Bromine Spa - Jets cause coughing

[sdirghalli]

Hello,

I have owned my spa for 3-4 years and in that time I have learned to be come fairly proficient at keeping the water clear, and the chemical in balance. However, eventually, after about 4-5 months of use after filling the spa something in the chemistry of the water causes burning in the lungs and nose and coughing...it gets pretty bad.

I use bromine tabs as my sanitizer. I have seen several threads that touch on this coughing issue but in every case I've found, the user has used chlorine in their spas. I would greatly appreciate any help, especially as due to local water restrictions refilling my spa is not an option.

Thanks.

Stefan

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Are you sure you can't change the water in the spa? How big is it? Pretend its in the house and you're just taking a bath.... lol

Normally people change it between 3-6 months depending on usage.

 

[chem geek]

Welcome to TFP!

Neither a properly managed bromine spa nor a properly managed chlorine spa should result in coughing or other irritation. It could be that your bromine level is too high or that you have too high a level of bromamines and need to shock with chlorine (have you ever used chlorine to shock your bromine spa?). Bromine does not oxidize everything that chlorine does and bromamines can also build up so on occasion a bromine spa needs to be shocked with chlorine.

Another possibility is that your spa may have biofilms if you have not ever used Ahh-Some. Just before your next water change, you can use this product.

Would you please tell us if you are using bromine tabs in a floating feeder, if you added an initial bromide bank (i.e. sodium bromide product), what you are using as an oxidizer (e.g. chlorine or non-chlorine shock/MPS), and if your spa has an ozonator?