How to Set up and Maintain Spa Water Bromine

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 15, 2021 References Approved

Bromine can be used to keep your spa water sanitary and is gentler on your skin than chlorine. It’s also really easy to get started and maintain your system. Start by flushing, draining, and refilling your spa with fresh, clean water. Then, add sodium bromide to the water to build up a reserve of bromide. Use a spa shock treatment to activate the bromide and turn it into the sanitizing bromine. To maintain the proper levels, test the water with bromine test strips, float bromine tablets on the water, and shock the spa water regularly.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cleaning the Spa

1
Remove the spa filters to avoid contamination. Find the filters on your spa system. They may be located under a lid on a corner, or inside of a canister on the side of the spa. Remove the filters by turning them and pulling them out of their compartments.^{[1]
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- Before you start flushing and cleaning the spa, you need to take out the filters so they don’t collect or catch any of the grime, mildew, mold, or any other gunk that comes out of the pipes.
- If you can’t find your filters, check the owner’s manual to locate them.
Tip: If your filters are old or dirty, clean them or replace them so they don’t contaminate the water when you refill your spa.
2
Flush your spa to clean the plumbing lines before you drain it. Add a spa line flush product into the spa water according to the instructions on the packaging. Turn the jets on high and allow the water to circulate for 10 minutes so the cleaner can get inside all of the inner workings of the spa to break up and remove any of the gunk and sludge that’s built up in the pipes.^{[2]
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- The warm water can cause all kinds of mold, mildew, and bacteria to build up in the plumbing lines of your spa.
- You can find line flush at spa and pool supply stores, pool supply stores, and online.
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3
Cover the spa and allow it to sit for 12-14 hours. Turn off the jets and cover the top of the spa to make sure that additional contaminants won’t get in. It’s also important that nobody can swim in the water while the line flush is in it. Wait a full 12 hours to allow the cleaner to remove the residue from the plumbing lines.^{[3]
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- Make sure nobody tries to enter the spa while the lines are being flushed.
- Turn off the spa to allow the line flush to soak.
4
Drain and refill your spa with fresh water. Remove the cover and drain your spa according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If there is a build-up of gunky residue at the bottom of your spa, rinse it out with fresh water to remove it. Refill the spa with fresh clean water until it’s completely full.^{[4]
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- Some spas may have a built-in pump that you can use to drain the water.
- If your spa has a drain plug, pull it to allow the water to drain.
5
Replace the water filters into the spa. Add the clean water filters back to their original locations by sliding them into place. Make sure they’re securely installed so they can properly filter your spa water.^{[5]
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- Replace the lid if there is one so the filter area is covered.
6
Test the pH levels to make sure they’re between 7.2 and 7.6. Use pH test strips to check the level of the water by dipping them into the liquid and comparing the color of the reaction to the color code on the box. It’s important that the pH be slightly basic so the water doesn’t react negatively with the bromine.^{[6]
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- You can adjust the pH of your spa water by adding baking soda to raise the pH or by adding muriatic acid to lower the pH.
- Look for pH test strips and muriatic acid at pool supply stores and online.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Balancing the Bromine Levels

1
Add sodium bromide to the water to create a bromide bank. For bromine to be a more effective sanitizing agent in your spa, there needs to be a residual level of bromides present in the water. When you’re setting up bromine in your spa water, start by pouring in granular sodium bromide according to the directions on the packaging.^{[7]
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- A common measurement is to add 2 ounces (56.7 grams) of sodium bromide per 500 gallons (1,900 L) of water. But follow the directions on the packaging to be sure.
- You can find sodium bromide at pool supply stores and online.
2
Activate the bromide by adding a shock treatment to the spa water. Use a spa shock treatment to sanitize your water and activate the bromide ions to turn them into bromine. Add the treatment according to the instructions on the packaging. Turn the jets on full blast to circulate the treatment for 10 minutes.^{[8]
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- Look for spa shock treatments at pool supply stores and online.
- Once it’s activated, the bromine will continuously sanitize the water, keeping it clean.
Warning: Make sure no one tries to access the spa while the shock treatment is present or it could burn their skin.
3
Test the water with bromine test strips to find the levels. The ideal range of bromine levels in your spa water are between 3.0 and 5.0 parts per million (ppm). Dip a bromine test strip into your spa water and wait for the chemicals to react and change the color of the strip. Compare the strip to the color code on the packaging to identify the range of bromine present in the water.^{[9]
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- If the bromine levels are too high, wait a day or so before using the spa to allow the levels to drop. Test the water again to see if it falls in the ideal range.
4
Use bromine tablets to maintain the bromine level in the water. Once the bromine levels are stabilized, add bromine tablets into a floater and place it in your spa. The tablets will slowly dissolve and release bromine into the water to replace the chemical that is lost over time and keep a healthy balance in the water.^{[10]
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- If your bromine level drops too low, add an extra bromine tablet to your floater to raise it.
- You can find bromine tablets and floaters at pool supply stores and online.
- Read the directions on the packaging of the bromine tablets to make sure you’re adding the right amount.
5
Shock the spa weekly to reactivate the bromide present in the water. Shocking the water regularly will keep mold and bacteria from building up in the pipes and internal workings. It will also reactivate the bromide reserve present in the water to boost the bromine level, which will keep your water safe and sanitized.^{[11]
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- Make sure nobody uses the spa when you add a shock treatment.
- Follow the directions on the packaging to add the correct dosage and to allow enough time for the shock treatment to dilute to safe levels.

Community Q&A

Question

I've been recently having a rash, is that caused by the bromine?

Community Answer

I had that problem on my shins with bromine. I switched to chlorine and have not had that problem again. An internet search reveals that bromine is problematic for some people.
Question

Why do I need to shock?

Jeffrey Summers

Community Answer

The sanitizer, typically bromine or chlorine, combines with organic material such as bacteria and algae. The shock oxidizes the combined bromine-organic stuff and frees the bromine back up to work again. That's why at least one shock product is called Renew. If you do not shock, you will have to keep adding bromine, and the tub will get more of that "chlorine smell" that is predominantly from combined bromine.
Question

Is Leisure Time Bright and Clear the same as the shocker? We added both products to our hot tub and got a lot of foam. What are we doing wrong?

Community Answer

Bright and Clear is a flocculant -- it clumps together tiny debris and makes the tub less cloudy. This is NOT the same as the shock, which oxidizes organic material and frees up your sanitizer (bromine).