▲ 0 r/coldplunge
After a year of plunging, I've decided to DIY an at-home setup. Trying to change the water at most every 3 months.
Requesting a double-check before buying everything. Also, please let me know if I'm missing something or if you have other suggestions.
PLUMBING ORDER (top-down, not including ball valves) - Edit: is this order correct?
- Tub (Osone HydroBarrel Inflatable, it'll hold ~150gal of water)
- 100 mesh strainer
- Pump (Danner 1200 gph)
- Filter (50 micron GE whole-house Filter)
- Possible UV (maybe - not sure if I'll add)
- Ozone via venturi (100 mg/hr)
- Chiller (Active Aqua 1/2 HP, targeting ~40-45℉)
- Return to tub
WATER TREATMENT (avoiding chlorine/bromine)
- Ozone 1hr/day (evening, after last plunge)
- 1 cup of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (3-4x/wk)
- For possible UV, I'm considering an "Aqua Ultraviolet Classic UV 57 Watt," but pricey. 24/7 runtime seems like an annual $140 bulb replacement.
DAILY SCHEDULE
- 5am - 1st plunge
- 4pm - 2nd plunge
- 5-6pm - Run Ozone
- Between 7 & 8pm - Add Peroxide (3-4x/wk)
QUESTIONS
- UV vs. Ozone
- Can UV + 3% peroxide fully replace ozone in a setup like this?
- My hesitation with ozone is ventilation (basement install).
- For Filter, "DIY Cold Plunge" channel on YT seems to think that 50 micron is enough - anyone successfully use this high micron?
- Enzyme Cleaners
- Are products like SpaGuard Natural Spa Enzyme actually useful here?
- Or redundant if already running peroxide + filtration?
- Do they meaningfully reduce biofilm?
- Does biofilm build up inside the pump/chiller/tubing? If so, how to clean?
- Anything I’m missing that typically causes problems later? Trying to avoid overcomplicating while still keeping water clean for multiple weeks.
u/FlyingWombat77 — 8 days ago