OxyFile #318

This information was provided with the ECHO Progress Report.  ECHO can 
be reached at 612-972-2144.


SWIMMING POOLS AND HOT TUBS

The following information on the use of hydrogen peroxide for swimming 
pools/hot tubs is considered experimental. Check with your swimming 
pool or hot tub manufacturer about the compatibility of hydrogen 
peroxide to your system.


Swimming Pools

It has been found for start up that 1 pint of 35% food or technical 
grade hydrogen peroxide should be added for each 1000 gallons in the 
pool system. Let stand for one day with the circulation pump running 
intermittently. (Dr. Donsbach indicates from his experience that an 
average size pool takes about eight gallons to begin with and then 
one-half to one gallon must be added per week.) The pool should be 
maintained at 40 parts per million. This can be determined by peroxide 
test strips or by use of a titration kit.

It is extremely important to keep the filters clean. The addition of 
an ultra violet light or an ozonator will reduce the amount of 
hydrogen peroxide that you will need to add.

Sunlight will dissipate hydrogen peroxide just as it dissipates 
chlorine, so regular additions of H202 will have to be made. The 
number of people using the pool or frequency of pool use determines 
the amount of H202 that must be added.

Most water from municipal water supplies contains chlorine. This is 
why the original "shock" of a large amount of hydrogen peroxide is 
necessary for start up. Hydrogen peroxide forces chlorine out of the 
water in the pool or hot tub.

One incident where H202 did not work in the pool was because of the 
mineral content of the water. A diatomaceous filter will require more 
attention than a sand filter because a diatomaceous earth system will 
filter out smaller particles than a sand filter. If you have a 
diatomaceous earth filter, the addition of a paper filter ahead of the 
filter will keep it from clogging up as frequently.

Just a note as to what may happen with extreme amounts of hydrogen 
peroxide. I swam in a pool with one hundred parts per million and 
noted on getting out of the pool the dead skin flakes that floated on 
top of the water. It was very refreshing.


Hot Tubs

Check with the hot tub manufacturer to determine the compatibility of 
your system with H2O2 The average size hot tub could be started up 
with one quart or more of 35% H202 until it tests 40 ppm. Turn the 
circulation pump on to distribute it evenly, then intermittently 
during the next 24 hours. Add enough hydrogen peroxide from time to 
time to maintain it at approximately 40 parts per million.

Peroxide test strips can be ordered from:

Lab Safety Supply
P.O. Box 1368
Janesville, WI 53437
1-800-356-0783

H2O2, Inc.
2560 Muhlenhardt Road
Shakopee, MN 55379
612-496-1417

Jerry Freeman
4853 Joyce Drive
Dayton, OH 45439
513-299-4283


Titration test kits for hydrogen peroxide are available from:

Hach World Headquarters
P.O. Box 389
Loveland, CO 80539
1-800-227-4224

CHEMetrics, Inc.
Rt. 28
Calverton, VA 22016
1-800-356-3072