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"Mineral Sanitizers for Spas"
Using
metallic ions to reduce chlorine or bromine usage.
The Pool & Spa Informational Website
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Alternative Spa & Hot Tub Water Sanitizers
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Scroll down to browse
through some archived SPA & HOT TUB questions and answers.
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Mineral Sanitizers are devices that supply a stream
metallic
ions to the spa or hot tub water. Used properly, the
ions are maintained at very low levels, avoiding the possibility of staining or
discoloration. Mineral Sanitizers accomplish this release, without the use of electrical components. Mineral
Sanitizers are not stand alone water
treatment
products, but can reduce the total amount of chemicals required for proper spa
or hot tub water maintenance. The metallic ions will not
destroy organic buildup and contamination and will not oxidize dead
microorganisms and organic debris. This requires oxidation and
the use of agents such as: chlorine, bromine, non-chlorine shock or ozone.
Not all of these oxidizers can be used with all Mineral Sanitizers:
check with the manufacturer before adding chemicals, as to any limitations that
might be suggested.
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More information about THE FROG Mineral Sanitizer Systems for spa and hot tubs can be found on the
KING TECHNOLOGY, INC. Preview Page
in the "Spas & Equipment" Product Information Section.
Links are available to connect you to their website. |
► Mineral Sanitizers And Oxidation?
I was just looking at some info on the ionization
process for hot tubs to look after algae and such. I must admit it looks
great and I bet smells better with no bromine or chlorine odors. My question is
to do with the oxidation of the water. I have read where you suggest ozonators
to deal with this problem. But, are they enough to keep the water fresh or
do you need some non chlorine shock as well? Also is there a test you can do to
check, if you have enough oxidation occurring to be safe? Thanks in advance,
Darren H., 1/27/2008
For proper spa water quality, you
must have both sanitizing and oxidation! A
mineral
sanitizer can provide most, if not all of the sanitizing action. However,
it must  be used with oxidizing agents such as
ozone generators, chlorine, bromine or
non-chlorine shock. Ozonators come close to providing for all of the
sanitizing and oxidizing needs. Because the presence of ozone is
short-lived, after the unit is shut off, a backup sanitizer is always
recommended: chlorine, bromine or mineral sanitizers
are most commonly used, in this backup role. Ozonators provide the
necessary oxidation and greatly reduce the amount of chlorine or bromine
required to maintain a level of about 1/2 the customary amount. There
should be no overpowering sense of chlorine or bromine. Use a mineral
sanitizer and you can almost eliminate the chlorine or bromine. The
FROG Mineral Sanitizers are the only ones, registered by the EPA, as both a spa
sanitizer and disinfectant, that can be used with either chlorine
or bromine in spas or hot tubs. The only time
non-chlorine shock needs to be used is if the water quality suddenly
deteriorates. Test kits are available that measure ozone levels. If
you maintain a chlorine or bromine residual, at a reduced level, the ability to
maintain this lower concentration is confirmation that the oxidation needs are
being met by the ozonator. I hope that I have helped convince you that an
ozonator will be beneficial and will enhance your hot water experience.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
1/27/2008
►
What Is A Mineral Sanitizer?
I am considering A SPA FROG, as I am
interested in reducing the amount of chemicals. How does this product work
and why will I use less chlorine or bromine? Thanks.
Jack C., Florida, 1/15/2007
The
SPA FROG is the only leading product
that
has been approved as a spa sanitizer and disinfectant, by the EPA. Unlike the leading competitor's product, it can be used with
either chlorine or bromine. You will use less chlorine or bromine
because you will be able to achieve proper sanitizing with 1 PPM of free
chlorine (instead of 1-3 PPM) or with 2 PPM of bromine (instead of 3-5 PPM).
I hope that this information proves helpful. Enjoy the spa.
Sincerely. Alan
Schuster, 1/15/2007
►
Ozone To Mineral Sanitizing?
Is it possible
and realistic to convert my hot tub, which has an Ozonator and uses bromine, to
something like the silver oxide cartridge and non-chlorine treatment?
Mike E.,
Evansville, IN, 12/12/2008
Posilutely, you
should be able to make such a switch. I suggest that you completely drain
the spa remove all traces of the bromide salts. This is important, so as not to
shorten the life of the silver component (you can confirm this with the
manufacturer to be certain). Only THE FROG Mineral Sanitizer
can be used with bromine in a spa or hot tub! Have you considered this? Use
the combination of a
Mineral Sanitizer and
an
ozone generator and you may
not need the non-chlorine
shock and only a low level of chlorine or bromine! The combination of a Mineral Sanitizer
and Ozone is being used in many spas. Have fun! Hope that I have
been of assistance.
Sincerely. Alan
Schuster, 12/12/2008
►
Silver Oxide?
We have just installed a spa and would like to
use silver oxide, but all local dealers have never heard of it. Do you have any
suggestions about who sells this is the Southern California area? Thank you in
advance for your help.
Nameless, California, 4/6/2003
The reason the dealers
appeared to be unfamiliar is that it is not sold as silver oxide.
THE FROG Mineral Sanitizers uses a silver
compound, as a source of silver ions and other minerals, as well.
Ask your local spa professional to provide you with information on Mineral
Sanitizers.
I hope that I have been
helpful. Enjoy the spa.
Sincerely.
Alan
Schuster, 4/7/2003
► Wanting To Use Less
Bromine?
I have been using bromine tablets
in my spa. The results, so far, have been good, but I would like to use
less bromine and fewer chemicals. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Regards and thanks.
Barry M., Poughkeepsie, NY,
11/12/2005
The simplest
thing to do would be to add a Mineral Sanitizer.
Because you are using bromine, you can't use just any mineral sanitizer, as some
cannot be used in spas that contain bromine.
THE FROG Mineral Sanitizer
can be used in spas, that use bromine or chlorine and it will not interfere with
the expected 6-month life of the cartridge. For more information of the
full line of FROG Mineral Sanitizers go to:
www.kingtechnology.com
The presence of the mineral sanitizer will allow you to maintain a lower bromine
level and because less bromine will be used, the overall water chemistry will be
easier to control. I hope that this information proves helpful.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 5/12/2005
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►
Tired Of Bromine?
I have a 500 gallon spa with an ozone
generator. I am tired of the bromine. After perusing your website, it
looks as though I could eliminate all need for bromine/dispensers by adding a
mineral sanitizer to my system. I searched for those on the web and they appear
to simply be a device that slips into the 'tube' in my filter and last for
approximately 4 months at a time. Is this all correct? Thank you for your
advice,
Steve W., Austin, TX, 8/10/2003
Depending upon which
Mineral
Sanitizer you use, it could be that simple. However, there is one thing
that I would suggest be done first. Empty and clean out the spa, removing
as much water as possible. Some mineral sanitizers can shorten the
life of the cartridge, with the presence of bromine. Only THE FROG Mineral
Sanitizer can be used with bromine or in water that contains bromide ions.
If you add an
ozone generator,
to your spa treatment regimen, you will drastically reduce the bromine usage. Inasmuch as it is a
good practice to periodically empty a spa, you might as well do it now. I
hope that the information will prove helpful.
Sincerely. Alan
Schuster, 8/10/2003
► Child-Friendly
Choice?
We would like to allow our
small child to go into our spa with us at a temperature around 89-92 degrees.
I have been told the best alternatives to using straight chemicals are a
Mineral Sanitizer then a non-chlorine shock at exit. Do you
have any opinion. Thank you.
Holli S, 5/9/2009
Mineral
Sanitizers are products that sanitize by using metallic ions.
However, just
using a mineral sanitizer is not enough. To maintain proper spa water quality,
you need to use an oxidization, as well. That is the purpose of the non-chlorine
shock. So long as the product choice includes both capabilities, I see no
problem. However, my own preference would be to use an
ozonator and a mineral
sanitizer or a mineral sanitizer and a lower level of bromine. This way there's no regular shock treatment and there is built-in backup
sanitizing. For more information on Ozone and Ozone Generators visit:
www.waterquality.net I hope that this information proves helpful.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 5/9/2009
►
Hydrogen
Peroxide?
We have a hot tub and would like
to use hydrogen peroxide instead of the normal chemicals. My husband is
allergic to the chlorine and bromides. How much Hydrogen peroxide do we
use and what %. We were told that it should be a 10% concentration but we
can't find any hydrogen peroxide above 3%. I thought maybe you could help
us. Also do we nee to use any kind of a shock at the first? Hope you
can help! Thanks.
Jo, 7/10/2005
I am not sure
that using just hydrogen peroxide will provide adequate sanitation. In
pools and spas, it is used as a shock treatment with biguanide. It is
available in concentrated form in many pool and spa outlets that offer biguanide
products. Have you considered the use of an ozonator and a
mineral
sanitizer or ionizer. This combination would come close to
being chlorine and bromine
free. The ozonator could negate the need for hydrogen peroxide and a mineral
sanitizer or ionizer would release metallic ions and act as a
persistent sanitizer. Hydrogen peroxide
can be used as a
shock treatment and a mineral sanitizer or ionizer as the primary water sanitizer.
However, in most cases better results are obtained, if you maintain a lower level
of chlorine or bromine.
I hope that I've been helpful and given you some food for thought. Good
luck with your decision.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 7/10/2005
►
Too Much Monopersulfate?
Alan, I use a mineral sanitizer system and
Monopersulfate (MPS). The test strips show that the MPS level is WAY too high
and the alkalinity and pH are at the bottom of the scale. I know how to
fix the alkalinity/pH problem, but do not know how to lower the MPS level. Do I
just have to wait until it goes away or is there something I can use to lower
the level myself? Thank you.
Shelly M., Hanover, MD,
4/19/2004
It is possible to add a
chemical to lower the monopersulfate (MPS) level. Chlorine neutralizer will
discharge the MPS level very quickly. However, if you do nothing, the
level will drop on its own. By the time you read this and find the
product, I suspect that the level will be acceptable.
As
long as you are
testing
for MPS, you should add the product in smaller increments.
You can always add more - you can't take out!
Monopersulfate
products, for spa use, should be a buffered formula, so as not to affect the pH
and TA. Check to see if the label confirms this. I hope that I have
been helpful. Enjoy the spa.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 4/19/2004
► Mineral Purifier,
Ozone & Shock?
I am writing to ask about
using a mineral purifier in my hot tub. It has an ozonator in it, as well.
But, I am not sure how it really works. I have been having problems with
bromine with pH bouncing around and hard to maintain. I also have been
diagnosed with having folliculitis. If I switch to a Mineralizer, do I
need to use an ionizer as well? I would like to get rid of the bromine
use. Can you recommend a mineral sanitizer brand to use? If I switch to this system,
do I understand correctly that I will only be using the mineral sanitizer, ozonator and
shock? How do you test water? Do you use standard test strips and will it give
proper readings on pH and alkalinity, using the purifier? Thank you so much.
This is all so confusing to me.
Lyn G., Charleston, SC,
2/25/2005
If you were
medically diagnosed with folliculitis, it was caused by inadequate sanitation.
Ozone and bromine should have done the job.
However, the combination of an
ozonator,
a
mineral
sanitizer
and an occasional shock treatment should also be very
effective.
A mineral sanitizer adds sanitizing metallic ions to the water. Just make sure that the ozonator is
working properly and is operated for 6-8 hours daily, spaced throughout out the
day into 2-hour periods. Once a week or after heavy bather usage or at the
first signs of a loss of water quality, add shock treatment. There are
several good mineral sanitizers available, however only THE FROG Mineral
Sanitizer can be used with bromine and allow you to get satisfactory results
with a lower bromine level. It is also the only one that is EPA registered as
both a spa sanitizer and spa disinfectant. Bromine can sometimes produce
false high pH readings. Perhaps, this was part of the problem?
Test
strips should be fine for the pH and TA and possibly to measure the
shock level, if chlorine is used. Ozone can be tested very easily and will
confirm that the ozonator is working properly.
An
Ozone Test Kit can be ordered online - just click here. I hope
that I have been of assistance.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 2/25/2005
► Which Mineral
Sanitizer To Use?
I have been using biguanide and
an ozonator and have been getting a moldy, musty smell and film. I use
hydrogen peroxide, as well, and find it expensive to use. I also have an
ozonator. Any suggestions?
Gary, Temecula, CA, 9/26/2006
Water mold problems can
happen with biguanide and it becomes necessary to permanently switch to another
sanitizer. I suggest that you switch to the Floating
SPA FROG cartridge system or the SPA
FROG Filter cartridge and bromine. The main difference is that the
SPA FROG floating system has the bromine included in an easy pre-filled and
adjustable cartridge, while the filter product is just minerals and bromine will
have to be added separately. The pre-filled SPA FROG Bromine Cartridge, will
float on its own, as well, if you choose to use that with the filter product.
Addressing the bigger problem of converting from biguanide is the first step to
solving the problem. I would drain
and clean the spa. Refill and add a small amount of chlorine, one time only,
just to establish a free chlorine level that will destroy any remaining
biguanide. Add the SPA FROG of your choice and enough bromine to maintain a 1-3
PPM level. The SPA FROG is the only mineral sanitizer that can be used with
bromine. The fact that you have an
ozonator, should preclude any need to
add hydrogen peroxide and will help you to minimize the use of chemicals. I hope that this information will prove helpful.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 9/27/2006
► Better Filtration?
Followed your advice & got a
mineral sanitizer to go with the ozone generator. Drained & cleaned the
tub. My skin is still reacting to the
spa water but everyone else is enjoying the water better now. It must be a
personal problem with heat sensitive dermatitis. The company I ordered the
mineral purifier from also supplied an enhanced shock which contains 58% Sodium
Dichloro Triazinetrione and other stuff that they don't identify. I assume
that this is still a chlorine based shock?
What type of shock / chemical is non-chlorine or
non-bromine in nature that I could use in conjunction with the mineral sanitizer
& the ozonator? I am still monitoring the pH levels but should I still be
adding a stain & scale remover every week as the Tub manufacturer recommends?
Do I need to add anything else? I have
2 filters that I rotate once a month but rinse off once a week in between. When
I rotate should I just soak them in a filter cleaner or should I shock them
first? How long should they remain in the filter cleaner solution? My spa
supplier says 24 hours & then let them dry thoroughly, other sources have
advised that they should soak for a couple of weeks. Also does a solar
blanket on the water surface help keep the ozone in the water?
Sorry for all the questions but I definitely
appreciate the help you have provided me with.
Thanks.
Roger J., Dundas, Ont., 3/30/2006
The 58% product
is sodium dichlor and you can use it. Just try and keep the free chlorine level
at 0.5-1.5 PPM. Less than normally amounts should be adequate, because of the
presence of the
ozonator. A solar blanket could make a slight difference, but it could be
hard to quantify. Potassium monopersulfate shock is a non-chlorine product. You
need one or the other. I would stop adding the stain and scale product or
verify that it can be used with the
mineral
sanitizer. You might be complexing (chelating) the
metallic ions and rendering them less effective. Spa filters are not very
effective, under the best of circumstances. A higher efficiency
product might be beneficial. The better filtration couldn't
hurt your dermatitis problem either. Otherwise, clean according to the
manufacturer's instructions. I hope that this information
proves helpful.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 3/31/2006
►
How A Mineral Sanitizer
Works?
I'm using a FROG Mineral
Sanitizer Cartridge in my spa. I add some non-chlorine shock after
each use. I like it because there is very little odor, if any.
Exactly, how does this cartridge reduce chlorine requirements?
Dennis G.,
1/14/2004
The cartridge contains silver,
in a form that allows for slow release into the spa water. This is done
without the use of electrical components, as is the case with Ionization Units.
The silver is released into the water in ionic form. This is the most active form and
allows the ions to function as sanitizers, at very low concentrations. Chlorine is
normally used to provide this type of sanitizing action. However, chlorine will also
destroy and decompose organic wastes and debris.
Because
metallic
ions cannot destroy the organic contamination or prevent further buildups, it is necessary
to add an oxidizer to do this job. That is the reason for adding the non-chlorine
shock. Maintaining
a free chlorine of that favors the low end of 1-3 PPM, helps assure proper
sanitation, at all times. The use of the
Mineral
Sanitizer should reduce the overall chemical usage and
make control of the water chemistry easier. Enjoy the spa. I hope that I have
been helpful.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 1/15/2004
► One Mineral
Sanitizer
Or Two?
Hello Alan. Thank you for all the helpful advice on
your website! My question involves proper placement of a mineral purifier
cartridge in a hot tub with two filters. My tub is equipped with an
ozonator which runs 24 hours a day on a very low pressure slow circulation pump
(this is also the pump that draws water through the heater). The main
circulation / skimming pump (higher pressure) comes on 4 times a day for ½ hour
each time. Each of these pumps has a separate filter. After reading some
of your recommendations, I am planning to convert from bromine to a mineral
purifier cartridge that goes inside the filter tube. My question is:
which filter would be a better location for the mineral sanitizer? Hopefully, it
won't be necessary to have a purifier in both filters. Thanks you for any
thoughts/advice you can provide. Sincerely.
Scott in Colorado, 3/30/2004
Interesting question. Mineral sanitizers work by adding metallic ions to
the water at a, more or less, controllable rate. You shouldn't need two
cartridges. I think that you are better off using the high speed pump, as
it better reflects normal spa operation. Only
The FROG Mineral Sanitizer
can be used with bromine! Some mineral sanitizers are
affected by bromine, so I suggest that you give this some thought. Enjoy the spa.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
3/30/2004
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