Consumer advocacy teardown
Bromine Tablets alternative & active ingredient dupe
Stop paying £24.00 for Clearwater. The bulk active is BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g — 54% less per working litre than a typical pack.
- Active
- BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin)
- CAS
- 16079-88-2
- Dupe
- BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g
- Saving
- 54% / L
Saving is per litre of working-strength mix versus a typical pack price, not versus the DIY kit total. Shop prices move — always check the listing.
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A typical 1 kg tub pack of Clearwater Bromine Tablets is about £24.00 in pool & spa. That is a snapshot, not a live Amazon price — listings, sizes and deals move. The marketing line is that you are buying a finished lifestyle product, not a weighed chemical.
On the pack: Spa sanitiser that works better than chlorine in hot water; and Slow-dissolving tablets for a floater.
The catch: Spa bromine tablets are BCDMH. The 1 kg tub is the same 20 g pucks sold in 5 kg tubs to holiday-park plant rooms. You still need a floater and a test kit.
- “Spa sanitiser that works better than chlorine in hot water”
- “Slow-dissolving tablets for a floater”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin) at 96%. Everything else in the pack is tablet binder.
Even when the pack is sold as “pure” or ready-to-use, the dose that actually does the work is BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin). The rest is how they get it into a bottle you will pick up.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 96% BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g, mixed to 1–2 tablets in a floater; maintain 3–5 ppm bromine.
- Labelled active
- BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin)
- 96%
- Carrier
- Tablet binder
- Retail pack
- 1 kg tub · £24.00
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g at 96% bulk. Indexed as CAS 16079-88-2, formula C5H6BrClN2O2. Buy it as 5 kg for about £55.00 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: 1–2 tablets in a floater; maintain 3–5 ppm bromine. Indicative cost £0.01 per diluted litre — 54% below a typical branded pack on a per-litre basis, before you reuse leftover bulk.
Follow the mixing method and the supplier SDS. Wear the listed PPE. Do not mix incompatible oxidisers, acids or ammonia.
- Gloves and goggles. Do not mix with cal-hypo or acid in a bucket. Tablets go in a floating dispenser, not loose on the acrylic.
- Typical spa start is one or two 20 g tablets; then test. Target 3–5 ppm bromine in hot water.
- 5 kg is five 1 kg tubs. Store dry. This is a sanitiser, not a fragrance.
Mixing desk
Dilution calculator
Switch between filling a sprayer and covering a measured surface. Figures are educational estimates from the listed ratio — always check the SDS.
Formula
BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g
- Concentrate
- 19.5 g
- grams of solid
- Water
- 1,500 L
- carrier volume
- Batch cost
- £0.21
- 1,500 L working solution
- Saved vs retail
- £0.25
- 54% · retail £0.47
Estimated coverage at the listed rate: 1.7 m².
Side-by-Side Price & Potency Comparison
Head-to-head comparison
| Measure | Retail brandedClearwater | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Bromine TabletsAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g |
| Pack / unit | 1 kg tub · £24.00 | 5 kg · £55.00 |
| Active | BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin) at 96%Carrier: Tablet binder | 96% bulkC5H6BrClN2O2 |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 16079-88-2 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute 1–2 tablets in a floater; maintain 3–5 ppm bromine |
| Cost per litre | £24.00 / pack | £0.01 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 54% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Eye protection. Indirect-vent splash goggles — not ordinary spectacles |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
What is the active ingredient in Clearwater?
Clearwater Bromine Tablets is labelled as BCDMH (1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin) at 96%. The carrier is Tablet binder. Pack size: 1 kg tub. The bulk equivalent we index is BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g (CAS 16079-88-2).
Is BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g safe on the intended surface?
Used at the listed working strength (1–2 tablets in a floater; maintain 3–5 ppm bromine), the dupe is the same chemistry as the branded pack for pool and spa water once dosed from a test kit. That is not a blanket all-clear: read the supplier SDS, wear the listed PPE, keep acids away from hypochlorite, and follow UK HSE/COSHH rules. Wellness teardowns are supplements, not medicines.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Clearwater Bromine Tablets?
Yes. The bulk equivalent is BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g (CAS 16079-88-2). Indicative saving 54% per working litre versus a typical £24.00 pack. Working strength: 1–2 tablets in a floater; maintain 3–5 ppm bromine. Live shop prices move.
How do you mix the Bromine Tablets dupe stack?
Gloves and goggles. Do not mix with cal-hypo or acid in a bucket. Tablets go in a floating dispenser, not loose on the acrylic. Typical spa start is one or two 20 g tablets; then test. Target 3–5 ppm bromine in hot water. 5 kg is five 1 kg tubs. Store dry. This is a sanitiser, not a fragrance.
DupeStack provides chemical concentration data and educational mixing guides. Always review official manufacturer Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and comply with UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated substances. Some links on this site are affiliate links.
More teardowns
Pool & spa
Clearwater pH Plus Spa / Pool Balancer
Clearwater
- Retail pack
- £11.501 kg bottle
- Raw active
- Dense soda ash (sodium carbonate 99%)497-19-8
pH Plus is dense soda ash — 99% sodium carbonate, CAS 497-19-8. Pool-shop packaging turns a £2.70/kg commodity into an £11.50/kg ritual.
Pool & spa
Clearwater pH Minus
Clearwater
- Retail pack
- £9.991.5 kg
- Raw active
- Sodium bisulphate (dry acid)7681-38-1
pH Minus is dry acid — sodium bisulphate. Pool retail is a small tub; chemical suppliers sell it in 5 kg lots for a third of the per-kilo price.
Pool & spa
Clearwater Multifunction Chlorine Tablets
Clearwater
- Retail pack
- £42.005 kg
- Raw active
- TCCA 90% chlorine tablets (200 g)87-90-1
The tablet is 90% TCCA — the same stabilised chlorine used in bulk 200 g pucks. ‘Multifunction’ is a pinch of clarifier and a lot of packaging. Buy TCCA, dose from an SDS, and keep cyanuric acid in range.
DIY stack · 54% / L vs branded
£68.00indicative kit · Amazon cannot add a mixed search kit as one basket