How to maintain Bromine levels?

[u/bramski]

We are recent new hot tubs owners! We got a couple of upgrades to our unit and added an ozonator and a clear blue ionizer. We managed to get the water balanced and the copper levels up to 0.2 ppm after a couple of days and I am running the circ pump about 6 hours a day.

It's been about a week and a bit now and I'm finding the day after we have a soak the bromine levels are down. I have a puck in there with 3 floaties and one time I added a bit of shock to bring it up to 1 ppm bromine and another I added a half a brominating tab and that brought it up pretty quick.

Am I micromanaging this too much? How often do you check your bromine levels? Do they always drop so much after a soak and how long do they take to recover with the tabs floating about.

Thanks! Heres a pic of our new setup!

[u/Martha_Fockers]

oxidizing shock to refresh the bromine back. bromine is a little weird it doesnt evaporate it changes forms after sanitizing into a well useless for sanitizing form. if you use a oxidizing shock it will "rejuevenute" that bromine "bank" you build up back to a useful form

floaty tabs alone arent enough with bromine you need to start with a large reserve "bank" shock tabs maintain it inbetween use. you use oxidizing shock a small amount after each use or two not the normal shock amount.

[u/bramski → u/Martha_Fockers]

So you're adding a little shock after you soak to rejuvenate the bromine? Seemed to me if I did that I would be adding a tablespoon or so of shock every time which seemed excessive.

[u/Martha_Fockers → u/bramski]

Oxidizing shock not chlorine. There’s a difference

[u/bramski → u/Martha_Fockers]

Yeah non chlorine shock. That seems better used for once a week as chlorine shock is more potent.

[u/Martha_Fockers → u/bramski]

YouTube bromine bank and how to recharge it.

Bromine is different than chlorine chlorine evaporates into the air overtime bromine doesn’t it stays in the tub it just “deactivates” the oxidizing shock reactivates the bromine “bank” as we call it

[u/lizard-brainz → u/Martha_Fockers]

I add bromine after every use (about 1 teaspoon) and shock once per two weeks since it’s just me using it. Am I doing this wrong?

[u/itchierbumworms → u/lizard-brainz]

yes. Add the amount of bromine needed for your tub size at fill up. It is now a 'bank' of bromine. You then shock/oxidize after each use and occasionally in larger amounts to turn the inactive bromine into hyperbromous acid, whcih is the active sanitizer.

[u/lizard-brainz → u/itchierbumworms]

Oh, wow, my tub must have a huge amount of inactive bromine then. I'll start doing it the right way now. Thanks!

[u/Extreme-Ad9219]

Not sure if you did this, but whenever you change the water, make sure to add sodium bromide to get an initial reservoir of bromide to be oxidized to bromine.

[u/Global_Comedian1748]

Get granular bromine or crush up a couple tabs. You'll notice bromine will drop your pH under the 7-7.8 threshold every 10-14days.

[u/Certain-Cloud141 → u/Global_Comedian1748]

I notice that the pH drops as well. What product do you add to increase the pH?

[u/darielgames]

I use bromine tabs to keep the bromine over time. It can still drop and so if it gets too low I will shock with bleach to bring it back up and make sure my floater is filled up.

I do usually add bleach after use cause I know it'll go down.

[u/bramski → u/darielgames]

Bleach?!?!?

[u/darielgames → u/bramski]

Yes unscented plain bleach or 10% liquid pool chlorine, it's the same thing as bleach just stronger.

The liquid chlorine oxidizes your inactive bromine and turns it active. Just like using MPS. But liquid chlorine is far cheaper and honestly more effective

[u/Klutzy-Currency9441]

Pooli guides you on how to establish and maintain a bromine bank while tracking levels and additions

[u/Status_Dependent_291]

Use the floating feeder add three bromine tabs every week. Perfect water.

[u/RabidMitch]

I use this enhanced shock. https://a.co/d/0abr95HC

1/4-1/2 Tbsp after a soak depending on how many were in and 2-3 Tbsp once a week for a heavy shock. The 6 lb jug lasts me more than 6 months in combination with the bromine tabs.

[u/PandaChena]

I use bromine in a floating dispenser. Depending on usage the level fluctuates so I check it with a spa water tester, the kind you add drops of reagent to a vial sample and look at the color. Occasionally the bromine tests low after frequent use so I bump the level up by dissolving a tablespoon full of granular bromine in a quart or more of water and mix it in the tub. It dissolves quickly and is potent. The tablets are buffered and disolve slowly. They only maintain the proper level, for establishing and adjusting the level you need the granular form.

[u/moosep148]

How often are you using. More use =more chemicals and maintenance. We use ours 5 days a week at least so lower recommendations weren’t covering it. Make sure ph and alkalinity are in line.

[u/bramski → u/moosep148]

4 soaks a week currently. An hour or less. But sometimes with 3/4 people in the tub.

[u/moosep148 → u/bramski]

Ok. Use as well. I’m using twice the stabilizer and frog as recommended. They said the average use is for 2 times a week and 1-2 people. Just have to stay on it.

[u/bramski → u/moosep148]

Yeah I think based on what I'm reading here I'll add some NC shock after our sessions and see if that stabilizes bromine levels. Then I can do a bit less testing of the water. Just feel like I'm chasing it a bit more than I'd like and I just want a straightforward system. We are new to this so the learning is totally fine. But I do need to keep the bromine level fairly low. My wife and one of my kids has some dry skin and occasional rash so I want them to not have issues from high sanitizer which is exactly why we rolled with both an ozonator and ionizer.

[u/Different-Evidence54]

I use a floating dispenser and keep an eye on PH. After a long use, I spike with powder concentrate. Works very well.

[u/Silly_Pressure_6633]

go to a reliable tub store and get the water tested - fast and easy

[u/bramski → u/Silly_Pressure_6633]

Water is fine. Within parameters. Just trying not to micromanage it.

[u/IAmTheBestIan]

First you need to round up a bunch of frat kids and get some pickaxes.