TFT100 Test Kit and Spa

[squib]

I have a 300 gallon spa that I maintain with bromine tablets. I check bromine levels and Ph using the standard cheapo kits.

I haven't checked CC ( I have just been refilling every few weeks). But can I use the TFT100 kit and actually check the CC like I do for my pool?

 

[Azgirl71]

I don't see why you couldn't.

 

[JVTrain]

Not really.

See here: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/61500-How-can-i-check-my-combined-bromine-in-a-spa

 

[squib]

So, I am leaving town for a few days. Should I just shock it and not worry about it? I have gone to bleach only in my pool, but I have a bucket of powder shock somewhere. Dump some in and hope for the best?

 

[Azgirl71]

Thanks for the link. I learn something new everyday.

 

[JVTrain]

Should I just shock it and not worry about it? I have gone to bleach only in my pool, but I have a bucket of powder shock somewhere. Dump some in and hope for the best?

That's kind of the opposite of TFP. Ditch the powdered shock (what kind is it????) unless it's dichlor and you want to start up your tub on the next fill as a chlorine tub.

If anything, shock the tub with bleach. It works just as well for bromine spas as chlorine spas. Check your FB and add enough bleach to theoretically bring it up to 10 FC.

See this thread for how to maintain a bromine spa: http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/84-How-do-I-use-Bromine-in-my-spa-(or-pool)

You still need to superoxidize (shock), usually about once a week to destroy organics in the water whether you chose the 2-step or 3-step method.. I prefer plain, unscented laundry bleach (5.25%) for shocking a bromine spa. 1 cup per 250-300 gallons is about right. If you use Ultra bleach (6%) then you need about 3/4 cup. You can also use 12.5% pool chlorine at half the ultra bleach dose. They are all sodium hypochlorite, just in different strengths. If you do not want to use a liquid shock you can also use calcium hyopchlorite granules (slow dissolving and will cause your calcium levels to rise), Lithium hypochlorite (very fast dissolving but very expensive, however my first choice for a granulated shock since it really has minimal impact on your water like the liquid does), or MPS--potassium monopersulfate, also called non chlorine shock (will lower your pH and TA and add sulfates to your water). There is no advantage to using dichlor (stabilized chlorine) for shocking a bromine system but it probably wouldn't hurt. CYA (stabilizer) does not stabilize bromine.

I do this after each soak, depending on what I get for a FC reading in my spa (mine is chlorine spa). Bleach oxidizes the bromide back to bromine so it is a disinfectant again. Think of it as chlorine bleach recycles your bromine.

 

[wayner]

Not really.

Doesn't chem geek's response say you can use the chlorine kit and just multiply by 2.25 to get the bromine level.

 

[chem geek]

He meant that you can't check for CC in the same way because CC with bromine that is bromamine measures as FC in a chlorine test and Total Bromine in a bromine test. This is because bromamine is in equilibrium with a more powerful oxidizer so it's still effective so the fact that it's a combined bromine isn't as relevant, except for smell.

For testing total bromine, one can do that with a chlorine test kit by testing for Free Chlorine and multiplying by 2.25 as you noted.