Is hyperbromination really needed?

[cmh2]

Want to be taking a scientific approach to water maintenance within my knowledge base. I am using a 3-part bromine chemistry. Part 1 is 35% sodium bromide (liquid). For part 2 I was using Potassium MPS, but the powder available here is weak (32%), and I realized I could be using cheap bleach to wake up the bromine after each soak, so now using bleach. Part 3 is brominating tablets (65% bromine/ 28.95% chlorine) in a float feeder, which I set to keep levels constant around 4 ppm total bromine when the tub is not in use. I am checking the levels with a Taylor FAS-DPD bromine test kit.


My question is whether I need to be hyperbrominating the tub weekly?


I understand that, in chlorine chemistry, a distinction is needed between free available chlorine and combined chlorine. Combined chlorine is not an effective sanitizer. Therefore, regular superchlorination is needed to break down combined chlorine back into free available chlorine and the cycle continues.


However, I understand that combined bromine compounds are effective sanitizers. Therefore, it sounds like hyperbromination is not needed. As well, a certain amount of fresh sodium bromide is added each week, and my understanding is that this should ensure new free bromine becomes available anyway.


Hyperbromination puts the tub out of use for at least 24-36h while the levels come down again. This limits our use of the tub, and I do not want to do it if not really necessary, or do it less frequently.


I am wondering if hyperbromination is really needed? And if it is needed, whether it is really needed once a week.


p.s. I have not used the word "shock" above because there is clear confusion online between products that raise chlorine/bromine levels (I bought shock at the store today and added a little shock to the tub after my soak) and hyperchlorination/hyperbromination (once a week I shock my tub up to 20 ppm bromine).

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

I'm not sure what you did to the font but I can barely read the text of your post. Not a lot of folks here use bromine, most use bleach in their hot tubs.

We dont generally recommend shocking pools or spas a properly maintained pool or spa does not need to be "shocked". We also agree that the pool and spa industry have introduced a lot of confusion about "shocking" and "shock". There are too many different products called "shock" and not enough defined processes about what "shocking" means. So, we don't use those terms.

There is an article in Pool School about how to use bromine, How do I use Bromine in my spa (or pool)?

 

[MPurcell]

Sorry to be late to the party. I ran a bromine tub for six months, but then I switched over to chlorine.

My six months on bromine was all on one fill, and during that time, I super-brominated to approximately 25 ppm bromine only twice. Both instances were to deal with a specific issue, such as sudsing due to guest's swimwear.

If you keep the water chemistry balanced, pH and TA in proper range, and always keep the bromine level above the recommended minimum, you will not need to super-brominate.

One point I would mention. You only need to add sodium bromide once, at the time that you fill the tub. You don't need to keep adding it, because when hypobromous acid neutralizes bather waste, it turns back into sodium bromide, only to be re-activated into hypobromous acid by the addition of bleach. Also, your BCDMH tablets add bromine to the water continually, adding to the bromide bank. So when you fill the tub, add enough sodium bromide to bring the level up to about 30 ppm, and then don't add again until the next time you drain and fill.

One other point. You should use Ahh-some to purge the plumbing on a regular basis, at least once every six months. This is an important factor in keeping the water crystal clear on an ongoing basis and not running into problems.