How Chlorine and Ozone Work together in a Hot Tub

Chlorine is used to kill bacteria and viruses in the water in the hot tub. Chlorine combines with water to make hypochlorous acid that destroys the molecules of microorganisms in the water. Depending on the pH of the water, hypochlorous acid changes partly into hypochlorite ions that do not kill microorganisms. Higher pH of water leads to more hypochlorite and less effective disinfectation.

Chlorine combines with ammonia and nitrogen in the water to form chloramines. The sweat and other body products of bathers can contain ammonia while rain water contains nitrogen. Chloramines are practically ineffective as disinfectants and also smell bad. They make the water cloudy and cause irritation to skin and eyes.

Chloramines are removed through “shock treatments” through super-chlorination or using other chemicals. Super-chlorination can prove ineffective unless done correctly and it also leaves the hot tub unusable for several hours until the level of chlorine comes down to harmless levels.

By adding ozone to the water, ammonia and nitrogen are removed from the water thus eliminating the formation of chloramines during chlorination. Ozone is a powerful oxidizer that oxidizes all the other stuff that bathers typically introduce into the water, such as soap, lotions, makeup, saliva and urine. Finally, it kills most of the microorganisms leaving only a minimum for the chlorine to complete the job.

What these mean is that you can use much less chlorine when ozone is used, and also that the unpleasant effects of chlorine use are avoided.

Ozone is not a product like Chlorine that you buy from the shop. Instead, you buy an ozonator that is installed on the hot tub along with needed plumbing. The ozonator generates Ozone on site and injects it into the water through the plumbing. The initial capital outlay on the ozonator and installation pays for itself in the form of a much more pleasing hot tub experience.

For more information please contact – Hot Tub Repair Man

If you need a ozone unit, please goto – Hot Tub DIY