Sanitizers, or disinfectants, are hardworking chemicals. They also have a killing
streak in them — which is exactly what you want.
The important thing to keep in mind is, that for them to do their duty, they have to be
present in the pool and spa water at all times. There always needs to be a certain
minimum amount — called a residual — of sanitizer in your water.
What we’re saying is, to make sure your pool and spa are protected from bacteria
and their friends, you need your sanitizers on ’round-the-clock duty.
When you add your sanitizer, therefore, you should be adding enough to kill any
existing contaminants in the water — and create a residual that can neutralize any
dirt, debris or germs that may get into the water before you next treat it.
That said; let’s take a look at some of the most common sanitizing chemicals and
equipment available on the market today.
Bromine
Also available on the market today is a chemical sanitizer called bromine. Do note,
however, that bromine cannot be stabilized with cyanuric acid. As much as 65
percent of bromine residual can be depleted by the sun in a two-hour time period.
Because there is no known way to retain a reliable level of bromine when exposed to
sunlight, many experts recommend it for indoor pools or spas only.
FYI: The acceptable range of bromine for your pool or spa is from 2.0 to 4.0 ppm.
Bromine also has no odor, and dispensing it your spa via a feeder allows it to
dissolve at a slow, constant, desirable rate. Just be sure to remove the feeder when
your spa is in use.
A final note: When using bromine as your sanitizer, you will need to occasionally
shock the water with large doses of another chemical to oxidize waste material still in
the water. (We’ll explain this in more detail below.)
