Spa Depot Oxy-Spa Non-Chlorine Hot Tub & Pool MPS Oxidizing Shock [6 lb. Pail]

After going through a bottle or two of the recommended brands of shock on our hot tub, I got sick of paying a fortune for something that ran out in no time. I knew you could just use bleach to shock, but, after a while, the chlorine smell built up. What's the point of having a Bromine system if your hot tub smells like chlorine anyway? Sure was a cheap method though. This, however, is totally worth the initial investment. It's more expensive up front than the bottles, but will easily last as long as half a dozen or more bottles. It works perfectly, combined with a floater of bromine tablets and shocking with this every 1-2 weeks, our hot tub is super easy to keep balanced. There's no chlorine smell. I hacked the red thingy out of the lid, which wasn't easy, but now I can just spin the lid open without fuss. I couldn't believe some of the reviews on here, but sure enough, when I got it, it wouldn't open for anything. I've got a tub of bromine tabs of the same size with the same type of lid, and never have a problem opening it even with the safety tab intact. This lid, no luck at all until I cut that thing out. Go figure. Still worth the effort.

This is the best way to buy this product for cost savings. I read reviews about how hard to open, if you take a flat head screwdriver and run it under the cover lip before trying to open the first time it opens easily. It seems to help break the seal. The smaller container that is sold has a lid that can be used to measure so would be nice to have this come with a measuring cup but it's easy enough to use one you have. The product works well, helps keep hot tub clear and this is by far the most cost-effective way to buy it.

Great product, Great Value. All the other reviews were correct about the top. If you are like me, you have read them and thought “seriously, it’s a top. How hard could it be?” I spent 20 minutes working at it (which my wife found hilarious), and finally resorted to using a screw driver to pry around the edges of the cap like a paint can. Still have no idea what the “proper” way to open it was. With that said, once you initially open it, it screws on and off like it should. Next time, I’ll have my screw driver and a glass of whiskey ready.

I have been using this product for my hot tub for years and its great! I use to be able to get it in a smaller container but now Its only available in this one. It is an absolute nightmare trying to get off. I have other pool products with similar containers but this one seems to be glued down and won't turn. I had to resort to drilling a 3in hole in the top and pouring into another container!! I know someone else who had the same experience and use channel locks to get theirs off. I will change to 5 stars when they change the stupid container design!!

Yes this work great with my spa and the top was really simple to open

I haven't had much chance to review the MPS product itself, though I note that it does boast the highest oxygen content of any similar products; I'll update this review after I've had time to use it. This review focuses on the lid that's been causing such controversy. Trying to open it by myself was indeed very difficult, but once I had my wife help, it was off and free in 20 seconds. Try this method: 1. Have your significant other hold the bottom of the pail steady; 2. Place your left thumb on the widest portion of the red locking tab, toward the end of the red tab farthest away from your left hand; 3. Press and hold the red locking tab toward the outside edge of the pail, as though you were squeezing the red tab and blue lid together; you might hear a click as the child-proof mechanism disengages; 4. Grip the lid with both hands and turn it firmly counter-clockwise to open 5. Take a standard screwdriver and slip it under the red locking tab toward the rear of the tab, back where it slips over a blue retaining pin. 6. Pry the locking tab off the retaining pin and slip it free of the slot where it protrudes through the rim of the blue lid. 6. Screw the lid back on tightly, but not with torque wrench force. Works perfectly, and I had the lid off in 20 seconds. see less

A word of advice: BE VERY CAREFUL opening the “lid-from-hell” on these tubs! The first tub of this we got, I didn’t understand how the red tab was supposed to be manipulated in order to open the lid and promptly broke it. My husband used various tools and we basically cut our way into the tub. The 2nd tub we got, my husband opened the “correct” way the first time, so the “seal” was broken then. I thought that since the seal was already broken, it would be easier for me to open all by myself. I just sliced the crap out of my thumb—but I did get the darned thing open. It took about 20 minutes to stop the bleeding. This is the best price I have found for this non-chloride sanitizer, so we’ll continue to buy it, but in the future, I am going to ask my husband to break off and remove that crazy red tab of frustration—others have written that if you break it off (the right way), you can just twist the lid normally afterwards. Sounds good to me, and we have no children in our home to worry about. Not happy that I sliced my thumb open though.

This product is great. It helps clean our spa crystal clear. However, simply opening the tub requires my husband to pull out tools to maneuver the places to push/pull and twist. I'm not a woman who quickly delegates 'manly' things to my husband to handle for me, but this is a beast to open. I understand the need for product safety, but it shouldn't require an engineer and a tool chest to open.