Can you go from sitting in a Bromine hot tub to diving in a Chlorine pool?

[watersprite7]

I am getting a hot tub and thought I settled on using Bromine. We have a Chlorine pool. Then I saw how adding Bromine to a Chlorine pool changes the Chlorine to Bromine, which I do not want to do. I am also concerned about any skin issues. My kids will be running from one to another. Should I just use chlorine? I wanted Bromine because Chlorine bothers my asthma, although never in the amounts in our pool, really, only when I use Chlorox for cleaning. We have a salt pool for the chlorine if that matters at all. I wanted Bromine because it works at high temps. The spa will be in the sun, although I though of putting a canopy over it so that may not be a concern for the Bromine.

 

[mknauss]

Why not use a SWCG in the spa too? Many folks here do.

 

[jseyfert3]

I would recommend trying chlorine in the hot tub first. The reason I suggest this is because if you start the spa as a chlorine spa, you can turn it to a bromine spa by dumping in bromine at any time. You can't go the other way though without a complete water drain and refill.

I wanted Bromine because Chlorine bothers my asthma, although never in the amounts in our pool, really, only when I use Chlorox for cleaning.

A chlorine spa doesn't use more chlorine in ppm than a pool does. What might be an issue is CCs, or combined chlorine. These are produced while breaking down waste, and a hot tub has more waste due to high temps and sweating concentrated in a low volume compared to a pool. CCs are generally irritating, I imagine moreso to someone with asthma but this is just an uneducated guess.

CCs are what you smell when you smell chlorine in a pool, especially indoor pools. These are often actually a sign of too little chlorine, as chlorine breaks down CC's. All that said, at it's worst, my chlorine spas have never smelled as bad as an indoor pool area often does.

And again, if it does bother your asthma, then switch to a bromine spa at that point.

I wanted Bromine because it works at high temps. The spa will be in the sun, although I though of putting a canopy over it so that may not be a concern for the Bromine.

Chlorine and bromine both work fine at high temps. The sun isn't a concern for either type of sanitizer for standalone spas, since they are covered when not in use. Occasional exposure of the spa to UV light in sunlight is actually good and helps break down CCs.

In summary, I'd give a chlorine spa a go first, and only switch to bromine if you have an issue with the chlorine. If you have any questions with setting up and maintaining a chlorine spa, let us know. We recommend 30 ppm of CYA is added to standalone chlorine spas, and maintain the FC level based on the FC/CYA chart: Chlorine / CYA Chart - Trouble Free Pool (so target 4-6 ppm FC with 30 ppm CYA)

 

[watersprite7]

Why not use a SWCG in the spa too? Many folks here do.

Trial run on the spa - cheap inflatable. Want to just go cheap to start. But thanks, I never really thought of that. Silly of me.

 

[watersprite7]

I would recommend trying chlorine in the hot tub first. The reason I suggest this is because if you start the spa as a chlorine spa, you can turn it to a bromine spa by dumping in bromine at any time. You can't go the other way though without a complete water drain and refill.


A chlorine spa doesn't use more chlorine in ppm than a pool does. What might be an issue is CCs, or combined chlorine. These are produced while breaking down waste, and a hot tub has more waste due to high temps and sweating concentrated in a low volume compared to a pool. CCs are generally irritating, I imagine moreso to someone with asthma but this is just an uneducated guess.

CCs are what you smell when you smell chlorine in a pool, especially indoor pools. These are often actually a sign of too little chlorine, as chlorine breaks down CC's. All that said, at it's worst, my chlorine spas have never smelled as bad as an indoor pool area often does.

And again, if it does bother your asthma, then switch to a bromine spa at that point.


Chlorine and bromine both work fine at high temps. The sun isn't a concern for either type of sanitizer for standalone spas, since they are covered when not in use. Occasional exposure of the spa to UV light in sunlight is actually good and helps break down CCs.

In summary, I'd give a chlorine spa a go first, and only switch to bromine if you have an issue with the chlorine. If you have any questions with setting up and maintaining a chlorine spa, let us know. We recommend 30 ppm of CYA is added to standalone chlorine spas, and maintain the FC level based on the FC/CYA chart: Chlorine / CYA Chart - Trouble Free Pool (so target 4-6 ppm FC with 30 ppm CYA)

Thanks. At this point I think that is what I will do. I have just been bombarded with ads about ozone generators that aren't that expensive (love how they know what I have bought in the last 3 days) and wonder what you think of them?

 

[watersprite7]

Why not use a SWCG in the spa too? Many folks here do.

Do you have any opinion on an ozone generator added after?

 

[Holydoc]

My SPA is both bromine and has an ozonator. Personally I think the ozonator was a waste of money. I have used bromine in my spa since I got it and have never had any problems. However, if I had to do it again, I would probably have gone chlorine just to make it the same as my pool. Since I had my hottub many years before the pool, I stayed with what was working.

To answer your question, I have went from the hot tub to the pool and vice versa MANY times over the years. There is no problem either way. You will not have enough bromine on your bathing suit to make any difference in your pool.