Allergic to salt water spa

[Tharber10]

I am adding this just incase anyone else goes thru the same thing.

I converted my normal bromine spa inta a salt water spa with a little add on device attached to the outside of the cabinet. I kept the salt level within range and at first everything was fantastic. I then started developing hives on my lower body. I initially thought it was a new medication that I was on but I then switched th spa back to bromine and the hives went away. So, like an idiot I thought I would try the salt water again with different salt and different chemicals all together but within 2 days the hives were back.

I had switched because I did not care for the odor of the water with the bromine. It either had a strong chemical smell or a musty cell. I rountinely had my water checked with no apparent reasoning behind it.

I also have a serious dislike to the odor of AquaDoc chlorine free oxidizer which I used to treat the salt water and bromine water, that much I have confirmed.

So this week, I decided to go back old school, chlorine with a tab floater and chlorine shock. I could not be happier. Its been 6 nights with zero hives and zero issues. I don't know what it was about the above but I once again love my hot tub.

Tim

 

[markayash]

That’s interesting, does eating salt bother you?
Least it’s a spa and not to hard to drain and refill

 

[Texas Splash]

I rountinely had my water checked with no apparent reasoning behind it.

Tim, it sounds as though you might be taking your water samples somewhere to get tested, is that correct? If so, that may be your biggest issue. We recommend testing with a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C at home. No one will take better care of your water than you.

You mentioned chlorine-free sanitizing, bromine, and tabs, all of which have their issues and potential complications. I believe you stated in your intro thread you have had pools in the past, but I would encourage you to read and save our Pool Care Basics page. There you'll find a tremendous amount of practical, sound information for pool/spa owners. Hope that helps.

 

[Newdude]

Hey Tharber and Welcome !!!!

You're not allergic to salt. Your own salinity is 3 times that of the spa. Your sweat and tears would do the same to you, likely even worse.

Hot Tub Rash | Healthy Swimming | Healthy Water | CDC

Education and information about hot tub rash, how it can be spread through hot tubs, swimming pools, and other recreational water, why it's important to protect yourself from it and steps for doing so.

www.cdc.gov

 

[markayash]

As strange as it sounds, my son had an allergy for water. He would get red bumps when he showered. He talk to a doctor but he seemed to have outgrown it

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The presence of high levels of combined chlorine or the growth of pseudomonas bacteria in the plumbing both can cause itchy, hive-like rashes. The only way to know for sure is to properly test your hot tub water yourself using a high quality test kit. Frequent testing and sanitizer adjustments (daily) are required to properly and safely operate a hot tub. Using any other form of testing (strips, Store testing, etc) is simply too inaccurate and infrequent to be useful. Hot tubs have extremely high bather loads even when only one person uses it. We often jokingly refer to it as “human stew”. The amount of sweat, oils, urea, human waste, etc, shed during a 45 min dip is more than enough to load the water up and use up all the sanitizer. Without proper testing and dosing, bacteria will easily form and grow rapidly as hot tubs are kept in the “Goldilock’s Zone” of temperature. This will lead to biofilm formation all throughout the tub’s plumbing. And, given people’s penchant for trying “save water”, hot tubs are rarely drained as often as they should be. I highly recommend no longer than 3 months with light use and then dump the tub. The tub should be purged using Ahhsome spa cleaner as it will lift and remove biofilms that no sanitizer is able to penetrate. If you have never used it, you will be disgusted by what comes out of your plumbing when you do.

 

[markayash]

The presence of high levels of combined chlorine or the growth of pseudomonas bacteria in the plumbing both can cause itchy, hive-like rashes. The only way to know for sure is to properly test your hot tub water yourself using a high quality test kit. Frequent testing and sanitizer adjustments (daily) are required to properly and safely operate a hot tub. Using any other form of testing (strips, Store testing, etc) is simply too inaccurate and infrequent to be useful. Hot tubs have extremely high bather loads even when only one person uses it. We often jokingly refer to it as “human stew”. The amount of sweat, oils, urea, human waste, etc, shed during a 45 min dip is more than enough to load the water up and use up all the sanitizer. Without proper testing and dosing, bacteria will easily form and grow rapidly as hot tubs are kept in the “Goldilock’s Zone” of temperature. This will lead to biofilm formation all throughout the tub’s plumbing. And, given people’s penchant for trying “save water”, hot tubs are rarely drained as often as they should be. I highly recommend no longer than 3 months with light use and then dump the tub. The tub should be purged using Ahhsome spa cleaner as it will lift and remove biofilms that no sanitizer is able to penetrate. If you have never used it, you will be disgusted by what comes out of your plumbing when you do.

I cleaned an indoor spa tub with ahhsone and I can say it made my stomach hurt seeing the junk that came out and thinking I sat in that.

 

[Mdragger88]

I doubt it was the salt especially if the salt was just pool salt/water softener salt at normal concentrations for drape over swgs.
More than likely it was cc’s or bacteria induced as @JoyfulNoise eluded to especially if the proper
FC/CYA Levels were not maintained.
Or possibly high fc levels with inadequate cya causing the fc levels to be harsh.
The other factor is the use of MPS which is a known irritant - it is also only an oxidizer & not a sanitizer so while it may eliminate cc’s & oxidize some bather waste it does nothing to sanitize a tub & prevent bacteria etc. which may cause “hot tub rash”.
Do you have any test results from the time this was occurring?

 

[kimkats]

I am in to watch and learn.

 

[Tharber10]

Good comments here.
I used an at home test strip kit as well as 2 seperate pool supply companies to check salt level, chlrine and PH. I also switched salt. It's only 400 gallons so I would much rather pay a water bill than have skin issues. I routinely drain mine about every 6 weeks or whenever the pool company tells me that I need to add a bunch of this or that. Its cheaper to change water.
I do not think my hives were caused by bacteria since they showed up in 100% freshly cleaned tub with new water. I even replaced the filter just to make sure nothing had grown in there while I wasn't paying attention. My cleaning process is to spray the interior with 50/50 pool chlorine and water, let it set with lid open then wash by hand the interior with soap and water.
I do think it has as much to do with the chlorine free oxydizer but since I have eliminated that, I have no way to test that therory. I have read vague medical records concerning high heat and salt water but weather it applies or not I do not know. I have no issues in my salt water pool, although my dad gets severe skin irritations from salt water pools.
I went back to what I knew best with the chlorine floater and shock and other than needing to fine tune it, its been great to be in my tub everynight again.

 

[Newdude]

I do not think my hives were caused by bacteria since they showed up in 100% freshly cleaned tub with new water.

Residuals in the plumbing are common. Unless you did an ahhsome purge as well.

I have read vague medical records concerning high heat and salt water but weather it applies or not I do not know

It does not. You do fine with your salt pool per your introduction post. It's not the salt. We can split hairs until the cows come home on exactly how the poor sanitizing got you, but poor sanitizing got you.

Take control of your pool and spa with your own reliable test kit. We'll happily teach you what to do at every step until you don't need to ask anymore.

 

[VinnyinNJ]

My $0.02 ... I own a tub, it's not in commission at this point but I have working knowledge. As others have said, skip the test strips and the pool store and rely on your testing and knowledge of your own water. I have always just used chlorine. first used dichlor only then dichlor and bleach. Salt water wasn't even part of the equation back when I got the tub. Without you actually testing the water you don't really know what your levels were. Your assumption may be right or wrong without hard factual data. Is it possible that the water was not as disinfected as you thought? Enough chlorine being made by the SWG? Were other water readings out of whack? The truth is you don't know if the pool testing is/was accurate.

When I was a newbie with my pool I was using trichlor pucks and my CYA from my test kit said 100 PPM, I went to the pool store to see what I could do to get it down and they said 'great we like to have that at least 100'. Nope, so take pool store advice with some skepticism. There was a person on another forum years ago that could not handle hot water and chlorine or bromine so they used food grade hydrogen peroxide which I think is 35% active ingredient. At that time and maybe still is hydrogen peroxide is not a registered disinfectant for pools and spas (could be today). My own tub years ago had chlorine lock for weeks - some people have said it's impossible but my Taylor kit said so and I believed it. I'm a newbiw with a SWG for my pool and I am assuming I am going to screw up my first year using it. My wife even has it planned that I am going to screw it up this year as well (no vacations until I get it down pat! )

But with all that said if bromine works for you I say continue to use it but really think about testing your own water.

 

[markayash]

I second doing your own testing but also possible it might bother you.

I have strange reactions to a lot of meds ( my mom does also ) and have been told by my doctor “ it’s not the med” so I never say thats not possible

 

[Methuselah]

So this week, I decided to go back old school, chlorine with a tab floater and chlorine shock. I could not be happier. Its been 6 nights with zero hives and zero issues. I don't know what it was about the above but I once again love my hot tub.

Tim

With a spa less is more. NO floater. NOTHING unless you need it.

Itch means you're sensitive to chemistry or something growing in the tub (or plumbing). Guess how you figure out which it is!

Get it purged, read up how to make it sanitary. There are no shortcuts, none, zilch, zero. If not 100% sure it's sanitary, there's no way to know where your rash came from.

Testing cynaric acid (CYA) is probably the hardest reading to confirm, so I suggest reading up, purging, using dichlor sparingly in MEASURED amounts to track CYA, and above all else, know your target chlorine ppm and minimum and never let it drop below that minimum.

Get a good test kit and some supplies. Chlorinator, muriatic acid, dichlor, something to clean your filter with (weekly), and check out the old poolmath webpage link at the bottom of this thread.

The AquaDocis probably MPS, some people are sensitive to it so don't use it until you research it a bit. SWG might be a good idea but nothing will work for very long if you don't have a test kit and know how to insure your water is sanitized.

The sticky is a good starting point, pinned to the top of this forum. By all means ask questions!

It helps to fill in your signature line with your particulars...

I know you said it's fine now, but you need it to stay that way, and that floater will make problems pronto, if it hasn't already.

 

[Newdude]

Get it purged, read up how to make it sanitary. There are no shortcuts, none, zilch, zero. If not 100% sure it's sanitary, there's no way to know where your rash came from.

X100. Anything else is flying on a wing and a prayer.