Alicatt Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 First I want to thank everyone for all their help on this forum - it truly is an awesome resource! Three weeks ago my Coast Radiance arrived and we love it. However, we are set up with Bromine Tablets and Bromine Booster from the spa store and I just haven't been able to build up a bromine bank. The first 2 weeks it was always below 3 then last weekend it had an algae bloom and turned green and cloudy. I shocked it with pool chlorine and it solved the algae problem but then even with the bromine dispenser open as wide as it goes - the level went from 10 to below 3 again overnight. We are using the spa heavily - at least one hour per day - 2 to 3 people. I am using test strips so far - we live in Canada and for some reason Amazon refuses to deliver a Taylor Test kit to us. I found one store in Montreal that had them for $120 but on Amazon it was $53. I ended up ordering it to be delivered to my brother in New York so it should be arriving with him at my place by Christmas. Hopefully that will help, but what an exercise in frustration! In a desperate attempt to bring the bromine up to around 5 - I put 2 tablets in the skimmer basket. It came back up - 15 yesterday! Any tips on how to get this to regulate to a normal level? The ph etc. is ok. Thanks for any help you can give me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egclassic Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I am certainly no expert and I am working through my own set of problems, but, when you set up your new tub, did you put the required amount of sodium bromide (i believe 1/2oz per 100 gallons) in your tub to build the bromine reserve? Also, did you decontaminate the tub before your first usage? Even though it is new, it can still have stuff growing in the plumbing. I have just started using bromine also and I am finding it a bit more challenging to keep it at the desired levels. Once I shock the tub, the levels go high and it takes quite some time to return to normal, there is definately a learning curve. I am sure Chemgeek, Waterbear or someone else with more knowledge, will be along to give you better advice/solutions, but sounds like something is in the tub using up your sanitizer. I would follow the decontamination procedure (which I've done twice) and see if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicatt Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 Hi egclassic - thank you for your reply! Sodium Bromide is not available at my spa store - I live in a rural area without a lot of choices! The spa store told me they just recommended the tablets and booster. Sodium bromide is now on my list for the next time I head to the US - with all the new chemical laws here we can't buy anything anymore! Thank you for the decontamination tip - I will see if the spa store sells any of the recommended products for it - if not, I will add those to my US list too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topspeed007 Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 I thought Canada was 'home of the spa'. You must be able to get sodium bromide even in the UK I can get this no problem...use Amazon or similar?? Look for pool chemicals etc. If you don't have sodium bromide in your spa to start then until you have built a bromide reserve (bank) your spa is effectively as chlorine. The bromine reserve will take a few weeks to establish The basket and how far to open are down to use, so this is a trial and error situation based on how many tablets you're using and how open the floater is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Even Further Posted January 18, 2013 Report Share Posted January 18, 2013 Maybe try spa depot for the Sodium Bromide. That's where I buy mine. I use a ColorQ Pro 7 test kit. Follow the 3 step instructions closely. I use Bromine/floater and try to keep a lesser amount of tablets and open up the adjustment to allow higher flow-thru. This works better for me than using 2-3 new tablets with the adjustment set low, (to avoid too high Bromine level). Sometimes I only have 1 new tablet in the floater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicatt Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I finally found Sodium Bromide!! It comes by mail order out of BC - http://www.hottubessentials.ca/bromine-generator-sodium-bromide Finding this was almost as big of a frustration as getting my Taylor Test kit but now I will be all set for my next water change which will be when the weather returns above freezing! It will be nice to see my green water go down the drain (as pictured in my profile pic) - no one was ever able to help me figure out that mystery either on this forum or at the spa dealer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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