How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick?

[tinaisis]

Hi,
I just inherited a 450 gallon hot tub w/ an ozonator built in. I did lots of reading on here (thank you so much!) and I have been using dichor after each soak (2-3 bathers/ 2-3 times/week) and a weekly shock of MPS. Everything is fine except that the the FCL seems to decrease pretty rapidly (perhaps due to the ozonator?). I would like to limit the use of the chlorine and put in a Nature2 stick. Here is my question: How do I monitor sanitization with the Nature2 in there? My guys at the store say that I don't need to! Will the chlorine hang around and catch anything the Nature2 doesn't sanitize? Is FCL still the best way to monitor?

I apologize if this question has been answered before, but I have done my best to search for it!

Thanks!

 

[zea3]

Re: How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick

Hi, keep in mind you will not find many Nature2 fans on this site, however I will try and answer your question as best I can.

I am assuming you are talking about the Nature2 spa stick that is used along with an ozone system? According to the manufacture's website, you need to keep .5 ppm of free chlorine in the spa with this system. You should stop using dichlore in the spa since it will cause the CYA to increase and the .5 FC will not be effective. Liquid bleach will supply the chlorine you need without adding CYA to the spa. You can use any drop based chlorine test to check the FC level. As far as the mineral pack in the Nature2 goes, there is no test that I know of that will tell you if you have adequate sanitation just from the minerals and ozone.

 

[chem geek]

Re: How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick

You could instead use non-chlorine shock (MPS) along with the Nature² since that is also an EPA-approved disinfectant combination, though in practice you'll probably have to add chlorine every week or two to keep the water clear. This "low chlorine" recipe is described in the Nature² Manual. The MPS is more expensive than chlorine, but if you aren't using the spa every day or two then the MPS works better in a spa with ozone since it will last longer in between soaks (but MPS cannot be used by itself without the silver ions in Nature² since MPS alone is not a disinfectant). There are test strips for MPS that are OK to use (one of the few reasonable uses for test strips).

 

[tinaisis]

Re: How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick

OK. Thanks. So I can monitor MPS with my test strip, that's easy. And then add chlorine as needed to keep the water clear? Or do I need to monitor FC as well?

And the Nature2 stick came with the hot tub. I was trying to go without it, but it is a lot of chlorine for a tub the doesn't get used that much. I will try that next. Is there an easy to explain reason why Nature2 is not popular?

 

[chem geek]

Re: How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick

You just add chlorine as needed. You don't measure it since you aren't maintaining a level for it.

Nature² with MPS costs more so that's the primary reason it isn't more popular. Also, if not properly used by maintaining an MPS level and periodically adding some chlorine, the water won't stay clear so some people give up on it. Finally, MPS can be an irritant for some people though the greatest irritant is a minor component in MPS product and that component breaks down with the silver ions from Nature² so it's usually not a problem.

For those that use a spa every day or two, the Dichlor-then-bleach method is easy and very inexpensive. Most people, however, use Dichlor-only because that is what they are told to do by their spa dealers. The CYA builds up so the water needs to be changed more frequently than with the Dichlor-then-bleach method.

 

[tinaisis]

Re: How do I monitor sanitization when using a Nature2 stick

Ok. Thanks so much for all your help!