Ozonator and ionizer

[jrostrom]

Hi - Probably been talked about but I am new -- I have a new cedar hottub with an ozonator and an ionizer (electronic) -- I am having to add a lot of alkalinity to get ph and alk up to normal levels -- I am still confused about whether I need to add some chlorine or not. I am registering some chlorine (like .5 ppm) as they system is creating that. Do I need to increase every time I change out the water? Right now due to the cedar I am changing out the water frequently (weekly) cause it gets so dark red from the tannins. I hear this will slow down over time. I just want to make sure I am getting the best info and I don't want to harm the new system but more importantly want to have proper water management.

Thx

jon

 

[chem geek]

Welcome to TFP!

Can you give us more details about the system -- the manufacturer name and the model number of the system? An ionizer does not produce chlorine. Perhaps you mean a saltwater chlorine generator? Did you need to add salt to your water, say up to 2000 ppm of salt?

An ozonator can help get rid of bather waste but neither that nor the ionizer (if that means copper or silver ions) are EPA-approved disinfection. You would normally need a disinfectant such as chlorine. So tell us more about your system and we can then help you further.

 

[jrostrom]

The Ozonator is a Del Ozone APG-U and the Ionizer is a custom made system by the tub builder -- I realize that the system is not EPA approved but I am interested more in your opinions/ thoughts especially about whether to add a little chlorine or not -- the builders says no - but he is not a water scientist and neither am I Please go easy as I am a newby but want to make sure I get it right and my family is swimming in safe conditions.

Thx!

Jon

 

[chem geek]

So not knowing whether the ionizer is putting out silver ions as opposed to something else like copper or zinc or perhaps not doing anything at all, I can't really recommend a non-chlorine shock (MPS) approach. That would have combined silver ions with dosing with MPS as with the Nature²® Spa system. If you find out from the builder what the ionizer is doing (i.e. what specific ions is it putting into the water), then we can reconsider.

So that leaves three other EPA-approved disinfection alternatives: Chlorine, Bromine, Baquacil/biguanide/PHMB. The Baqua approach is expensive and can be challenging to keep the water in good shape -- it uses hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizer. So that leaves the two most popular approaches, chlorine and bromine.

Since you have an ozonator and since ozone consumes chlorine, it would only make sense for you to use a chlorine approach if you used the spa frequently since you'd have to dose with chlorine every day or two. This would be with the Dichlor-then-bleach method described in Using Chlorine in a Spa.

If you are not soaking every day, then an easier approach is to use bromine because you can have more bromine introduced automatically via bromine tabs from a floating feeder as well as from ozone creating more bromine from a bromide bank. This 3-step approach is described in Using Bromine in a Spa. I think that's probably your best bet unless you use the spa every day or two.