JimKW

I would not get nasty or mean with them, I would just be very matter of fact about it. It should be their responsibility to get the mess cleaned up. This thread is the first time I have ever heard of goo coming out of a new tub. If I got a new tub home and some tar like substance started coming out of the jets, my wife would have a fit. I doubt if I could explain to her that it is normal for a new tub to do this. My bet is she would refuse to get in again.

A place that has been selling Hot Tubs for 30 years should know what they are doing. I would be really pissed off if I was you and they would know about it. You should not be getting any kind of goo from a new hot tub. Pretty sure I would be demanding they fix this problem or come and get their friggin hot tub.

That's what I paid a year ago. I do most everything myself, but water and electricity together was something I was not willing to take a chance on doing. I figure I save enough working on my cars, my boat and my tractor myself to pay an expert to do something that my life and the life of my family may depend on.

I do have the Taylor K2006 test kit and us it, but I do occasionally use the test strips to just check Chlorine, PH and Alkalinity. I find them to be fairly accurate when compared to the drop test kit. Now when I fill mine I'm pretty close to being perfect except for CH (Calicium Hardness) which needs to be adjusted on initial fill up and I need to make a slight adjustment to the PH. For the first week or two you can use the Dichlor as your source of chlorine and after your CYA is at about 30-50 PPM switch to using just bleach. You will not be able to measure the CYA with the test strips and my dealer tells me to not worry about CYA in a hot tub, but I don't listen to them on that subject and decided to use the bleach instead of using Dichlor only. Don't over think what you are doing and don't try to over adjust. I find it quite simple to keep mine going and I've only been doing this for a year. I use about four ounces of Metal X and 2 ounces of Dichlor/Chlorine on my initial fill. I use the tub after that and start my readings and making adjustments the next day. I add my chemicals when the water temp is about 90 when I'm filling it. Hope this helps.

How often should I add more? The instructions say how much to use, but it does not say how often.

Stopped at the local Spa Dealer on the way home, got on her computer showed her this thread and she had the ProTeam Gentle Spa on the shelf for $14. So I got it for $14 plus tax instead of $10 for shipping. Just added 12 oz to my tub.

Are there any stores that carry it? I don't have a problem paying $13 for something, but when they add another $10 for shipping that makes it kind of ridiculous.

OK I guess I found the answer by just looking a little further and found the Pool Calculator in another thread. Says I should us 11 oz by weight or 12 oz by volume. Now I just need to find some.

I have been reading about itching and it's making me itch I guess. But I have been scratching a good bit and was just blaming in on dry skin, but I acutally have some scabs from scratching my lower legs. After reading a thread on here just now, I think I want to try some Boric Acid in my hot tub. I have a 483 gal Sundance Optima and I use the Dichlor/Bleach method. I have no trouble whatsover keeping everything close to perfect. I do have the Taylor Drop Test kit and I use test strips occasionally also just to check my chlorine level. What kind and how much Boric Acid should I use and where is the best place to get it?

I have a little 4 oz plastic measuring cup with graduations in metric and standard and that's all I use. If I need six oz I use one and a half cups. Normally I just add 3-4 oz (depending on usage) of Clorox per day. If I miss a day, I add about six the next day. It's not that hard and no need to make it harder. I shock it about every 10 days using the same little cup. You might want to invest in the Taylor Drop Test Kit to check chemical levels.

Last March I bought a 2005 Sundance Optima and could not be more pleased. It's hard to believe this tub is six years old and it looks as good as new. I think you made a very good choice. About 15 years ago I did own a Hot Springs also and had no complaints whatsoever with it either. Can't see where you would have gone wrong with either one, so you got the one that feels best to you and that's what counts.

I did mine last March and I think it ran right around $700. Ran it about 50' in the basement and about 25 from the box to the tub. They quoted me about $550, but it ended up costing a little more. I had a professional electrician that works for one of the Hot Tub Dealers in the area do it, but I did not go through the dealer. Just contacted them directly.

Replacing the entire heater is about as simple as you can get. Drain the tub, put on a new heater, fill the tub and turn the power back on.

When mine did that, I just replaced the whole heater. Once I got it off though it looked like I could have figured out how to seal it so it would not leak. But I already had the new one so I just put it on. About two months later the motor started making a racket and I had to replace it too. It was obvious the heater had leaked onto the motor. If I remember correctly the cost of the heater at a local dealer was about $200 and the blower motor was about $140 when I ordered it online.

I never really paid any attention to how long mine took until yesterday. 483 gal took about an hour to drain and a little less than an hour to refill with a garden hose. I spent about 15 minutes vaccuuming out the left over water and some sand in the bottom, then I wiped it down real good. Turned the tub on at 2:30 with water temp of 55 degrees. At 8:00 it was 84 degrees and I added the chemicals. At 9:00 it was at 88 degrees. That's the last time I checked and it was 103 degrees this morning.

When I bought my used hot tub one year ago I stuck with the higher end brands that were sold in my area. I pretty much only looked at Sundance and Hot Springs. I would have looked at Marquis or Dimension 1 based on reading this forum, but they are not sold within 100 miles of where I live and really didn't see any used either. I ended up getting a 2005 Sundance Optima for $2,000. You really have to be careful buying used though. If it's not up and running I would not buy it unless it's such a good deal you don't mind putting more money into it. Like almost free. I also hired professional movers to move it and an electrician to do the wiring. That was another approximately $1,000 combined. I would also insist upon a wet test before buying. Then when you find a really good deal you have to buy it before somebody else does. So you have to know what you're looking for and know a great deal when you see one.

I was searching all over for another site as good as this one when I could not get on for a few days. I have had other message boards just go away before and was afraid that's what happened to this one. Anybody know why it was down for so long?

You might also want to condider a used Tier 1 tub. You can sometimes find these refurbished at the dealers or on places like craigslist.

Last March I bought a 2005 or 2006 Sundance Optima for $2,000. I thouhgt I got a real good deal, and I would have been willing to pay up to $3,000 for it. So I think $4,000 is a little high also.

Congratualtions! Now enjoy it.

Go to the Sundance dealer and tell them you can get a D1 Wayfarer with a sound system and any other extra options they are including for the same price you are asking for the Howthorne. See if they will throw in some extras and/or maybe lower the price. They may not be willing to do anything, but at least you tried. If they give you what you want, buy it. If not, do the following: Go to the Dimension 1 dealer and tell them you will most likely buy the Sundance Hawthorne, but you would like to wet test the Wayfarer. Let them know you have narrowed it down to those two models, and will NOT buy any tub without wet testing. If they will not fill the tub for you, you will probably be better off with the Sundance dealer. My wife and I both really like our Sundance Optima and it is seven years old and looks as good as new. The previous owner took very good care of it.

Last year I got a 2005 Sundance Optima for $2,000 which I thought was a steal since the Hot Tub is in near perfect condition. I was expecting to have to pay at least $3,000 for a reliable Hot Tub. But I then had to pay a professional to move the tub and an electrician to do the electrical hookup, which was another approximately $1,000. So for around $3,000 I got a really good tub that my wife and I use at least four times a week. I did find mine on Graigslist and had to talk the guy selling it into letting me be the first one to see it and wet test it. I looked for about six weeks and knew when I found a very good deal and also knew I had to act fast, which I did. I bought it before anybody else could look at it. Buying used is risky though. Make sure the tub is up and running and you have the opportunity to wet test.

I would never buy any of them if I could not wet test it. I had a deal all worked out on one, wet tested it and decided it did not feel right to me. You have to wet test them there is no other way to tell how it feels. Find the one you like the feel of the best and then work out the best price you can get. Nobody can tell you what to buy.

You will not go wrong with any of the other three. Or any other major brand name that you will find getting good reports on this board. Hot Springs, D1 and Sundance are all very good spas. I don't know about Caldera. You want to wet test any you are considering before deciding. Read more on this board and you will get a feel for what is good.

Ideally you want FC to be 3.0-4.0 and CC to be 0. If it's a little too high I just don't put any chlorine for a day or two at the most. A little low and I add a little extra. I don't find it difficult at all to keep my readings in the proper range. Here are my readings today with ideal readings in (): PPF FC (3.0-4.0) 6.5 PPM CC (0) 1.0 PPM TC (3.0-4.0) 7.5 PH (7.4-7.6) 7.5 Alkalinity (100-120) 100 Hardness (150-250) 175 CYA PPM (30-50) 45 As you can see, my chlorine is a little high, but it was a little low yesterday and I added a tad too much Clorox. I just won't add any after we use the tub tonight and see where it's at tomorrow and adjust accordingly. By the way Alalinity and Hardness also has the option of 10 ml or 25 ml and I always use the 10 ml level. Then I just multiply drops by 25.