Bromine levels high and won't go down

[WiseOne]

I'm following Waterbear's 3-step Bromine method. I've added 1 tablespoon NaBr and activated it with 2 tsp dichlor. My bromine levels are now >10 and haven't gone down for almost a week. I turned off the ozone and have removed the bromine floater. pH 7.6 and TA 80m Borate 40, measured before adding the diclor. What am I missing? How do I get those levels down so I can use the tub? 

Also, do you recommend ozone be left on or off? It seems that it would provide some of the oxidation needed to keep the contaminants minimized. 

Thanks. 

[waterbear]

1 hour ago, WiseOne said:

and have removed the bromine floater

Your floater was opened too much and was releasing too much bromine into the water. Leave the floater out and the tub uncovered and run the jets until the bromine comes down. If the tub gets sunlight leave it uncovered while the sun is shining since sunlight will destroy bromine.

[WiseOne]

Thanks, Waterbear. But that were the cause. Floater wasn't put in yet at all. No sun and cold outside. Will running the jets reduce bromine, or just evaporate water? 

215 gallon. I had this problm with the last water change after shocking on iniitial fill. Am I using too much sodium bromide? I used less than recommended on packaging? 

Any thoughts about using O3? Does it matter if it is on while trying to reduce bromine levels? 

[waterbear]

7 hours ago, WiseOne said:

Floater wasn't put in yet at all

 

On 1/10/2024 at 11:09 PM, WiseOne said:

My bromine levels are now >10 and haven't gone down for almost a week. I turned off the ozone and have removed the bromine floater.

which is it? did you have the floater in or not?

7 hours ago, WiseOne said:

No sun and cold outside. Will running the jets reduce bromine, or just evaporate water? 

UV light and aeration will help reduce the bromine. Even if it's cloudy UV is still there.

 

7 hours ago, WiseOne said:

Am I using too much sodium bromide?

How much did you put in? 200 gal spa needs 1 oz by weight of sodium bromide to set up the bromide bank then shock the spa (bleach, dichlor, MPS, it really doesn't matter.) Your bromine will go very high. Uncover the spa and circulate until the bromine drops below 10 ppm before you use the spa. Don't put in the floater until the bromine has dropped. With a 200 gal spa the floater should be almost all the way closed and I would recommend a Pentair 335 floater since the are very adjustable (and come in tan or blue). Many floaters can't be closed enough and always put in too much bromine.

https://www.amazon.com/Pentair-R171090-Chlorine-Floating-Dispenser/dp/B001DSECOS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=RH137MX3JCRA&keywords=pentair+335&qid=1705037213&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=pentair+335%2Clawngarden%2C132&sr=1-2

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pentair-Swimming-Pool-335-Floating-Chlorine-Bromine-Chemical-Dispenser-White-And-Blue-R171074/49036105?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1195&adid=22222222222000000000_3614603750_pla&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=49036105_10000001242&wl14=pentair 335&veh=sem&msclkid=bf5fb004a09a14a922fdd5a46d61c40c&gclsrc=ds

 

7 hours ago, WiseOne said:

Any thoughts about using O3? Does it matter if it is on while trying to reduce bromine levels? 

Mixed bag. It is an oxidizer so it will reactivate your brominde bank (produce bromine sanitizer) but it often will oxidize the bromide past that point into bromate, which destroys part of the bromide bank since bromate can't regenerate hypobromous acid (bromine sanitizer).

If it were me, I would leave it off until the bromine level is in range and stable (with the floater).

 

 

 

[WiseOne]

Thanks for the responses. It's helpful to know that bromine levels will be very high after shocking. I was just surpised how long it took to come down.

You caught me regarding the floater. I had it in for a few hours but then realized the Br levels were high (after shock), so removed it. After turning off the ozone, leaving the floater out and leaving the cover off for a few hours per day over several overcast days, the bromine level finally dropped to 8. I heated the water and used the tub, after which Br was down to 2. I've just put the floater back in, pretty much closed off. Will see where things sit tomorrow. 

I will follow your suggestion and leave O3 off for now, until things are stable. 

[waterbear]

It's a learning curve for a new tub/tub owner. You can go into the tub when the bromine is high but wear an old swimsuit so it doesn't get bleached out. lI would personally go in as long as the bromine was under 15 ppm but the recommendation is 10 ppm.