interest in Wood/Cedar Hot Tub Chemistry Category

[ecstatic]

I hope the above post makes sense to the wood tub owners. We have to acknowledge that sanitizers treat wood as it does bathing waste (body oils, sweat, urea, skin cells etc.). We can't hope to maintain any safe levels residual chlorine without an alternative. We need something that does no harm, UVC. Add a few daily doses with an  Ozone injector before the UVC and you have Hydroxyls. Please take a look at the brochure link below. 

From Del ozone:

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"3RD PARTY CERTIFIED BY NSF

True NSF 50 Certification as a supplemental sanitizer. This system has been proven to eradicate 99.9% of influent bacteria–the only UV/Ozone combo system to receive this rating from NSF."

 

and 

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"THE SCIENCE OF AOP

When germicidal UV light (UV-C) and ozone react the result is the production of hydroxyl radicals. This reaction is known as Advanced Oxidation Process, or AOP.

Hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are the most powerful oxidation agents available, quickly destroying bacteria, viruses, pathogens and other contaminants that occur in water."

A link to the Del AOP brochure https://www.c-m-p.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/10000-300-414-DEL-AOP-Next-Gen-Brochure-REVB.pdf

 

 

This is impressive for any pool or spa

I am out of necessity using my tub as an experiment that will offer some hope to wood tub owners. I will be monitoring for health issues, since my wife is prone to rashes and severely swollen eyes after tub use. Wood health will be a priority, so I will be taking some time scheduling the ozone generator to avoid wood breakdown. My initial plan is to dose the tub with low 2ppm chorine/bleach with an extended filter cycle after bathing, then nothing until after the next use. I use the tub in the evening so I will run an early evening AOP cycle prior to and during use. Chlorine will be dialed up or down depending on water quality and tub health. My wife is the canary so to speak, if I can improve her experience then I've succeeded. If this fails I will no doubt epoxy/fiberglass the tub. 

Also I like to give a shout out Jennifer Engelmeier from. https://www.loveyourhottub.com. This is the most comprehensive website for Ozone/AOP/UVC. She provides extensive links to just about every thing you need. Jennifer was invaluable in putting this all together. 

Best regards

[ecstatic]

This is shout out to RDspaguy,

After much research I have gone ahead and installed an ozone/uvc system in my cedar tub. The winter was closing in when I finished the installation so I didn't have time to perform a thorough decontamination. I ran the new system for 48 hrs before bathing, the water is spotless but after several bathing cycles my wife ended up with the same swollen eyelid issue from the past, even while wearing swimming goggles.

I have been following the water chemistry put forth by Nitro's Dichlor/Bleach method. Bringing TA down from 100ppm to ~60ppm with borates and adding Dichlor after soaks along with a couple hours of the Ozone/UVC on high output. I have the UVC on a flow switch, so its always on with the pump and the ozone is wired to the cleaner mode on my multiwave automation and I usually run a pre and post soak cycle and a morning cycle. 

The weather cooperated for a few days to perform a deep cleaning with ahhsome spa purge and 25ppm bleach for last hour of purge, drained and refilled balanced TA adding 50ppm bleach with aeration for one hour then drained and refilled. I was very hesitant to add so much bleach to cedar tub, but since this is a short duration all seems well. Chlorine levels are better and now adding about 2ppm Dichlor after the post soak ozone cycle and another 1ppm in the morning. FC residual morning reading is below .5ppm.  

 

RDspaguy can you comment on a better way for wood tub owners to maintain a higher FC residual? RDspaguy you say in another thread:

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Everyone here knows I am not a fan of salt systems, even in pools, and especially in spas. But I know of quite a few people who have and do use them with good results and would not dream of doing anything else. For me, the most important criteria of a maintenance program is that you are happy with the results. But the main variable in that equation is you.

A big concern I have along with other cedar tub owners is zero FC in our tubs. Cedar can't withstand the shocks or floating dispensers or missing a Chorine dose. Is there another work around for us, like a salt system? Something that can span a week or weekend away or missed dose? 

I think the ozone/uvc is a very promising addition but not a cure all. It would be reassuring to know there is always more than .5ppm residual in our tanks.