Not having success with BBB in my hot tub

[RavenNS]

Unfortunately I don't really have a moment right now to go into all this...
lets just say,
(1) forget the bleach... too much trouble for what it's worth & it will most likely end up costing the same or more than bromine anyway ( due to dissapation factors)
go with Bromine
(2) I agree with Chemgeek... forget the salt... you don't need it.
- you'll get the same "soft" feel from spa products usually called "soft" ( with way less tds & chemical solvents)... it usually only takes one small squirt every once in a while
(3) don't add CYA
(4) use puck floaters ( they will most likely have a bit of stabalizer anyway)
- make sure that the floater is Never empty... this will ensure that your level doesn't drop to zero... around 6ppm sanitizer is a good number to shoot for.
(you can still use sodium carbonate or bi-carbonate products & you will still need to add calcium...)

I would suggest checking your hot tub manual for recommendations of levels...
then check your old baqu system to see what "job" each chemical was doing ( some of your "start-up" chemicals may not be replaced with grocery items, but we may be able to suggest other chemicals instead of Baqu-crap system);
then you can then figure out what chemicals can be replaced by grocery store items ( or BBB... Bromine, Baking soda, Borax)...

as long as your sanitizer ( bromine or chlorine) is high enough to do it's job ( not interupted by CYA) then the "itch" or bacteria causing it, should Not re-occur....

if you have a product called " tub clean" or something similar to it, run it through before draining the tub... be sure to either replace your filter or use a filter cleaning chemical ( like filter pure, or filter cure) soaking it over-night
or about 24 hours would be ideal

Best of Luck

[keithw]

Yep I am going to nix the BBB on the tub. Tested tonight and the CL was 0. I was at 10.6 yesterday at the same time. The tub hasn't been used in three days so it cannot be anything that we are putting in that's killing the CL. It just disappears so fast in such a small tub, I guess. Don't see any choice but to drain tomorrow and re-baquacize it.

[keithw]

Just an update. Decided to give CL one last shot. As Richard and I discussed, my CYA was high so I did a drain and refill and have the CYA at 30PPM now. Also gave up on the salt since Richard suggest that it oxidize the CL faster. Things appear to be much more stable after the refill. I can hold a CL greater than 6PPM for a day day or two now so maintaining the tub with CL is now tolerable.

[chem geek]

Just an update. Decided to give CL one last shot. As Richard and I discussed, my CYA was high so I did a drain and refill and have the CYA at 30PPM now. Also gave up on the salt since Richard suggest that it oxidize the CL faster. Things appear to be much more stable after the refill. I can hold a CL greater than 6PPM for a day day or two now so maintaining the tub with CL is now tolerable.

Thanks for the update. The lower CYA level will keep the sanitation level of chlorine up while the elimination of extra salt (chloride ion) will cut down the outgassing of chlorine gas (it's not that it oxidizes faster, but that it gets converted back to chlorine gas -- the opposite of dissolving chlorine gas in the water).

As others have mentioned, using Bromine is quite typical in a spa so if you get frustrated with the chlorine just switch. Keep us posted, especially if anything changes (e.g. you experience hot tub itch, or you start to lose too much chlorine, etc.).

Richard

[tphaggerty]

My Softub requires the use of chlorine (not bromine) for maintaining the 5 year warranty (at least in the US, the Candanian warranty is different, I believe). The sanitizer they sell is Dichlor and they recommend replacing the water every 2 to 3 months because it becomes "unstable". Yeah, because the CYA levels go sky high!!

My 300gal Softub tested at over 100ppm CYA using the sight test after using DiChlor for about a month (one TBSP about 3 times a week). It was over 300 on the strips after 3 months of using DiChlor. Yikes!

Anyway, I too have decided to try BBB. I have found that about 1 to 1 1/2 oz of regular bleach will get the tub to 3 to 4 ppm and keep it above 2 for a day or so. The only problem I have found is that the PH seems to jump around more, but since I didn't start with "fresh" water (I had been using DiChlor for several weeks before testing then switching), I'm not going to worry until next fill. Then I will use Borax to hopefully buffer the PH better.

Anyway, so far the results have been good. Water is clear, no itch, no noticeable film on the vinyl. As Richard says, biofilms do get started in hot tubs and the only way to clear them is a pretty good shocking. I want to try this with a complete refresh of the water, but as of right now, my DiChlor is put away and I have a nice quart bottle of bleach and a measuring cup in my tub kit.

[CanuckPool]

I live in Canada and just got a 6 person SoftTub this year. The guide recommends the use of Bromine since it holds up to the hot temps better than chlorine, which is why I find it strange that SoftTub US doesnt want you using Bromine. My upkeep is super easy, just bring up the bromine reserves when you first fill it (5-6 ppm) and then use the bromine floater and adjust your PH every so often. I also have a "shock" which has a PH lock and a bunch of other stuff I put in once every week. I also squirt in a little clarifyer which is suppose to help with the filtering etc etc. not sure if it actually works. I too was told to dump the water every 2-3 months which I am about to do at the end of this month so I can do it again in Dec to try and bridge over till spring (I dont want to change 300 gals of water in the dead of a canadian winter)

But so far so good, I usually keep the cover on unless we are using it, so there is no worry about the sun breaking down the bromine levels quickly.

I heard somewhere that you were suppose to use unstabilized chlorine in a hot tub, not sure why or what that means.

[chem geek]

I heard somewhere that you were suppose to use unstabilized chlorine in a hot tub, not sure why or what that means.

The reason you heard that it is best to use unstabliized chlorine in a hot tub is because CYA (which is introduced with stabilized chlorine) reduces chlorine effectiveness. The bacteria that causes hot tub itch (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) is somewhat resistent to chlorine (and likes hot temperatures which is why it is found in hot tubs and not in pools). So not using CYA or at least keeping the CYA at lower levels allows for greater disinfection and prevention of hot tub itch.

Of course, if you don't use CYA, then you will lose chlorine very quickly if the hot tub is exposed to sunlight and you will even lose the chlorine more quickly in darkness due to greater outgassing (especially if you add extra salt to your hot tub, which you shouldn't). If you keep your hot tub covered most of the time, then you reduce the loss from outgassing.

So there is a tradeoff for how much CYA to use and I am not clear on exactly where the best level should be, but suspect it is on the lower side -- not more than 30 ppm.

Richard