Trigger

Earlier this month, I opened up my 2005 22' round Esther Williams pool. I've got a light green stain/ring around the liner right at where the drained water line was. I tried scrubbing it with a brush, and also a Mr Clean Magic Eraser, both had no effect on the stain. Can anyone recomend how to get rid of this stain? Now that I've filled the pool the stain is about 12" under the water line. I closed the pool last fall using the same products (NAMCO closing kit) and procedures as I always have and never had any problem. What could have caused this? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Just Googleing around it looks like Eclipse pools are manufactured by Garden Leisure. Perhaps you can contact them directly and see if they can help you? http://www.gardenleisurepools.com/contact Good luck!

I live in central MA and have had a hot tubs on pavers for 7 years. I dug down about 6 inches, filled with compacted sand and set pavers in. No problems. Just make sure the pavers are level. I found after 3 hot tubs, it's nice to have a wide "skirt" around the tub for walking and placing the steps.

I'm not familliar with the "regular retractable cover" ? Are you talking about the standard bubble wrap style that one might see on a typical pool? if so, YES. A hot tub cover would Greatly increase your R factor. If it's another style could you provide more info? How would you open and close the hot tub covers? On a typical hot tup, the cover is usualy mounted to the tub with a manual lifting system. Are you planning on mounting cover lifters, or simpley moving them off and on manually? That could get to be a pain, espically so in the dead of winter. Also keep in mind that what ever cover you have, you'll need to keep the snow off of it as well. I'm not familliar with heating pools, but I an familliar with using hot tubs in the winter in New England, and wonder that unless you pool is enclosed in a green house, or or artium style enclosure, keeping a conventional (non insulated,) swimming pool heated in the winter could be a loosing and exspensive battle. Does the manufacter have others who use thier pool all year in freezing climates?

I have sand but wish I did a bottom pad and at least a perimeter cove peice as well. Sand does shift and I have a few "dents" in my bottom and one along the edge, but the biggest issue I have is I installed an underwater light and at night, sitting on my deck looking down on the pool I can every wrinkle and imperfection on the pool bottom. Perhaps I am wrong, but I can't help but think a padded bottom would give me a nicer looking install and prevented the dents in the sand. (???) Don't get me wrong, it's not the end of the world for me, and it's only a slight annoyence, but if I had to do it again, I would strongly consider the pad and I would try to see an actual installed pad at a real home, at night under the lights. Not familliar with the actual installation....but they put the pad ontop of a sand base, no?

So you agree, don't buy from the traveling "Expo" nor from tent sales?

Can you contact the seller and ask them more about this hot tub? Ask them who is the manufactuer? What are the components and specifications of the tub? What is the warrenty?

Given your post is on the heels of my comment. I can't help but take offense at that. Oh well, every one is entitled to thier opinion.

I have the twilight 8.2 and absolutely love it. Only at a month of ownership so can't give you too much info. Never tried the other brands so also can't compare too well. For comparison purposes...I spent $6250 (pre-tax) at one of those weekend shows. I might have gotten them down a little further on price...but don't think too much. Hope this helps Be careful warp1, these folks around this here forum will eat you alive telling you how bad a decision you made buying a Master Spa from there traveling show. My wife and I went to one of their show's. We purchased a Down East Portsmouth model spa (master) and simply love it. We have had it running and hot going on 5 years now and have had only one problem......the ozonator (sp?) had to be replaced after 2 years.....free of charge too, that included parts AND labor with no extra warranty plan. Relax and enjoy your Master Spa and don't let the Spa "dealers" on this forum scare you. Besides, look at all the "HELP I got a problem" posts on this forum and read the names of the spa's involved.........very very few Master Spa's....... As for the OP's question on price? Look, search and call dealers for price quotes and see what you come up with. I'm not a dealer and not affiliated with the Spa industry in any way other than being a "hot tub enthusiast" for several years and owned a variety of tubs. The problem with the "Master Traveling show" is that it's deliberatly deceiving. It is not advertised as a "Master Spa" show, but a rather a "Hot tub Expo" that will feature with many different brands and vendors competing for you business. It’s not. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s a Master Spa ONLY event. Filled with high pressure Master Spa salesmen trying to sell you a tub under the illusion that you’re at some industry event. If you call the number they provide, it's just a recording. The advertisement doesn't mention the manufacturer of the spas and leads you to believe that it's an exposition with many different vendors competing for your business. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would they do that? To suck you in, get you in as a captive audience and give you the hard sell. It's a sleazy sleazy sleazy practice. Master also has a bad reputation for their side of the road tent sales. One member actually documented the horrible quality of the spa's they were selling with pictures, and also caught them in lies; They were telling customers that the local Hotsprings store would service thier spas, another outright lie. The bottom line is Master spa's are mediocre in quality. I wouldn't use one in a cold weather environment, and I personaly refuse to do business with a company that employs such sleazy sales tactics. Master has built a reputation of being the used car salesmen of the spa industry. Caveat emptor.

Hey guys... this is somewhat hot tup related. If it's out of line, Mod's please feel free to move delete. I just finished up a new deck around my pool and hot tub. I'd like to mount some switches on the deck to turn lights on and off, but dont' want to use the standard weatherproof switch covers that are sold in the Hardware stores (you know, the gray indusrial weatherpoof boxes that fit over convential light switches.) I'd like to get something more elegant. For the most part i'll be switching the pool filter, and on another switch the pool light. On the old deck I had 2 gray outdoor switch boxes mounted to the deck railing. I'd like to class it up a bit with the new deck. Any suggestions?

Are there any quality above pool winter covers? For in ground pools you can buy beautiful covers that will last for years. But for above ground pools, all I can find are the POS covers from discount pool supplies. It's been my experience that even the "better" AGP winter covers with the better warenty are still flimsy in quality and and the warrenty is pro rated, so even if you do manage to save your receipts and get back to the manufactuer, you get pennies on the dollar for the warrenty. Any suggestions?

i've got a lounger and it's great. double Lounger? Hmmmmm. As spa tech mentioned that can eat up a lot of real estate int the tub. I'd be inclined to go with varietey of seats and jets. Over the years, my favortie seat has changed and it's always nice to have a choice of different jetting and positions depending upon my aches and pains, and desires. But if yu absolutely love the double lounger, then go for it. The bottom line is you need to WET test (not sit in the thing dry, but get in filled with water). Shop around and try diffent styles and models and get a good relatie sense of what fits you, what you prefer and what's on the market for your price range.

I doubt this would help as it seems your heater is heating...just slowly but FWIW: My 2005 TR Caspain had a heater trip switch. If the heater circuit was turned on before the pumps, it would trip. To fix this, I opened the front panel and pushed down on a black reset switch ontop of the heater..

Some quick thoughts: I agree that many of the manufactuers try to have somehting that sets them apart from the competition. Without a doubt, HotSprings is one of the top manufactuers and you'll get a great tub. D-! also has a very good reputation and between these two brands ,you'll end up with a quality unit. I think that with the major, quality manufactuers, they all provide decent filtration. I would take a look at how many filters a tub takes, what thier replacement costs are and what is needed to clean them. From what I've read, CD ozone is superrior to the UV. I'd go with a CD unit. The Moto massage has been around for awhile and it's a unique feature to HS. I'd wet test and see if it's for you. When comparing the tub prices, also consider the cover, lifter, and steps and if delivery is included. This might help you decide between the two. But initiatally I'd look at comparable tubs and wet test. Good luck.

Hrey Bismarker, I haven't priced one out in a while but the Tiger River tubs (a sister company to Hotsprings) has a nice line of hot tubs. just more fodder for you to consider.

'Want To Soak Tom' Ditto. Great points tom. Good advice.

I'm sorry to hear about your pool troubles. But thanks for sharing your experience. The lower end/budget pools do have thier place, esp. for folks on a budget and/or are looking for something that won't become a long term fixture in the back yard. Buying from a local, reputable dealer can have it's benifits. They can help you understand how to use the equipment, and if your pool needs repair, they can help you out with that too.

I have an esther williams and think it's a great pool. I was impressed with the liner that came with the Esther William pools and was lead to belive it was one of the better liners you could purchase. That with the extruded alluminum sealed the deal for me. If you plan to heat the pool I would opt for the foam. I don't heat my pool, but I have a light, and at night, looking down on the pool I can see every little imperfection in the sand that's under my liner. If I had to do it over again, I would at least put in the floor and cove foam. Is your Ester Williams completed above-ground or semi-inground ? The advice I received so far is that if I am not burying any portion of the pool, then a resin pool is the way to go. No point in spending the extra money ? Mine is completey above ground. I'd have to bring in dynamite to get my pool in ground. My town is one big rock. I was told that here in New england they could only partialy bury the pool. Maybe in other parts of the country you can completley bury the pool? But in freezing areas, I belive the pool is only rated to be burried 3 feet. I chose the extruded aluminum because it wont crack, or rust and extruded aluminum is structually superior to resin and stamped steel. Since I plan on building a custom deck around this pool I decided not to take any chances and go with what I belive to be the best above ground pool. I cannot commnet on the other pools you menitoned as I have no expericence with them. The only advice I would give is that if you are planning on having the pool for years to come, to stay away from the discount super stores (NAMCO) and go with an established dealer with a solid record and have it proffesionaly installed.

I have an esther williams and think it's a great pool. I was impressed with the liner that came with the Esther William pools and was lead to belive it was one of the better liners you could purchase. That with the extruded alluminum sealed the deal for me. If you plan to heat the pool I would opt for the foam. I don't heat my pool, but I have a light, and at night, looking down on the pool I can see every little imperfection in the sand that's under my liner. If I had to do it over again, I would at least put in the floor and cove foam.

Ken, I would not list jet count as a positive (or a negative). Jet count is useless. It's how the jets feel, thier placement and variety. I would go with the tub that gives you the greatest variety of jets. Also, in a quality tub, full foamed is not a negative. If you are in a freezing climate I wouldn't consider anything but a quality full foamed tub. Sundance is the better tub here.

Lemme guess, these 4 rules describe thier exclusive product to a "T"

I haven't read through all the posts but why let the size of you gate determine the size of you spa? If it's only the 73' gate that is restricting you on size, Id' step back and reconisder before i dropped some big $$ on a spa. My dealer included crane delivery with the install. I would talk wiht different dealers and see what they could do. Is it impossible to remove a section of the fence? Worst case is they use a crane, thats $300. Sure, a nice chunk of change but when looking at spas costing several thousands of dollars, and will be sitting in your back yard for many many years, I'd think twice before I settled for a smaller tub,

As far as what to stay away from? I'd stay away from Thermal Spas (the folks who advertise on TV), internet dealers, spas on Ebays and Master spas Tent sales and thier infamous traveling Spa Shows which where they rent out a convetion hall and claim they have 16 dealers and are liqidating spas. To be honest, $4500 wont get you much in the spa world. It can get you a big box store spa, or a low end unit from a dealer, or a used spa from a private sale. All three options have pros and cons. I believe there to be more cons are that price point and would recomend you consider all your options before committing to anything. At your price range stay away from glitzy extra's; Steroes, fancy light packages, waterfalls and gimicky extras. If you read through this forum, you'll find most people agree not to be influenced with Jet count or HP ratings. Wet testing is highly encouraged and buying from a reputable dealer is recomended. Do you live in an area that gets snow and sub freezing temps? If so, I'd be very cautious with what you purchase. Lower end tubs are infamous for being energy hogs and any savings up front will be quickly eaten away with electrical costs. Lately this place has become a love fest for buget tubs through a big box retailer. I'm of the opinion that'slargely in part of folks have grown tired of arguing the same point over and over again with the same folks about the quality of spas offered at these prices. To be honest, if long term quality and energy efficency are a priority I wouldn't purchase one of these tubs. I'm not a dealer. I've owned three spas in my life, and try to follow the industry and these forums as best as I can. My recomendation is to read through these fourms and get a better understanding of what's out there, look around, visit some dealers and then come back and lets talk about what you liked, didnt like and what your considerations and needs are. have fun!

That's how Watkins told me how to do it. I used a hack saw and made a slice in the new clip and slipped the strap through it. Worked great.

Weren't you just having a racoon problem, now it's frogs?!? Why's next ? Locust?