JimKW

I am not a expert to help you with your overall problem, but I think I can explain the use of the test kit since I also had trouble understanding it at first. 1. On the large tube there are two markings, one for 10 ml and one for 25 ml. I use the 10 ml mark, so I fill with water from the tub to the 10 ml line, then I add two dippers of R-0870 and swirl until it disolves. If you have have free chlorine it will turn pink. 2. Now I add R-0871 and count drops until it turns clear. 3. Now I multiply the number of drops by 0.5 (had I used 25 ml it would be 0.2). This gives me my Free Chlorine reading. If I use 8 drops to make it clear my FC is 4.0 (8 * 0.5). 4. Now add 5 drops of R-0003 and see if it turns pink. If not, you have no combined Chlorine. 5. If it does, do the same thing with the R-0871 by drops until it turn clear and multiply by 0.5 again to get CC. Add CC and FC to get Total Chlorine. One thing I might add is that outside of Clorox Bleach once I get my CYA up to around 50, I use only chemicals from the Hot Tub dealer. If my PH is off I use whatever they recommend to raise of lower. Same with Alkalinity and Hardness. I shock my tub once a week and use an oz of Metal X at the same time I shock. When I first fill it I use four oz of Metal X and then adjust the PH, Alkalinity and Hardness levels as required. And I use the Chlorine with Dichlor until I get the CYA up to around 50 and then switch to bleach. It does use quite a bit of Chlorine at first after a refill though. I just watch it every day until I get it right. I don't find it very difficult at all. Hope this helps.

Personally I use the Dichlor until my CYA gets up to about 30-50 and then quit using it and use straight Clorox Bleach. I do have the Taylor test kit and it seems to be working fine. When we are using the tub almost daily, I add about 3.5 oz of bleach a day. I also shock mine about once every 8-10 days. I have been changing the water every 3 months before I switched to this method. I hope to go about 4-5 months now before I change it. Right after I change the water, it's very hard to keep the chlorine level up, so I just keep adding the Dichlor regularly until it starts holding the level up or my CYA hits 30-50 and then switch to bleach.

I don't Google anything medical any more. My PSA count elevated rather quickly and my family Dr sent me to a Urologist and over a six month period it came back down on it's own. Family members who did Google it were really worried, but I refused to use Google and just relied on the Urologist and what he had to say. No explantion though as to why it went from 0.95 to 4.76 in one year, then in six months is back down to 1.95. Had it not come down he would have done a biopsy on my Prostate.

I'm not a Doctor by any means, but to me common sense tells me that if you are on meds AND your Blood Pressure is in the normal range there is no problem with Hot Tubbing. If your Blood Pressure is high, then Hot Tubbing is not something you should be doing. My wife has been on blood pressure medicine for years and she takes baths and/or hot tubs frequently with no problem. This is really something you need to ask your Doctor about though, not Google searching or asking a message board.

I would need to put ice skates on to get to my tub right now. It warmed up to mid 30's in the middle of the night, but back down to mid 20's with 35-50 mph wind. And the wind is coming the direction where it comes right across the patio where the tub is sitting. Pretty sure I'm not getting in for a while. I put cinder blocks on top of it to keep the cover down.

I wet tested several modeld and stuck mostly with Sundance, Hot Springs, Jacuzzi and Catalina because those are the dealers in this area. I ended up with a used Sundance Optima mainly because we got a great deal, but also because of the the foot well and all the jets that massage your feet. It does not have a lounger, which I think I would like to have, but with the hump in the middle it makes every corner into somewhat of a lounger feel.

I was in yesterday when it was right around 0. There was a little wind so I didn't stay in too long, maybe 15-20 minutes. No way I am getting in the snow though. I'm too old for that stuff now. GO STEELERS!

The hump in the middle on the Sundance Optima is what both my wife and I like quite a bit. My wife is just a little taller than yours and she loves it. We had an older Hot Springs some years ago and she hardly ever used it for some reason. My biggest gripe about the Optima is the fact there is no lounger, but with the hump in the middle every seat feels a lot like a lounger. We both like the foot jets. I tried one other Sundance with a lounger and did not like it at all. The jets were way too strong on my calves and there was no adjustment to make them weaker. Like you are finding out, it's how it feels with water in it that counts. Sitting in one without water to see how it feels is not going to tell you anything.

No an expert, but my advice is to Wet Test and see which one feels best to you. I know there was a Sundance that I was ready to buy until I wet tested it and said no way. I ended up with a used Sundance Optima, and don't remember the one that I really did not care for. So pricing is important, but having it feel good to you is most important. I did have a Hot Springs when I lived in Colorado and really liked how it felt too, but the Sundance is much deeper which I like.

I rarely get in the hot tub more than once a day, but been it three times in the past 24 hours and may get in again. I will never forget one time when we were in Glenwood Spring, Co soaking in natures Hot Spas. My son, who was a teenager at the time, got out of the hot water while it was snowing and went and laid down in the stream of freezing cold water and then ran back into the hot water area. I think I'm past the age where I'm going to lay down in the snow and get back in the tub and I know my wife won't. I can get in mine no matter how cold it is as long as it not too windy. Normally the wind comes from the west though and the house blocks it to some extent so you don't get it real bad. I wear my glasses any time I'm not in bed, even swimming. 90% of the time it's dark whem I'm in the hot tub and I love looking at the stars and counting planes in the ski. Did try the flip flops the 2nd time I got in today. Played hell getting them on and damn near fell out of the tub trying to get them on while standing in the tub. Now that would have been funny.

Last night when I got home I got in the Hot Tub while it was snowing. I did have a tossle cap on, but wish I would have put a cap with a bill on it instead. I wear glasses and hate when they get wet. It was pretty cool though to sit in hot water while it snowed on me. When I got out there was snow in my shoes. Didn't care much for that and my robe and towel were snow covered. It's snowing pretty good right now, so I think I will go try it again with a different hat. I do not like it when it's windy and cold, but it looks pretty calm right now.

An alternative to the concrete slab is paving stones. I have about 7-10 inches of gravel and an inch or two of sand under my paving stones.

Why are you so down on Used? You have to be very careful when buying used, but there are great deals to be found and ther are honest people that bought a tub, do not use it and want to sell it. I bought a 2005 Sundance (one of the few brands I wanted) for just $2,000 last March. I have replaced a motor and the heater since then at a cost of less than $500 doing the work myself. I paid about $1,000 for a professional to deliver it and an elelctrician to install it. The guy who sold it to me had it running at his house and my wife and I wet tested it at his house. He was moving to Texas and wanted to sell the Hot Tub before putting the house on the market. Very honest deal and a great buy on my part. A little uncomfortable changing into bathing suits at a strangers house, but I would not buy without a wet test.

After 1/2 hour in the Hot Tub I feel much better, back does not hurt and I'm not near as tired. On Sandi's point about feeling guilty about sitting in the Hot Tub while things need done around the house, I feel more like when I'm done doing all these things aroud the house, I get to relax in my Hot Tub. Then again my wife and I are both people who enjoyed relaxing in a hot bath before getting the Hot Tube last March. We both use it on average 4-5 times a week. When is it was real hot, we didn't use it near as much and when it's below 20 and windy we don't use it. I can't stand my face freezing while I sit in hot water. A tossle cap does help though, but there is a point when it's just too cold if the wind is blowing. We did go the highe end used route though when buying it. We got a six year old Sundance Optima for $2,000, and I think I ccould sell it for more than that, but why would I?

And here is my perspective: I have been working on framing my basement most of the week, my back hurts, my shoulders hurt, I'm tired and all I want to do is go soak in my hot tub. And I bet I still feel the same way 3 years from now.

Why don't you consider buying used? I bought a 2005 Sundance Optima for $2,000, then paid about $1,000 for an electrician and a mover to get it delivered and set up. Been using it now since the end of March. I did replace the heater and a pump, but that's about $500 and very easy to do myself. I am a guy that only buys used cars too though. I can not stand the price of new cars that lose thousands of dollars in value when you drive them off the lot. I have driven cars for two or three years and then sold them for what I paid for them. I would rather pay to maintain them than make a car payment every month. Bought a used boat too. New $20K+, used just over $10K. Looks like new and runs great. Just have to be willing to shop and know what you are looking for and hire somebody who knows if you don't.

I would give the manufacturere a call and ask them. From reading that ad, I would think you would be fine to run a good extension cord eight feet. They advertise it to be portable and you just plug it in.

In my opinion you don't want to guess on what you need to do. Water and electricity is a bad mixture than can kill you. I would wait until you can afford to hire an electrician. Most hot tubs are 220 anyway, so there is no way an extension cord will do the job. Does it actually have a plug?

Keep an eye open for used name brand models also. I got a used Sundance Optima for $2,000 and could not be happier. I've had it eight months and had to change the heater and the circulating motor, but they were both realatively inexpensive and easy to replace. I spent about $1,000 to have it moved and hooked up, so for $3,000 I was in a very nice hot tub. When I saw the ad I made sure I was the first one to see it too, and bought it before anybody else could even look at it. Sometime you just get lucky.

I got a 483 gal tank and I have one of those corregated drain hoses about 1.5 - 2.0 inches in diameter. I can drain mine (out into the driveway), wipe it out and refill it with a garden hose in about three hours. I guess I have pretty good water pressure because it does not seem to take long at all. I drained mine and refilled last month cause I needed a new motor. Hope I can make it until March for the next refill.

I had never really thought about this. I bought my Hot Tub end of March and have kept all my chemicals in a cabinet in the garage. I was planning to leave them there through the winter too. Is that a bad idea? If so, I will get a carrying case and keep them in the laundry room.

If not sinking the hot tub down in the deck and putting it on a slab, this is exactly what I would do regardless of what others are saying.

I bought a used Sundance Optima last March and the motor was very loud and vibrated. Just about two weeks ago it even louder and the water got cloudy. I replaced the motor and now you can barely hear it running. Cost about $150 and I replaced it myself. Mine sits on a paving stone patio so I don't really get vibration in the house and my neighbors are not close enough to be bothered. Just saying the motor minght be going bad on your neighbors hot tub which is causing the vibration and noise.

Personally I would be calling and electrician, not asking people on a message board.

I'm at work right now, so I don't have my readings in front of me. It is a 483 gal tub and I believe my CYA was right at 40. Told my wife to leave the cover off some today and let the sun get to the water. Usually when I first fill it I have to keep putting chlorine in for a while anyway. So it could go down on it's own today. I will check it again when I get home. thanks.