Please remember that water and electricity are a deadly combination and do not mix. Use any of the information contained herein AT YOUR OWN RISK.
We will not be held liable for any injuries that may result from the troubleshooting advice or installation of any electrical components in your hot tub spa unit.
Sanitiser
Economy
Ease of Use
Advantages
Disadvantages
Ozone
Approx £130 every 2 years
Automatically operates during normal spa filtration
Reduces the required amount of bromine or chlorine Most new spas come with ozone already fitted.
Needs to be supplemented with chlorine or bromine Can be expensive...£120 depending on the application Bulb or chip needs replacing every 2 years
Chlorine Granules
Approx £60 per year
Top up with granules every 1 -3 days.
Very powerful sanitiser/shock.
Relatively inexpensive
More neutral pH...sodium di-chlor has a pH of 7.0
Readily available...Most Pool and Spa dealers carry it.
Less expensive than bromine
Can be used as sanitiser and also as "shock"
Can be used with ozone and Nature2
The smell of water, skin, and bathing costume
People complain of dry skin after spa use
Once free chlorine has been combined with waste the resultant chloramines are poor sanitisers
Requires frequent testing and adjustments
Less convenient...needs to be added manually several times a week
Numerous types are available, only sodium di-chlor should be used in spas
Combined chlorines cause the "odour" but have no sanitizing ability
Chlorine Tablets
Approx £60 per year
Added less frequently than granules. Floats in a dispenser slowly dosing the pool for up to 10 days
Very powerful sanitiser/shock
Relatively inexpensive
More neutral pH...sodium di-chlor has a pH of 7.0
Readily available...Most Pool and Spa dealers carry it
Smell
People complain of dry skin after spa use
Once free chlorine has been combined with waste the resultant chloramines are poor sanitisers
Can be sometimes difficult to maintain chlorine levels after a heavy bather load or after a refill
Bromine Tablets
Approx £80 per year
Top up with granules every 1 -3 days
Convenient to use... put tablets into a floater and refill every 10 to 14 days
Readily available...most pool and spa dealers carry it
Can be used with ozone
Does not have "a chlorine smell"
No difference between the effectiveness of free vs. combined bromine
Unlike chlorine, once bromine combines with waste, bromamines are still an effective sanitiser
Degrades in direct sunlight
May fade jewellery
Requires frequent testing and adjustments
Has low pH (approx. 3.5 - 4.5)...pH levels need to be adjusted frequently to prevent equipment damage
More expensive than chlorine
Can not be used with Nature2
Bromine odour is more difficult to shower off
Requires the use of 'sodium bromide' when water is changed to establish a bromine reserve
Aquafinesse
Approx £240 per year
Once a week application of the Aquafinesse liquid. We also recommend a once week non-chlorine shock application
Easy and convenient to use
Subtle lavender smell to the water
The water feels less heavy and greasy
We have very few problems when people convert to Aquafinesse from traditional maintenance programmes
We will need to use a anti-scale in areas of hard water, otherwise, a powdery scale may form on the shell
Very expensive
Often miss-sold as chlorine-free, a small chlorine tablet is used with the system, though the chlorine levels are not usually noticeable
Active Oxygen
Approx £70 per year
Once a week application of activator liquid. application of fast dissolving tablets every time you use the spa
No harsh smells
Very good for people with sensitive skin. (used in birthing pools)
relatively inexpensive
Can be used in conjunction with chlorine as an occasional shock
Silver Mineral
Will dry/irritate the skin, cause eye redness, or fade bathing suites
Will not degrade spa cover vinyl
Uses copper and silver for sanitizing...similar to the space shuttle
No chemical odours
Can be used in indoor spas
Has no effect on pH levels
Copper and Silver rods need to be replaced every year or two
Very expensive
Kills organic matter, but doesn't oxidize them
Spa still needs to be chemically shocked occasionally
Spa frog
Easy to use...fits in filter
Lasts 4 months
Can be used with chlorine or ozone
No chemical smells
Need to shock frequently with chlorine or non-chlorine shock
