Sodium hydroxide is Lye, the stuff commonly used for drain cleaner, a very
strong base (alkali).
Sodium hypochlorite is household chlorine bleach (usually about 3% - 5%).
The bottle of Clorox "rain clean" under my sink has both listed on the
label, but no indication of strength.
-Denny
I currently use a spa pool chlorine with the active ingredient "sodium
dicloroisocyanurate" 600g/kg
I have been told a may be able to use another product sold as Janola with
the active ingredient "sodium hypochlorite" 4.2% & "sodium hydroxide" 4%
Any of you chemical wizards able to tell me if this is ok to use in a spa
pool?
I contacted the Janola distributor but they would only say to use as
directed which does not include spa pools.
On Wednesday, Feb 11, 2004, at 21:26 US/Pacific, Hopkins wrote:
> I currently use a spa pool chlorine with the active ingredient "sodium
> dicloroisocyanurate" 600g/kg
>
> I have been told a may be able to use another product sold as Janola
> with the active ingredient "sodium hypochlorite" 4.2% & "sodium
> hydroxide" 4%
>
> Any of you chemical wizards able to tell me if this is ok to use in a
> spa pool?
>
My spa came with specific instructions NOT to use 'pool chlorine' in it.
It's using bromine based sanitation, which seems to work OK.
"Sodium hypochlorite" is the "liquid chlorine" generally used in pools
as
"shock" treatment; it doesn't tend to be long-lasting. Sodium
hydroxide is
Lye; I'm not sure why you'd use it in either pool or hottub. It's
probably
not very good for the plastic surfaces of a spa... Hypochlorite
decomposes into hydroxide/chloride on its own, I think, which is why you
tend to need to add acid to your pool occasionally... (ah. Looks like
"janola" is normally a cleaning product of some kind? The kiwi
equivilent
of "clorox laundry bleach", perhaps. The added hydroxide would tend to
'stabalize' the hypochlorite to some extent, as well as being a grease
saponifier (lye is also known as 'oven cleaner') I wouldn't put it in
my spa, although I've wondered if it were a possibility myself (I don't
know if "clorox" contains the hydroxide or not. It's not on the label
or in the MSDS...))
Why do you want to switch? My impression is that spas are so small
(compared to pools) that the chemical cost is dwarfed by the power
costs to heat it anyway... (hmm. that's true of the pool too,
probably,
but at over $100/year for chemicals it seems higher...)
> "Sodium hypochlorite" is the "liquid chlorine" generally used in
> pools as "shock" treatment; it doesn't tend to be long-lasting.
> Sodium hydroxide is Lye; I'm not sure why you'd use it in either
> pool or hottub. It's probably not very good for the plastic surfaces
> of a spa...
Roy would be familiar with "Fair Go". They did a piece a year or
so ago looking at how so-called "proper" spa and shower cleaners
were rotting them because they were not actually suitable. The
inappropriate chlorine content attacked both fibreglass and plastic
as well some tile grouts
You've done the right thing by asking of course. Whenever you're
in the spa, it's a good idea to take a wiz
> (ah. Looks like "janola" is normally a cleaning product of some
> kind? The kiwi equivilent of "clorox laundry bleach", perhaps
At 09:26 AM 2/13/2004 +1300, Jinx wrote:
> > > You've done the right thing by asking of course. Whenever
> > > you're in the spa, it's a good idea to take a wiz
> >
> > Take a WIZ ??
>
>One of those chemical wizzes you asked for. What else ? ;-)
At least it's better than leaving a wiz behind.... :)
