Bromine Level With An Ozonator

[Jerry123]

just checking to see if the info that I'm getting from the pool and spa guy is accurate.

BTW, this is not the place that sold me the spa but it is the place that i go to for chemicals.

He said that since I have a built in ozonator I do not need the "normal" level of bromine....all

i need is what he calls a "presence". Any color indication on the test strip is fine he said.

Hows that sound?

[mjs]

As a user and chemist (but this IS NOT my area of expertise), the reason for having a residual amount of available bromine (or chlorine of you use that system) is to have some available when needed. I don't think you ever want to have ZERO bromine.

If you have too little, then its easy to drop to zero without knowing it. This, I believe, is the reason for a measureable residual.

Also, if you don't use your spa one week, you may be fine (of have slightly high bromine); if you use the spa daily the next week, the bromine residual is likely to drop. Hence, I tend to adjust my floater with my usage; not significantly, just a few "turns up or down).

[Jerry123]

As a user and chemist (but this IS NOT my area of expertise), the reason for having a residual amount of available bromine (or chlorine of you use that system) is to have some available when needed. I don't think you ever want to have ZERO bromine.

If you have too little, then its easy to drop to zero without knowing it. This, I believe, is the reason for a measureable residual.

Also, if you don't use your spa one week, you may be fine (of have slightly high bromine); if you use the spa daily the next week, the bromine residual is likely to drop. Hence, I tend to adjust my floater with my usage; not significantly, just a few "turns up or down).

Thanks for the reply.

I believe (not sure, but i think so) that i follow the residual bromine thing.

If you (mjs) have an in-line ozonator on your spa then your experience may very well apply to me. If you do not have the ozone box then we may have apples and oranges. According to the aforementioned spa guy, that is the case. He said ozonator=less (read trace) bromine. I'm trying to get a handle on the real story as it applies to a spa with an ozonator. So, whatcha got?

[mjs]

I have an ozonator on my spa. I think the primary benefit is it reduces the amount of bromine that must be added via the floater. It may also allow a reduced level of residual to combat newly introduces organic matter, but I'm not sure this would be significant.

My practice, BTW, is to "aim" for 2-5 ppm bromine. More and I "turn down" the floater, less and I turn it up (unless its due for a shock - then I shock).

[drprwnap]

just checking to see if the info that I'm getting from the pool and spa guy is accurate.

BTW, this is not the place that sold me the spa but it is the place that i go to for chemicals.

He said that since I have a built in ozonator I do not need the "normal" level of bromine....all

i need is what he calls a "presence". Any color indication on the test strip is fine he said.

Hows that sound?

There are so many schools of thought on this, it's unreal. I'll relate my experience. I have had a Marquis Epic since the middle of Oct. It has an in-line frog system (bromine and minerals). My bromine readings have been between 0.5 and 1.0 since I've had the spa. The water has been clear. I shock weekly with MPS and use a tsp or two of di-chlor AFTER using the spa. The only water problem I've had is when we went away for a long weekend, the water was green when we came home. I discovered this was due to the fact that the bromine cartridge was empty. They say you can get 3 weeks out of it, but that's not the case for me. Doubled shocked the spa, replaced the cartridge and the water cleared up in a couple of days. I also have ozone. Do you use minerals also?

drprwnap

[Roger]

There are so many schools of thought on this, it's unreal.

You are exactly correct there are plenty of schools of though on this. Here's mine. I did not find a significant drop in chlorine usage with ozone and silver ion usage, but a small one. What I did find is the ability of your water to maintain itself during exented periods of non use. Once use was added into the picture chlorine at about the same levels as without ozone and minerals was required. I do not mean a 3 week vacation I just mean for instance if you only use your tub twice a week and only add chlorine after uses, your water will maintain cleanliness between uses. Without ozone more additions were required to maintain fresh water between uses, say every other day use or not.