. My question is, once a week I shock it with Clorox, about 6 ounces. (455 gallon tub) My bomine level has been 1-2 in the past but I added another tab and now sits around 4-5 ppm. Question is, after I add the bleach I have been adding about an ounce or two of "Renew" non chlorine as an oxidizer. Is this needed or am I wasting the "Renew"? I have not yet got this figured out, I am under the impression I need to add an Oxidizer to remove spent bleach. What do you suggest I do differently? In a nutshell I am adding a couple ounces of the renew after every 2nd or 3rd use. I am usually in it nightly. So I add renew say once a week (2 OUNCES) and once a week I add 6 ounces of bleach followed a hour later by 2 ounces of renew. Thanks for all the help here. It is very much appreciated. So far my levels are all good and the water is very clear.

[chem geek]

You do not need to add the Renew unless you find that the water does not remain clear without it. Normally the chlorine will be sufficient, both to create bromine from your bromide bank and to oxidize chemicals directly if any are present. It is not true that Renew or any other oxidizer "removes spent bleach". When the bleach gets used up creating bromine, the bleach becomes chloride salt. If you stop using Renew, then you may need to increase the amount of chlorine bleach you are adding, but you can judge this based on your ability to maintain bromine levels and keep the water clear.

[walleye]

Thank you chem geek.

[waterbear]

Bleach is an oxidizer.

[walleye]

Bleach is an oxidizer.

So is a Oxidizer a sanitizer? (Bromine and Chlorine?) Also, what removes the oxidizer after it is spent? Just trying to understand all this so I can make sense of it. Is there a thread that addresses all this? Thanks.

[chem geek]

All oxidizers are not sanitizers, but some are both oxidizers and sanitizers such as chlorine and bromine. Chlorine tends to be a better oxidizer than bromine which is why a properly maintained chlorine pool or spa rarely needs shocking while a bromine or N2/MPS spa sometimes needs shocking (usually with chlorine).

A spent oxidizer does not need to be removed except after a very long time building up -- in practice, you change the water long before there is any issue with salt buildup. Most of the oxidizers used in pools and spas are converted to salts when they are spent. Chlorine converts to chloride salt. Bromine converts to bromide salt. MPS converts to sulfates. Ozone converts to oxygen gas. Hydrogen peroxide converts to water when it is an oxidizer or to oxygen gas when it is a reducer.

Note that in the case of bromine, there is a cycle once you build up a bromide bank. The spent bromine becomes bromide which is then reactivated by use of an oxidizer (such as chlorine or ozone or MPS) to become bromine again. A similar cycle happens with chlorine when using a saltwater chlorine generator (and also happens with bromine for spas that use a bromine generator which is really the same electrolysis but using bromide salt instead of chloride salt).