So we bought a lake house 5 hours away that has a hot tub. I currently use the TFPC method with my pool at my main residence. I just don't see how I can use that method there being sometimes it is 3 weeks between visits and being able to maintain the hot tub. As such, I am considering the bromine route with bromine tabs in a floater. Does anyone have a better idea?
New Hot Tub - TFPC Method vs. Bromine
- Thread starter KSpoolguy
- Start date
- May 23, 2015
- 24,409
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Wow...3 weeks all on its own with no maintenance?? Even with brominating tablets you're still going to have pH/TA issues (the tablets are acidic).
Would it make more sense to just dump the hot tub and refill it when you're there and actually using it? You're probably going to spend just as much time trying to figure out how rebalance and fix everything when you do arrive. Also, are you going to leave it recirculating and unattended for three weeks?
Is there a local service company to help maintain it?
Would it make more sense to just dump the hot tub and refill it when you're there and actually using it? You're probably going to spend just as much time trying to figure out how rebalance and fix everything when you do arrive. Also, are you going to leave it recirculating and unattended for three weeks?
Is there a local service company to help maintain it?
It has a built in timer and circulates 4 times a day for 30 minutes each. I actually considered the drain and refill each time. Our water rate there is pretty minimal, but there is metals in the water and have to put metal sequestrant in each time. I thought about adding boric acid to help with PH swings, but not sure if that works with the bromine method. I suppose the drain and refill might be the best option.
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The only hot tub company is an hour away and wants 245 bucks just to come into my town each time.
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The only hot tub company is an hour away and wants 245 bucks just to come into my town each time.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,409
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Borates will work with bromine but it will just keep the pH from getting too high, it won't do much for pH dropping. For that you'd need to bump up your TA in proportion to how much you think will be consumed by floating the tablets. It'll take some detailed measurements to know that.
As for metals, can you buy one of those hose end metal trap filters to help reduce the metal load?
As for metals, can you buy one of those hose end metal trap filters to help reduce the metal load?
I have a friend who has a cabin hot tub situation like yours. The tub is very small. I don't know the exact volume but it's likely 200 gallons or so. It's about a 3 person tub... They refill each time right away when they get there and usually after about 12 hours, they can have the tub warm. They don't worry too much about sanitation (usually only used for a couple days) other than throwing in a tablespoon of dichlor when starting it up and then doing it again after each soak.
Certainly not TFP method, but if you added in a pH check after dosing with the first shot of dichlor and daily, with some adjustments for pH using MA if necessary, it's not too bad.
Certainly not TFP method, but if you added in a pH check after dosing with the first shot of dichlor and daily, with some adjustments for pH using MA if necessary, it's not too bad.
It's a 500 gallon Jacuzzi. Our water rate there is 0.0023 per gallon, so $1.15 per fill...local water from the neighborhood well that is supposedly treated at the well. I do have a whole house filter that should catch some of the metals before the spicket. I've heard that when draining the hot tub, you actually need to suction out all water from the jets so the water in there doesn't grow bacteria, though would think that most of that water would drop back into the pump and draining the pump should help. I might just try to buy metal out in bulk if that is an option.