Hot tub people - what chemicals do you use?

[Ralphie ★]

Our hot tub crapped out and the repair guy says the bromine is eating it.  He says we should use an oxider instead.  I always thought bromine was 'sposed to be easy on it, at least compared to chlorine.  The shell is getting bleached out, but that never happened to our old no name hot tub.  This one is a Sundance, aboot 10-15 years old I spose, I bought it used.

[Longjohn ★]

I use bromine , have never had any problems. Have a Colman spa for 17 years, still looks like new.

[Ralphie ★]

35 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I use bromine , have never had any problems. Have a Colman spa for 17 years, still looks like new.

So he is peeing on my shoes and telling me it is raining?

[donkpow]

Let's look at this thing logically.

[maddmaxx ★]

Chemestry in a hot tub. Watch out bro you could pass out and drown.

[Longjohn ★]

I have seen hot tubs at motels that looked like crap, I have no idea what they did to them. I have sometimes used chlorine when I ran out of bromine. My bromine always makes my water ph too high over time and I have to add acid. When I use chlorine it makes my ph too low and I add baking soda or soda ash. I don’t use any other chemicals and I have never needed to clean the tub when I change the water. My tub is in my spa room just off the master bedroom and the pool deck. An outdoor tub might have more problems.

[Further]

Will a salt system work in a hot tub ?

Spent some time in my BIL's pool with a salt system, it was the most pleasant pool I've ever been in. No chlorine smell, and no burning eyes.

[maddmaxx ★]

42 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I have seen hot tubs at motels that looked like crap, I have no idea what they did to them. I have sometimes used chlorine when I ran out of bromine. My bromine always makes my water ph too high over time and I have to add acid. When I use chlorine it makes my ph too low and I add baking soda or soda ash. I don’t use any other chemicals and I have never needed to clean the tub when I change the water. My tub is in my spa room just off the master bedroom and the pool deck. An outdoor tub might have more problems.

Motel or Hotel hot tubs require a stronger disinfectant because what happens in a hot tub doesn't always stay there.  During my contract job in Orlando I stayed at a Residence Inn that had two outdoor hot tubs, one by the pool and one in the garden in the middle of the 20 building complex.  After a while I wanted nothing to do with the hot tubs.  They were very popular at night though.

[Longjohn ★]

36 minutes ago, Further said:

Will a salt system work in a hot tub ?

Spent some time in my BIL's pool with a salt system, it was the most pleasant pool I've ever been in. No chlorine smell, and no burning eyes.

I’ve never seen a salt system for a hot tub. The pools at the aquatic center are salt water and the therapy pool is basically a giant hot tub. If you maintain your pools correctly you won’t have chlorine smell or burning eyes.

 

edit: just looked and a chlorine generator for a salt water hot tub is less than $200

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

3 hours ago, Further said:

Spent some time in my BIL's pool with a salt system, it was the most pleasant pool I've ever been in.

Salt water pools can be great, but you have to be careful and check the water each time before you jump in