Chlorine & bromine

[Susanj]

Recently I called our spa manufacturer with a question and the CS agent said something I'd never heard before and I don't think I believe . She said using  bromine and chlorine  at the same time is bad and they cancel each other out.

If you have a bromine tub and  you want to switch to chlorine you have to empty the water and start new.

From what I've read , even a bromine tub has some chlorine because of the chemical reaction with the bromine tabs. 

We have a bromine floater and our hot tub guy convinced me to start having him add  a little Dichlor to keep the water clear . Previously we had just been using MPS.  And he also still uses MPS. 

Comments?

[castletonia]

Technically yes, you are not going to use chlorine and bromine together.  It is also correct that if you have a bromine hot tub, you need to do a drain and refill to switch to chlorine.  If you are on chlorine, you can switch to bromine on the fly without changing the water.  I have never personally heard though that they cancel each other out.  I have had customers use chlorine as a shock for bromine, but my question would be why?  If MPS isn't doing a good enough job where you need additional sanitizer, then you might as well just use chlorine, in my opinion.

[Susanj]

Thanks. 

I know how to use bromine - a bromide starter packet on fill, bromine tabs in a floater and a shock, but how does one use chlorine- a weekly shock with a little bit during the week as needed? 

To answer your question , I think it's because bromine has more staying power as a sanitizer but chlorine  may do a better job in clearing up cloudy water .

Our situation is that we have a vacation rental with stays of 2-7 nts.  No one is going to be monitoring the water during their stay. I go back and forth on asking guests to handle chemicals, like having them put  in premeasured amounts of MPS or  Dichlor after each use. 

 

 

 

 

[castletonia]

If you are looking for something stronger than MPS, you could consider a bromine concentrate.  I know it's technically a mix of bromine and chlorine, but the idea is that it's a one-step sanitizer and oxidizer.  SpaGuard by BioGuard makes it, so does Natural Chemistry, and maybe a few others.  If he is set on using dichlor and mps, then use something like Enhanced Shock from SpaGuard.  Its a combination of dichlor and mps.

Bromine is a "warm water sanitizer" meaning that once your water temperature exceeds 97 degrees, the dissipation rate does not change.  Chlorine, while a stronger disinfectant, dissipates faster in the warm water.  You are right that it is probably a lost cause asking guests to do any water chemistry work.  

[Susanj]

Is it used after bathing or as a weekly shock?

 

[castletonia]

If you are going to use either Enhanced Shock or Bromine Concentrate along with the tabs in a floater, I would use it as a weekly shock or as a troubleshooter if the hot tub gets excessive use and the bromine tabs just can't keep up.

[onemiguel1987]

You can lower the chlorine and bromine levels in your hot tub so the water is safe and clean when you’re ready for a soak.