Bromine level at zero. Help!!

[Lovespa1]

Hello. I have a question to ask and hoping someone can help me please. I have fresh water that I placed in my spa springtime and put new filters in. I never had any problems before until now.. I shocked the water first to bring the bromine level up.. Then i added alkaline power to my water. To raise the level to 7.2-7.5 ph and alkalinity around 120. At first my bromine level was perfect 4-6. Now it just doesn't want to maintain. I have the pentair #335 all the way open. So 5 tablets are visible. I keep my cover on all the time, so no sunlight hits it. It's an indoor spa. My temp in spa is maintained around 86 to 90. The water is always circulating. I believe I'm doing everything right. I had the spa guy come and he said the tubs in great condition for being over 30 years old. No rust, maintained very well. He just said open up the filter more.. I have done this and still nothing.. I don't want to keep shocking the spa after one use. I don't understand why my bromine level keeps dropping! Anyone who can help in answering this puzzle please help. Thank you in advance...

[RDspaguy]

Is that an Emerald? I haven't seen one of those in decades. Well done keeping it going all these years. It looks great.👍

What are you testing with? When did you last add sodium bromide? What are you shocking with? Was this gradual or all-of-a-sudden?

@Cusser, would you like to pipe in on this 30 year old tub on bromine tablets question? I feel like you two should talk.😉

[Mr.Xtreme]

Hi

You must build up a bank of bromine and there are several ways to do it.

sodium Bromide and then shock with a Dichlor shock or if you dont have Sodium Bromide granules you can take 2-3 Bromine tabs put in plastic heavy bag and pulverize crush then add into spa and shock with Dichlor shock. if you use spa even 1 person shock when you get out every time. The level should come up within 1 day and stabilize.

also if you are using strips to test throw them away. I have had 2 different strips from different mfg with way different readings and which one is right? Use a Taylor regents test kit( liquid test) for most accurate results. Additionally, you must balance your levels of total Alk and PH in that order before the Bromine will stabilize and melt properly and measure those before shocking or when the shock level drops.

paul

[Lovespa1]

Thank you to you both @RDspaguy and @Mr.Xtreme for answering my question. Thank you i try to maintain as best as I can. It is an emerald. I have used testing strips and never had any problems with readings. It was always accurate. I started to have problems with the bromine one year where I didn't maintain the spa due to my moms passing didnt have the motivation to keep up with it. Ever since then i have had problems with the bromine level. This past spring I changed the water and started new. I always look at the ph and alkalinity before shocking it. I shocked it and then added more alkaline to bring it up. When I did that the ph level went up also. So I used the spa after several hours of it circulating. When checked level after a couple of hours the bromine was at zero. I added the bromine granules to try to build a bromine bank to the tub and didn't get it up. I have right now the pentair opened all the way plus another floater to try to get the bromine up and still nothing. When I shock it, it stays just for the hour not even and then it drops again. I dont know what else to do. I never had these problems with ph, alkalinity or bromine. I was good with these chemicals. I wonder if the tablets are old? I just bought them. I'm going to try the tester kit you suggested. And buy that brand of shock too. I have been using all these years as a shocker spatime non-chlorine shock and never had any problems with it either.

[RDspaguy]

21 hours ago, Lovespa1 said:

didn't maintain the spa

You likely have a biofilm buildup in the pipes eating up your sanitizer. Get some Ahhsome spa cleaner and follow the instructions.

Check this out.

https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/52536-ever-wonder-what-biofilm-looks-like/

 

[Lovespa1]

1 hour ago, RDspaguy said:

You likely have a biofilm buildup in the pipes eating up your sanitizer. Get some Ahhsome spa cleaner and follow the instructions.

Check this out.

https://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?/topic/52536-ever-wonder-what-biofilm-looks-like/

 

@RDspaguyi really hope I don't have that biofilm buildup. I will try what you have recommended, ty for your input. I have used waterline control, stain & scale control, and filter cleaners to try to keep it clean and maintain. I hope that ahhsome spa cleaner will do the trick, lol. Once I put that cleaner in do I have to change the water again? I never used that product so don't know how it works. 😊

[RDspaguy]

Yes, you add it before draining. It foams up and a bunch of nasty stuff starts sticking around the waterline. Wipe it up as it appears as it gets quite difficult to remove if allowed to dry.

1 hour ago, Lovespa1 said:

really hope I don't have that biofilm buildup.

I am certain that you do. Almost all spas do to some degree, and letting it go without maintenance can cause it to get out of control pretty quick. 

[Lovespa1]

6 hours ago, RDspaguy said:

Yes, you add it before draining. It foams up and a bunch of nasty stuff starts sticking around the waterline. Wipe it up as it appears as it gets quite difficult to remove if allowed to dry.

I am certain that you do. Almost all spas do to some degree, and letting it go without maintenance can cause it to get out of control pretty quick. 

K, thank you once again. I will try it and see if that works.