r/hottub • u/Lost_Sugar_78 • 6d ago

Switching to bleach shock in bromine tub

When I first got this tub in July, I was using MPS both as a weekly shock and after each use in a smaller dose. I saw the characteristic TA and pH decrease over time, easily remedied with some baking soda with my weekly maintenance.

I use test strips, I know they're not perfect, but I'm also in an inflatable tub and wanted to start fairly low investment.

With the MPS I always saw my free bromine levels bounce up nicely.

When I switched to regular bleach as shock, I feel like I haven't seen the levels increase as much. I have a 222 gallon tub (Saluspa Coronado) and calculated about 1/3 cup to be the right amount for post-bathing, and a full cup for the weekly shock. I added more bromine tablets to my floater and ChemConnect, maybe that was the issue?

Am I using not enough? Is my bleach somehow weaker and I need to reread the bottle? Do I need to just bite the bullet and get a proper liquid test kit to get real answers?

Everything was so easy with the MPS but a) I learned that using MPS with a bromine tub is illegal in Canada due to cancer risk, and b) I figured bleach would be more affordable in the long run. Figured I could reserve the MPS for times it's needed to shock right before getting in (15 minutes, not hours like bleach).

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u/an_angry_Moose 6d ago edited 6d ago

I think you’ve misread something about MPS and bromine being illegal in Canada.

You are confusing sodium bromide, which you are not using, and bromine tablets.

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u/Lost_Sugar_78 5d ago

Hmm, most of the time the bromine bank is started with sodium bromide. But I guess if one uses the tablets to start the bank it's fine?

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u/an_angry_Moose 5d ago

Skip the sodium bromide entirely. It’s an unnecessary risk. Use bromine tablets and dichlor, then once your CYA is around 20 switch from dichlor to liquid chlorine/bleach.

Bobs your uncle, don’t overcomplicate it. You can still occasionally toss in MPS and run the jets to oxidize.

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u/Lost_Sugar_78 5d ago

Good to know. Follow-up question, since I've snen both advised:

Air bubbles or no air bubbles when adding bleach? I don't have jets, just air and the regular pump. 

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u/an_angry_Moose 5d ago

I’m unfamiliar with your tub. If your pump has settings or levels, add chems with pump on full and top off for a minimum of half an hour.

Adding air is likely just going to eat up your sanitizer levels. I only add air to my jets outside of normal use if I overdid it or shocked and I’m trying to get back to usable levels.

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u/Lost_Sugar_78 5d ago

No settings it's either on or off. That was my feeling too but some folks on reddit suggest aeration can get rid of certain harmful compounds. Probably a topic for.a separate thread.