Bromine Reading Is Low - Don't Know Why

[johnlmiii]

I use a brominator and have had the pool for 4 years and have never had a problem. This year I am unable to get a bromine reading even though my bromine in the brominator is eroding. My water is very clear and there does not appear to be any problems. I am very certain the brominator is setup correctly and is working properly (verified it with my pool company too). I don't understand where the bromine is going. Does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

John

[itabb]

There may be a bromine demand. First, did you set up your bromine bank with sodium bromide? If not, add some. Second, try shocking your pool with MPS (non-chlorine shock) or liquid chlorine and see what happens. Let us know. I would expect that you need to shock a bromine system at least once a week, and maybe more often. If you have something in the water that is demanding bromine, activating the bromine is the only way you can deal with it. You activate by shocking.

[johnlmiii]

There may be a bromine demand. First, did you set up your bromine bank with sodium bromide? If not, add some. Second, try shocking your pool with MPS (non-chlorine shock) or liquid chlorine and see what happens. Let us know. I would expect that you need to shock a bromine system at least once a week, and maybe more often. If you have something in the water that is demanding bromine, activating the bromine is the only way you can deal with it. You activate by shocking.

I did not setup a bromine bank with sodium bromide. I will ask my pool store about that. I did add two gallons of liquid shock the other day and still did not get any bromine reading. Thanks for your help.

[itabb]

Yeah, there's your problem. You may be on a chlorine pool right now. What chemical is in your liquid shock? Anyway, try a chlorine test, like DPD or OTO and see what your level is. It would take months to get enough bromine in your pool to be effective just using a brominator. If your pool is in the sun all day, uncovered, seriously consider chlorine over bromine.

Once you add sodium bromide, shock to activate it (MPS or Chlorine).

[johnlmiii]

Yeah, there's your problem. You may be on a chlorine pool right now. What chemical is in your liquid shock? Anyway, try a chlorine test, like DPD or OTO and see what your level is. It would take months to get enough bromine in your pool to be effective just using a brominator. If your pool is in the sun all day, uncovered, seriously consider chlorine over bromine.

Once you add sodium bromide, shock to activate it (MPS or Chlorine).

My liquid shock is comprised of sodium hypochlorite (12.5%) and inert (87.5%). You mention that I should shock to activate the sodium bromide...how much shock and is the liquid shock I have been using adequate? Thank you.

[itabb]

Sodium Hypochlorite, 12.5% is liquid chlorine. That's what you normally run a pool on. Your pool is probably a chlorine pool right now. How many gallons is your pool, incidentally?

You are shocking with the right stuff both for chlorine and bromine. Your Free Available Chlorine levels are probably quite high now, and you may want to test that. If you take a sample to a pool store, demand a titrate test. Better yet, get yourself a Taylor K 2006 test kit (or if you are really going bromine, K 2106).

I used to have a bromine spa that I shocked with Clorox. I have since switched the spa to chlorine because of the sun exposure. All the bromine would burn off in 3 hours and I'd have to shock again. And bromine tablets are so much more expensive (though I found them much cheaper at Home Depot), than bleach. Also, I find bromine smells while a well maintained and balanced chlorine spa has almost no smell at all. I just cannot keep it hot all the time, only when I use it.

Sodium Bromine may be called Bromine Starter or something similar. You don't need very much. 2-4 oz per 500 gallons, I think. If your FC is as high as I think it might be, you put some of this salt in and you are instant bromine. BTW, once your pool is bromine, you cannot go back to chlorine without a complete refill.