SWG - Is SWG a good idea for a Hot Tub?

[pauljahn]

Has anyone used an SWG in conjunction with a free standing hot tub? I have an 11 x 8 675 gallon model. Would an SWG work? Or would you recommend a Frog floater for costs?
Your thoughts please.

Paul

 

[frogabog]

BUMP

Any good answers for this?

Frogs should be in their bogs btw...

 

[BBBliever]

What is the make/model of your tub?

There are a few manufactures that incorporate SWCG into there tubs. Of course with salt you are always concerned about corrosion. Call the manufacture of your tub to see if its plumbing will support salt and what it will due to your warranty if you have one.

What is your reason for wanting to go with a SWCG?

Ease of use?

Will you be leaving the tub unattended for days or weeks at a time?

Personally on a fresh fill I dose with salt to about 2000 ppm. This is enough to get the benefits of the feel of salt. I then use chem geeks Dichlor/Bleach method. This water feels similar to a SWCG but costs WAY LESS. You can sanitize your average tub for about $2 a month with this method.

There are aftermarket SWCG's for tub's that hang over the side of your tub. I have seen Technichlor and Nexa being a few. These units go for about $300 and will last about 3 years. Bleach is $60 for 3 years.

As long as you will be using the tub at least once every 2 to 3 days Dichlor/Bleach will work perfectly. If the tub will be neglected for a week to 10 days a Bromine floater would be best. If you will be gone for more than 2 weeks a time the SWCG is needed.

It all depends on your needs. With a pool a SWCG is nice because of the amount of bleach you have to add to it daily (several cups to several gallons). With a tub it is so much a necessity because it takes 30 seconds at the end of a soak to add a few ounces of bleach.

 

[chem geek]

For Bromine users, the Genesis system is a saltwater bromine generator. That is an inline system (i.e. you cut into your plumbing to install it).

 

[JasonLion]

Sanitizer usage in a tub is highly variable, depending on how much you use it. SWGs are good at producing constant amounts of sanitizer at a slow steady rate. That isn't an ideal fit and results in a fair bit of manual intervention being required. As a result the benefits of a SWG are mostly lost when used with a hot tub, and they are far less common in that application then they are for pools.

 

[walleye]

What is the make/model of your tub?

There are a few manufactures that incorporate SWCG into there tubs. Of course with salt you are always concerned about corrosion. Call the manufacture of your tub to see if its plumbing will support salt and what it will due to your warranty if you have one.

What is your reason for wanting to go with a SWCG?

Ease of use?

Will you be leaving the tub unattended for days or weeks at a time?

Personally on a fresh fill I dose with salt to about 2000 ppm. This is enough to get the benefits of the feel of salt. I then use chem geeks Dichlor/Bleach method. This water feels similar to a SWCG but costs WAY LESS. You can sanitize your average tub for about $2 a month with this method.

There are aftermarket SWCG's for tub's that hang over the side of your tub. I have seen Technichlor and Nexa being a few. These units go for about $300 and will last about 3 years. Bleach is $60 for 3 years.

As long as you will be using the tub at least once every 2 to 3 days Dichlor/Bleach will work perfectly. If the tub will be neglected for a week to 10 days a Bromine floater would be best. If you will be gone for more than 2 weeks a time the SWCG is needed.

It all depends on your needs. With a pool a SWCG is nice because of the amount of bleach you have to add to it daily (several cups to several gallons). With a tub it is so much a necessity because it takes 30 seconds at the end of a soak to add a few ounces of bleach.

Can Bromine tabs in a floater work with a hot tub with 2000 ppm salt? I was not sure if Bromine could be used in salt water?

 

[chem geek]

Yes, bromine can be used in salt water just as chlorine can. Just note that at least some of the salt needs to be bromide instead of chloride in order to generate more bromine when you add an oxidizer to the spa (chlorine or MPS). If you want an electrolytic generator to make bromine, then most of the salt should be bromide (it still works if it isn't, but you end up making chlorine first that then converts bromide to bromine). And yes, you can use bromine tabs in a spa with salt though I'm not sure why you want a high salt level unless you are using an electrolytic generator in which case you wouldn't need the bromine tabs.

 

[walleye]

Yes, bromine can be used in salt water just as chlorine can. Just note that at least some of the salt needs to be bromide instead of chloride in order to generate more bromine when you add an oxidizer to the spa (chlorine or MPS). If you want an electrolytic generator to make bromine, then most of the salt should be bromide (it still works if it isn't, but you end up making chlorine first that then converts bromide to bromine). And yes, you can use bromine tabs in a spa with salt though I'm not sure why you want a high salt level unless you are using an electrolytic generator in which case you wouldn't need the bromine tabs.

Thanks Chem Geek. What I meant to ask is if I am using a SWG generating chlorine, if I wanted to could I put my floater in with boromine tabs with use of the SWG making chlorine? Would they mix OK? Or are there other tabs that are chlorine tabs? Sorry for the novice question, I just installed a Techniclor and am learning. Come from a bromine system. Only reason for change is I have a 7 yr old grandchild that the bromine seemed to irritae her excema. Hoping salt water will help.

 

[chem geek]

If you put the bromine tabs in then you will be converting your chlorine spa into a bromine one. The chlorine that the Technichlor generates will convert bromide to bromine. Since bromine was a problem for your grandchild, you don't want to use bromine tabs.

Why do you want to use a floater at all if you are using Technichlor? Just use the Technichlor and if you want a quick boost in chlorine for some reason (faster than the Technichlor can do it) then just add some bleach. Don't forget to start off with some CYA in the spa water either from pure CYA or from initially adding some Dichlor. Otherwise, the chlorine will be too strong.

 

[walleye]

Thanks Chem Geek. Really was just wondering if I were to leave for a week or two I might leave the floater in as well in the lowest setting, just as a back up more than anything since I just bought it. The SWG should be fine by itself as you said. What would you recommend, pure CYA or Dichlor. Since I dont have either, which would be the best choice and how much should I add. Lastly, only add on fresh fills?

 

[chem geek]

Pure CYA dissolves slowly so for spas we usually say to use Dichlor initially for dosing for around a week, but that's for the Dichlor-then-bleach method. When using Technichlor, you aren't manually dosing so you want the CYA in the water right away if you can, but that's not easy to do. Since Dichlor dissolves quickly, you can just use it initially after a fresh refill. If you want to try putting some CYA into a sock and put it down near a return flow in the spa, then let us know how long it takes to dissolve. Maybe with the hot water it will dissolve more quickly and be a reasonable method.

 

[walleye]

I hope this does not post twice, the 1st one failed.....

As I understand, since I have already added bleach and the technichlor is running, Dichlor is not an option. Sounds like I cannot simply add CYA, so the sock method is the way to try? I am not even sure what form CYA comes in, sorry but this is all new to me. Can I put the sock in the compartment where the filter is or does it need to be in the bottom of the tub? Last, I have a Sundance Altamar which is 395 gallons, how much do I need? Thanks for all the help Chem Geek. This is agreat forum, I am glad I found it.

 

[chem geek]

The pure CYA comes as granules and they typically dissolve slowly so if you put them into the spa water directly they will likely settle to the bottom of the spa slowly dissolving. Since they are acidic, I suggested putting it into a sock or even a small cloth bag would be fine since you won't be adding very much. 30 ppm CYA in 350 gallons is 1-1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons.

 

[walleye]

Do I have to put this in the bottom of the tub or can I put in the filter compartment? I will report on time to dissolve.
Thanks.

 

[BravoRomeo]

I will be interested to hear how you like the Technichlor, so please give an update after you get into a routine with it.

I have yet to install mine and have been using the Dichlor/Bleach method. Using Dichlor for a week to bring CYA levels up is easy. Adding Clorox after each soak has also been easy. I have also taken four and five day mini-vacations and simply shocked the tub to 15PPM chlorine, set the temp to 80F and let it be. Last time it was down to 3.5PPM on my return after four days (about 30% loss per day). So that is manageable for a few days break.

 

[chem geek]

You can put the sock or bag anywhere there is good water flow, but not so it blocks that flow completely.

 

[walleye]

OK, I put 1.5 ounces of CYA in a thin sock and I placed it in the filter compartment. I had a spot that was meant to hold Bromine tabs and I placed the knot of the sock in that small compartment with the end of the sock with the CYA hanging out on the filter side. This will get the most possible flow. I will report on how long it takes to dissolve. 1.5 ounce in 395 gallon tub should be sufficient? A little weak maybe but should be OK? Let me know if I should have added a bit more since 1.5 ounce was for 350 gallons. THX

 

[chem geek]

I think that's fine. It's not a big deal -- you just want some CYA in the spa so that the chlorine isn't too strong. For your next drain/refill, you can use 2 ounces of CYA.

 

[walleye]

UPDATE: It has been 3 days and I would estimate 1/2 the CYA is dissolved.

 

[chem geek]

Thanks for the update. That's quite a slow dissolving rate. I know in my pool putting CYA into a T-shirt in the skimmer gets dissolved in less than a day, but that's probably a more significant water flow. Well, this just says that using Dichlor initially for spas is probably the easiest way to get CYA into the spa. Pure CYA is OK, but it'll take time (just as waiting to use Dichlor over days takes time).