How can I test Bromine levels?

[Matt]

Interesting on the LaMotte. I'll see what I can dig up on their site. If there's an inconsistency, I'd like to figure out who is wrong, Taylor or LaMotte. I accept LaMotte as an authority on the subject too. Again, it doesn't make them right (even Newton was wrong on many points), but it tends to make me expect them to be.

I don't think my spa's ozonator can be shut off. There is a simple panel and there is no option on it to control the ozonator. Maybe if I remove one of the panels. I will dig up the manual and check that though. It is true that the ozone should oxidize the bromamines right back to HOBr, although it can't keep up generally (my bromine levels continue to drop on the DPD with it running anyways, so I shock with bleach or KMPS), so you'd think that I'd still have some bromamines, unless all the bromamines are being oxidized back to HOBr, and the loss is going to bromates? Seems like too much to be explained by bromates though, and if that were the case, my meager packet of brom-start (NaBr) would last a few weeks tops.

BTW, I get a substantial drop in bromine daily on the DPD. I find myself adding about a quarter cup of bleach daily. Is this normal?

 

[Guest]

Are you doing a two step or three step bromine system? Personally I prefer three step, it makes bromine much easier. Two step bromine is as much work as a chlorine system in a spa.

 

[Matt]

I don't use a floater, so 2 step I guess.

Basically I add brom-start (NaBr) when I fill to create a bromide ion bank. Then I use an oxidant to create HOBr. Most days I use bleach, but sometimes I use KMPS because it verifies the presence of sufficient bromide ions (it's negative on a DPD, whereas bleach will make the DPD positive anyways).

I dislike floaters because the release is too unpredictable. The ozonator helps maintain levels between dosings. I can't really skip days though unless I overbrominate ahead of time. I drop about 2ppm-3.5ppm a day normally, night to night, even with no use at all and the cover on.

 

[Guest]

Interesting on the LaMotte. I'll see what I can dig up on their site.

You are not going to find very much. I have access to their tech support people because we use the LaMotte testing where I work so much of my info comes from conversations with their techs.

 

[Guest]

I would suggest using a three step even with an ozonator. Your bromine levels will become much easier to maintain. Rainbow (Pentair) makes an excellent bromine floater with infinite adjustability. Cheap floater do present a problem because they either cannot be adjused precisely enough or the adjustment moves. the Rainbow has a locking ring to keep the adjustement where you put it.
Since your ozonator is not adjusable you are probably forming a lot of bromates. I would recommend water changes every 2-3 months. Is your ozonator UV or corona discharge?

 

[Matt]

The floater I have is adjustable. The ring around the bottom opens and closes to set how much water flows in or out. I put it in today for the first time with 2 tablets of bromine/chlorine (wow, that stuff is expensive!) I opened it all the way.

As for the ozonator, it's not something I can turn on or off, and I cannot figure out if it's UV or corona discharge. How much does this matter? Even the manual says that each model of spa may have either a UV or corona discharge ozonator... so it's pretty useless on this.

 

[Guest]

UV ozonators are fairly ineffective and produce very little ozone. Corona Discharge are much better but don't work porperly in humid contidions without a drying chamber.
you want to adjust your floater to maintain your bromine at about 4-6 ppm.

 

[Matt]

In general, is it possible for a single floater to maintain the bromine levels?

Also, wouldn't this mean that I'm using bromine tabs now instead of bleach? The bromine tabs are a lot of money (40 bucks for one jug).

Do you basically just use the tabs and not use bleach or KMPS?