Mixing Bromine Spa Into Chlorine Pool

[Cybergy]

I am getting a new Softub 300 gallon spa in a few weeks and I have always used bromine in a floater for those. My pool was bromine also - However, I am now using chlorine pucks in the pool.

Once per winter due to a lack of convenient drainage options, I drain the spa into the pool when it needs refreshed. Would that cause a problem with my pool water chemistry now that the pool is chlorine?

 

[Pool_Medic]

You need to clarify if the pool is now chlorine. If it’s bromine and you have pucks in it, they will just make the bromine active. Fresh refills of pools are required when converting over from bromine to chlorine. IMO it’s far easier to make your new hot tub a chlorine one. It’s much simpler than bromine. Plus you can switch water back an forth easier.

 

[Cybergy]

The pool has been bromine for about 15 years. My feeder stopped working last season and into this one. Bromine pucks in the skimmer were not adding sufficient sanitizer to keep the pool clean. On advice in this thread I fully switched to chlorine pucks in the skimmer about 2 months ago. I am unclear if that makes the pool fully chlorine or if the bromine still maintains some levels in the pool - frankly chemistry has never been my strong suit.

 

[Pool_Medic]

If you haven’t done a complete refill, it’s still a bromine pool.

 

[Cybergy]

If you haven’t done a complete refill, it’s still a bromine pool.

I half expected that, but had trouble with the concept of a sanitizer still being present that doesn’t sanitize anymore.

Thank you for clarifying Pool Medic.

I’m thinking I’ll use up my remaining bromine pucks in the tub and when the pool needs a new liner I’ll switch them both to chlorine. Probably a salt water generator.

 

[tim5055]

I half expected that, but had trouble with the concept of a sanitizer still being present that doesn’t sanitize anymore.

It has changed states. Bromine is the sanitizer but when it reacts with the bad stuff it is converted to bromide. The bromide stays in the water. When you add the chlorine there is a reaction between the bromide and the chlorine you convert the bromide back into bromine.

If it was fed a diet of bromine for a long time you probably have a large "bank" of bromine that can continouslyu be reactivated.

Here is a description form an older thread:

Welcome to TFP!

Chlorine added to a bromine pool reactivates the bromine. If you stop adding bromine, eventually a long time later you will run out of bromine to be reactivated. Generally bromine needs to be added at least once per year, often twice a year.

Bromine can be in two states, active sanitizing bromine, and inactive "banked" bromide. As long as you have enough bromine "in the bank" you can use chlorine to reactivate it. Bromide is lost very very slowly in normal usage. It can be lost more quickly if you pump or splash a lot of water out of the pool or when you backwash your filter (if your filter needs backwashing).

 

[Cybergy]

If it was fed a diet of bromine for a long time you probably have a large "bank" of bromine that can continously be reactivated.:

Ok, I think that makes sense to me.

However, (forgive me if this is an entirely separate issue) I was advised to switch over to a SWG only after I get a new liner (presumably because the entire pool will be emptied at that point and all bromide will be lost). If the chlorine activates the bromide and does the sanitizing, why wait for a SWG?

 

[Pool_Medic]

He is correct, continual addition of chlorine such as a SWCG will do, will spike your bromine. You could drain water until it’s 1’ above the shallow end, then refill. Just how much bromide remains is the question though.

 

[Cybergy]

He is correct, continual addition of chlorine such as a SWCG will do, will spike your bromine. You could drain water until it’s 1’ above the shallow end, then refill. Just how much bromide remains is the question though.

If I'm understanding properly;

There has been no issue with putting chlorine pucks in what WAS my bromine feeder (eg; chemical reaction). Chlorine levels in the pool are perfect and pool looks like a million bucks So I'm not really in a hurry to go to SWG, but ultimately SWG is how I will sanitze. The question is when? I'm thinking no need to force the issue by draining the pool - I'll just switch to SWG when the right product goes on sale.

If I continue with chlorine pucks, eventually (I assume) the bromide bank will disappear and then I'm just on chlorine. Right?

 

[Pool_Medic]

What are you using to test?

It will take some time to convert it over, a long time. Your best bet is drain and refill.

 

[Cybergy]

Day to day I use test strips. I verify with my Taylor k2006.

Since my pool is super clean and clear with the chlorine pucks, why should I care about converting bromide? Why is that bad?

 

[JamesW]

If you do a full drain and refill, you're going to need to replace the liner.

There's no problem switching to SWG now. The steady additions of chlorine will be fine.

 

[Cybergy]

That’s what I’m thinking!

But since I don’t know what I’m talking about I thought I should ask [emoji16]