SASpaGuy

Try www.hydropoolhottubs.com they are out of canada, lookup a local dealer and go check them out. Does anybody have any experience with rio swim spas? The company got an A grade from the Better Business Bureau but we are hoping to talk to someone directly who has personal experience with one of their swim spas. Wendy Wendy, Have you found any information on the Rio Swim Spa, I am also interested in installing one. Mike Refer to post #23 for information on Rio Plastics Swim-Spa

First off, an "Endless Pool" is not a swim-spa, they are 2 totally different creatures. Looking at the 3 swims-spas TidalFit (In this business over 30 years, and never heard of them), specifically the 2 with swim jets, I'll say this; They are using old technology...Badu Jets, with Speck pumps (do produce a good flow, using 3" and 4" plumbing, however should you ever have to service them, it is quite costly in comparison to standard swim-jets and pumps) and standard swim-jets with 2 2.0 HP (continuous HP, meaning actual pump hp) pumps using 2" plumbing and producing far less flow, have pretty much been replaced as the industry standard by Quad "River Jets" which produce a greater flow and more buoyancy using standard 4.0 HP (continuous HP again) pumps. (A note about pump ratings here; when comparing pump systems, compare continuous hp and not BHP or braking horse power. BHP is the hp only when the pump starts up, not the true hp of the pump.) Both the Badu and the standard swim-jets produce a stream that is approx. 1" to 1 1/2" in diameter at the nozzle, where the "river jets" produce a 10"-12" wide stream that not only offers more resistance, but also helps keep you lifted in the water. This allows you to focus more on swimming against the flow, rather than keeping yourself in the jet stream and afloat. The Tidals are also only 14' long, which is on the small side for a swim-spa. Most adequate swim-spas will start at 16' and go up. The price you quoted , in my opinion, is high for a swim-spa that size with the same features. For example, Backyard Dreamscapes in San Antonio offers 2 16' Catalina swim-spas starting at $18,750 new. Both come with the same type exercise equipment as the Tidals, Larger heaters (12kw, compared to 5.5/11kw), and the quad "river jet system" using 4-4.0 continuous HP Pumps(2x the HP and the quantity of the Tidal's pumps. One of them also offers a standard 4 person spa at one end, with a total of 38 jets. The "river jets" are even "turbo-charged" with an air blower for an even heavier water flow. Catalina also offers something I haven't seen offered with any other swim-spa on the market; an underwater treadmill, and a water bike, both designed to be used in a swim-spa. www.backyarddreamscapes.com/swimspas As far as the previously queried Rio Plastics swim-spa, it too uses either the Badu system, or the old style swim-jets. It is also made of a material called Enduron, which comes in one color, white, and is very prone to staining and yellowing as it ages. It is also not a self-contained unit, designed to be installed in-ground, with the equipment being somewhat remote from the spa. I have installed several of these units, in varying sizes and equipment packs. Because they are in ground, rather than self-contained, the total cost of these swim-spas including installation, and decking etc can be prohibitive. Hope this clears the air a bit...

not enough info? is there any way to reset the whole thing? thank you for your time.... mr.wichita Try either of these, holding the set and temp down button, or holdong down both temp up and temp down.

I am a dealer for Catalina Spas. Catalina offers 3 different swim-spa models. All are self contained, requiring only a foundation and electrical hook-up. 2 of the models are 16'x8'x4 1/2'. The third is 18' long. You can view these by following the Catalina Spas link on our site at www.backyarddreamscapes.com I have been in the spa industry for over 30 years, and have seen or serviced just about every brand of spa on the market. When we were looking for a line of spas to carry, we researched every brand that wasn't already on the market in San Antonio. We chose Catalina spas for several reasons. First of all, they build a quality product. They are one of the oldest spa manufacturers in the country. The offer outstanding dealer support, and have one of the best warranties in the business. Each spa is built to order, so when you receive your spa, you are not getting something that has been sitting in inventory for months or longer, it's a true custom built product. I would be happy to give you any more information you may need, you can contact me directly via the web site or through here. Good Luck!