Canadian Kahuna

I too own an Arctic spa with the forever floor. At first i was just going to prepare the site with some gravel. I decided to spend a few hundred dollars and put in a nice 12x10 deck for it instead. It's made from treated 2x6's with 12" centers. The wood deck may be a little more work for maintenance, but really finishes things off and gives it that "resort look" i think Roger mentioned. It's also a lot easier to keep debris like grass and dirt from entering the tub. Grass clippings, dirt, etc will stick to the bottom of your feet. I just wear my sandals over to my deck, and take them off. I have a little extra room now to move around my tub without getting my feet dirty. It's also great in the winter, being above the frozen ground (it's still not warm, but a clean shoveled deck makes a difference to step on). I have no doubt about the forever floor as i was going to just place the tub on gravel at first, but decking or a pad really makes a difference in presentation. If you plan on staying in your house for some time, and are sure about the placement of the tub, spend a few extra bucks. The good thing is, you can always add a deck later though.

Not a dealer, just a happy owner here. I personally have the Arctic Spa Cub Designer Model. I find it has enough Jets (although there is one or two i may add in to a new "favorite seat") with more than enough power. I haven't had any problems with it and have no complaints, with the tub, the company or my dealer who provides excellent service. The size fits my needs perfectly (mostly just my wife and I in there, with our two young daughters on occasion, outside of that it's maybe another couple). The comfortable limit for full size adults is about 5 (although it can seat 6 . . . this would make things a little too cozy for me, and even at 5 you are "playing footsies" . . . which can be good or bad ;-) Personally, i really enjoy the lounger, but in my next tub purchase (which will still be Arctic . . . wanted the Frontier or Tundra but dealing with space limitations right now until our move) i will probably opt for a tub without the lounger to allow for more seating for guests (love to entertain) and my kids will be older and will probably want to entertain friends. Overall, it's a great spa that fits our current needs. As for quality, some will say a certain brand is best . . . but that's personal opinion . . . just stay clear of a few brands and go with quality built ones (Arctic, hotsprings, Jacuzzi, Sundance, D1, etc) . . . you'll "get the hint" of what to stear clear from that pretty much everyone agrees on in this forum . . . just read around the posts. Good luck with your spa hunting!

Yup, summer was great, but happier fall is here. Can't stand heat myself, fall is fav time of year, and winter. No time for fishin' this summer . . . . . saved my time off for hunting season. Have to put the shotgun away till i eat some of these birds (have my posession limit of Partridge . . . only allowed 15 per person total, 5 per day limit . . . good year for them). Got out moose hunting for a few days . . . woke up to -15C and 3 inches of snow on the ground one morning . . . crawling out of a tent to that wasn't nice. Saw 3 moose first day but couldn't shoot . . . was half hour before legal time . . . cow, calf and bull all 30 yards away :-( . . . second day 20 feet from a bull, but only have tag for cow and calf. Coulda had all the deer i wanted but don't start hunting them till November anyways (and don't wanna spook the moose with the shots). . . but back out next week, should get my moose on Sunday. And always nice to come back and jump in a nice, warm hot tub . . . that's the best part of spending week(s) out in the bush! Coming back to my tub. Sorry, off topic, but oh well . . .

Uhm, who's "Conjuna"? LOL

Hey Alpine, I live in Northern Ontario, common for it to drop to -40C or lower for weeks at a time here. Personally, i have an Arctic and love it, but relatives have other brands from reputable companies without problems in our climate. Seems like you are on the right track there. Now find one that fits you the best comfort and budget wise. I love my tub, and if you haven't checked out Arctic, maybe give them a look as they are also reputable (my store here anyways, great staff and support). But i won't knock any of the tubs you mentioned, as i know owners of those and they love them as well. Good luck on your quest, and i hope i don't get bashed for mentioning Arctic, lol . . . after all, i'm not a dealer, just a consumer who did a lot of research . . . . my results: Many good brands, many good dealers, but found what best suited my needs and comforts with a good dealer and solid spa (and the runnings were close among others).

Although I haven't measured, it's probably close to 2" give or take. It would probably also depend on the type of cover lifter (brand) you have as there are several different ones out there. I'll measure tomorrow if you haven't received a reply and give you the brand then (can't remember exactly now, brain not functioning . . . 1am and sleep deprived).

Hey . . . just wanted to add that i have an arctic and use the arctic brand chemicals as well (bromine). Basically, when i do a fill, i add "Bromine Booster" . . . this is to establish your bromide reserve and should only be used when you first fill it. After this, and your original shock to establish your bromine residual, you should not need to add Peak Boost if you use a floater with the bromine tablets and have it set correctly, so that your readings are about 3 - 5 ppm bromine. I have the Cub model, keep my floater set at about 4 1/2 and find it regulates nicely, two of us use the spa about 4 times a week average, and daily during winter. I regularly shock twice a week (usually Friday and Monday, mainly because heaviest usage is on weekends, and as well on fridays i add my best defence, on monday i add the easy clear and ultra spa). You may have to occasionally bring your pH up using adjust up (use sparingly) and with bromine you will probably find you have to raise your TA a fair amount (Arctic has "Perfect Balance" but baking soda is cheaper and works just as well, if not better i've found), other than this i have had no real problems. I use the "Refresh" to shock with, btw. Basically, these are the instructions given to me by my dealer and i haven't had a single problem, and the only other thing my dealer recommended was a "Zorbie" or "Scumball" . . . which i got and it keeps my water a lot cleaner (compared to first few months i didn't have one). I also have the "Peak Boost" but very seldomly use it, only when i've had a large number of bathers and find my bromine has drastically dropped. Otherwise, i'll place a bromine tablet right in the filter basket, do a good shock on my tub and my bromine levels are back in the normal 3 - 5ppm range. Hope this helps with your dilema a little.

I wonder how simple "Peanut Butter" would affect acrylic. I learned this method to take labels off of jars, cookware, etc. just smear some on, and wipe off a few hours later with soap and water, works like a charm. I can't see anything that would really affect an acrylic spa in peanut butter, input?

I think your best bet to get it recorded would be to go into the store first and have a tape recorder (one of those minny dictating ones with the sensitivity set on "high") BEFORE you try to do it over the phone . . . the reason being is i know law here in Canada because we've dealt with something similar (recording conversations) . . . it is perfectly legal and will stand up in court if it's hidden and done person to person, but if it's done on the phone, the other party MUST be told the conversation is being recorded. Needless to say, once the recording on our end was heard, we won. But, if you do go into the store, be calm, go about like you are trying to resolve the situation and casually get them to mention about the sales tactics used, otherwise they could become suspiscious and shut up. And DO NOT tell them in the end you have it recorded. If they meet you and decide to do something, you will not need the recording and you won't have a bad rep with the store, who after all will be the ones taking care of you in the future. But, if they don't resolve the situation, the Ace is now in your hand as they have no idea what you have for evidence, and are likely to blow them out of court . . . but check with local laws, most lawyers will give quick free advice in hopes of gaining buisniness should the need arise.

Awesome! Looks like a great view, too! I'm way over in N.Ontario in Canada, but i just gotta ask (and it would be worth the trip), "WHEN'S THE PARTY?" lol . . . hope you enjoy your new spa!

I have a spa, but not nearly your bather load by the sounds of things, and have run into similar problems. My father in-law also has one, and when he first got it, it seemed everyone was hopping in. We both use bromine as a sanitzer and haven't had any real problems. But after a particularily heavy bather load, i do notice my water gets cloudy as well. This is most likely due to the fact that body oils, perfumes, hairspray, etc have entered the water. Under heavy use, I may shock my tub several times a week, but when it's just my wife and I, twice a week. I also find it helps to use a clarifier and some sort of coagulating agent (in my case, it's easy clear). This takes all the small particles in the water and coagulates them (clumps them) like dead skin, body oils, etc so that the filter can pick them up. The scum on the edges is most likely that kind of stuff (hairspray, etc) that the filter didn't pick up. Just take a rag and wipe it off, being as carefull as possible not to let it back into the spa water. You may also find it helpfull to put in a "scumball" or "Zorbie". This is a sponge-like thing that helps pick up body oils and hairspray in the water, and you just toss it out once a month or so and put a new one in. And since you do have more heavy usage, especially at first since it's new and a novelty to everyone, you may find it necessary to drain your spa more frequently than the "normal" 3 months, say like each month.

Mice are amazing little creatures that can squeeze in through the tiniest of spaces. We've dealt with them for years in our campers (33' trailer, and 18' trailer) out at our camp. Each and every small crack has to be plugged up, especially in the fall . . . we usually use steel wool (without soap on it . . . for some reason, mice love soap) to plug the holes, and have found mice getting in through some holes that aren't much larger than the diameter of a couple of cigarettes (best comparison i can think of). Best thing, no matter the spa, check it regularly . . . access doors should be easy to get to and check inside, and block any cracks you might find, especially if you are in an area prone to mice. But try not to worry to much, and enjoy your spa.

Just curious, did you ever find out the cause of the rash? Was it from the bromine? Too high levels? Not enough? It would be interesting to know in case somebody else runs into the same problem as you, and can just check in here. hottub.pool_boy: Never woulda thought of using the superclorinated water for wiping stuff down, have used diluted bleach when i drain my tub each time to scrub, then rinse, but I like that idea for "in between" fills to help keep back on bacteria . . . makes sense, especially on the underside of the cover where most wouldn't think about since it's not in "direct contact" with the water, but still picks up "the bugs". Great tip, thanks, i'll be doing that now!

I used to use the test strips as well, but found they can be innacurate. I'd get a very low reading for bromine with one and check again just to see and the next one would be ideal (between 3 - 5ppm). So i switched now and only use my test strips (still have lots left) for "in between" checks occasionally just for how quick and easy they are, but use the drop test twice a week. The drop test is known to be much more accurate, and personally i find it easier to read taking out guess work. You can also tell a little by how your water "feels" of how the chemistry is (i find high bromine levels will dry your skin out after a tub, along with low alkalinity and the water feels sort of "gritty" if you know what I mean, while if it were the opposite it could mean low bromine and high TA) but this doesn't substitute a proper test. Your water should not dry the crap out of your skin (although it will a little due to some bromine). A properly balanced spa will be comfortable to sit in. If your bromine is in fact too high, it can cause a rash (a mild chemical burn). But what i'd be really worried about is your sanitizer levels being too low, leading to pseudonomas in the water causing the rash. Bring a sample in to your dealer for testing and see what they say. I've been using bromine for around 6 months (in a floater) and had no problems, but it is a little more work to keep my water balanced. Many on here may tell you Dichlor granules are the way to go as they are very simple and effective, just throw in a measured amount based on #of bathers after each soak. Best of luck to you and hope something works out.

Could be just the time of the year. We usually have an outdoors show or 10 in our city this time of year, and many dealers set up at these as well, so maybe there's a higher demand on tubs (spring fever, just got those Christmas bills paid off). I'm no dealer, so can't verify this. My tub took about 6 weeks, but i live in what's considered as somewhat remote (although it's not a small city by any means, but is in the middle of nowhere), and they had a very large order at that time. Actually, i was told around 6 weeks and it took about 4.5 - 5 weeks. Try not to get too upset, but call them politely and ask them when you can expect your spa to be delivered.

Will the madness never end? So many threads on this subject and it's still such a debate, lol. I couldn't believe it when i saw yet another thread started on the FF vs TP. I'm not even putting in my opinion or experience with either since it's been stated enough before. Ugh.

One of the main reasons i bought a spa was for my daughter who has cerebral palsy (the hot water helps relax her muscles and we can do her therapy easier . . . stretches, etc). I had asked her Dr. (specialist) about the hot tub and he said just to make sure she wasn't in it too long (10 mins at a time) and she was about 1.5 years old at that point, water temp at 104. We turned down the temp a lot too 100 so that she could stay in a little longer. My neice was about 3 when using the hot tub and was able to tell us when she felt too hot, or would just hop up and cool down on her own. Basically, i was told to make sure the kids didn't get overheated and it was fine, but you can always double check with a pediatrician as I am not a doctor and i'm sure there are considerations.

Sounds like a great price to me also. I don't have ozone in my tub and have had no problems with my water chemistry. Ozone is to be used along with a regular sanitizer regime anyways, and only slightly lowers the amount of chemicals needed in your tub, so paying attention to your chems you won't really need ozone (I was going to opt for the ozone originally in my tub, my dealer told me i could always add it down the road if i wanted to and the extra expense might not be worth it to me, so i've tried it without and found i really don't need it). And both the Klondiker and Avalanche are nice tubs, I looked at the Klondiker for awhile, just don't have to room for an 8' tub at the present time (frontier is a nice tub, too).

Get a quality built spa, plain and simple. Don't worry so much over Full Foam or Thermal style, worry if the tub is of a high quality. I personally own an Arctic, and we have had no problems. While some can argue that a full foam spa will support pipes and stop them from leaking, arctic does have hosing that compensates for this problem, thus showing a company that takes time to go over the details to build a quality tub. I'm not saying they are better than a FF tub because of this, it's just one mechanical design that works, and several friends of mine have owned Arctic spas for many years and not once had a problem with a leaking line. Watch out for the cheaply made TP style tubs if you are interested in this method as they may have large gaps where there is no insulation, poor insulation, poor plumbing, the list goes on. The same goes for a FF tub, they can have poor plumbing design, poor insulation, etc. Just go with a good brand that is of high quality, D1, HS, Arctic, Coleman, whatever, you can search through the threads and you'll find certain manufacturers to stear clear from. Most of all, get it for comfort.

Room in the footwell is nice to have, you only want to be "playing footsies" if the other person is attractive and not related to you, lol. Be sure that you have enough room for your personal needs and sit down and honestly evaluate how often you will have company over, and how many people. I have a 5 - 6 person spa of a different brand, and the most we've had in it so far has been 4 people (my wife and I enjoy more quiet times with smaller groups . . . are we getting old? haha) and it was the perfect size for all 4 of us comfortably. Other than that, it is usually just my wife and myself in it, but we both like to switch to different seats depending on what kind of tub experience we want. Also, when and if you have company over, how many will actually be in the tub at once? Most people will jump in for a short period of time, hop out and cool off for a bit, maybe get back in, or sit up on the side and cool down, so with even a 5 or 6 person tub, a group of 8 or so people wouldn't be bad (except in winter cold months). And don't worry about others putting down the manufacturer, while there are bad ones out there, HS isn't one of them from what i've seen and heard, just make sure you have a reputable dealer and are comfortable with your tub (And i own an Arctic Spa, so i'm not being biased).

Maybe if i start a few hundred new topics and reply to those, i can catch up to Brulan on here for posts! No offense to you Brulan, just having fun here :-) Dang, i don't even know how many posts i'm at, maybe i'll look sometime. Ohhhhh, look at that, I'm at 166 . . . this one makes 167. Oh, wait, don't we already have a thread for this purpose? LoL.

My total cost was around $500 Cdn (without cost of electrician since we have one in the family) so your quote sounds about right. I have a 50amp GFCI in my breaker box where the electrician had to move a few things around, 60amp outdoor disconnect and then had to run about 40' of 8-3 tech cable. You say you have no digging, but check with local laws. Since my cable was running from my house to the tub, which is about 20' away, my local laws state that the cable must be buried a minimum of 2' deep in non-traffic areas, 3' in traffic areas. I like to make sure everything is done to or above code, saves hassle in the future.

My dealer also said not to worry about the calcium too much, a lot of it depends on your local water supply. I've been told by my dealer, and after looking around on the web, that there are other ways just as effective at helping combat the corrosion. I keep my TA within the optimal limits, and keep my tub slightly towards the alkaline side, this helps to lower the amount of corrosion and not have to worry about calcium precipitating out of the water.

You're local dealer should be able to winterize your spa so that you can "close it up" for the season (basically drain it completely including your lines and then put antifreeze in it . . . non-toxic kind of course, similar to winterizing water lines).

Purchased the Arctic Spa Cub Designer model. Went with it because of the seating arrangement, comfort of seats, organization of jets, and size best suited my needs. Cost including all local taxes was $9200.00 Cdn, including stairs, cover lifter, railing (think it's called Ez rail or something like that), delivery & set-up, first few months of chemicals, cedar bar (runs along side of tub) with 2 cedar bar stools. No problems at all so far with my tub (bough it in November) and we love it, using it daily.