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I have my chemistry done just right, I run a brand new bromine tub.. is it normal to always have a small amount of bubbles and tiny brown/white bubble scum like floating around during your hot tub usage? Perhaps if anything my bromine is a little high at times still learning how to manage that... filter is new, cleaned every week minimum, I shock after usage.. non chlorine shock,, total hardness is good, ph and alkalinity is good... ideal... even tested from local shop weekly. I'm in it daily for 2 hours, plus sometimes for 40 minutes with my 2 year old and 4 year old... my wife and I go it it every night for at least 45 minutes.. I was hoping to have friends in it this weekend for my party, I just want to ensure I have a nice clean tub and safe tub for my guests. I just the dazzel spa products line for all my chem.. my tub us 215 gallons, Freeflow Spa, Cascina Hot Tub 4 person. Maybe I will jump in it now and try to take some pictures.. show you what I'm referring too. Ok see images here https://goo.gl/photos/27XJzLbrHigvyGLr5

OK, please read carefully because the obvious response to this question cannot be right: My 10-year-old Tiger River Bengal spa has begun gurgling loudly. I hear the gurgles as bubbles traveling through the tubing. They can be heard all over the tub; there's no clear location for them. Bubbles coming from the ozonator are large. When I block the venturi with my finger, the gurgling stops in a few seconds. This means that air is NOT entering the system from somewhere else in the tub. So you would think the problem must lie with the ozonator, the check valve, or the flow restrictor - but read on. The strange thing is that when I flush, drain, and clean the tub, the gurgling goes away completely. Bubbles from the ozonator look like they should: tiny bubbles, lots of them, like champagne or soda fizz. The tub will then work normally for a day or two, even three or four days — but then the gurgling slowly comes back, getting louder and louder, and the bubbles get bigger and bigger. I've done this four times now with the same result each time. I thought the problem was too much airflow, because this problem began when I pulled the flow restrictor out of my Hot Springs ozonator, not realizing that I wouldn't be able to replace it. First I bought a new ozonator (a JED 103 CD Spa / Hot Tub Ozone Generator), but that did nothing. So I installed a flow restrictor between the ozonator and the check valve. (The JED 103's parts are sealed, so I can't tell if there's already a flow restrictor at the ozonator's own air intake.) I also replaced all the tubing and the check valve. The flow restrictor definitely reduces the gurgling. But it doesn't stop it, and while the ozone bubbles aren't huge, they also don't look like the gentle fizz that seems normal. The weird behavior - after cleaning it works normally with no gurgling, even without a flow restrictor in place, but then slowly begins to gurgle again - suggests to me that maybe the problem is not in the ozonator at all. Could it be a clog in the plumbing somewhere? I'm imaging a partial blockage with air building up behind it, then bubbling through in large bursts - or something like that. How can I figure this out?

Ph high. I always have a problem with it. TA, Calcium, Bromine all within normal ranges. What is going on and what can I do about the pH? Thanks to anyone who can answer this. Even more thanks to anyone who can make it simple enough that an idiot like me can understand it.

Hi, I am looking for the best spa services provider in New Mexico. Do you have any idea about the places where we can get day spa? I am looking for: "Hot Stone Back Facial" "Microdermabrasion" "Hydrating Facial" Lets discuss about this if you have any idea where to get these services in New Mexico and how they are helpful?

hello, I have a Nordic Sport hot tub. I believe 2002. The control panel will go dim and when it does the only button that will work is the Temp Up button and it is what will turn the jets off and on. When it is normal lit the correct buttons do the correct functions. So you can't control the temp or light when it is dim. If the power goes out or your reset the power box it resets the temp back to 95. I also have noticed it is getting stuck on low jets and not turning off after the 20 minutes of circulation. Any thoughts on how to correct these problems. Thank you.

So i have an in ground spa, it sits in the deck area. I havnt used it for about 6 years, so i went and got a new pump, re-did the PVC and everything worked. But the heating did not. Im using a gas heater and when i turn it on only the pilot turns on, it makes no noise and the main burners dont seem to turn on, i dont actually know how to use the heater properly so maybe im doing somethinf wrong? The flow into the heater is really strong so i know thats not an issue. I put pictures below of the heater if anyone can help me please. P.S. the pump and heater light are on (orange) http://pasteboard.co/GVauPFkrq.jpg http://pasteboard.co/GVdmg02rI.jpg http://pasteboard.co/GVgHIsOMs.jpg

Im trying to settle and argument between my father in law and I. The previous owners left a fairly new "used" 6 person in-ground hot tub uninstalled near the pool. I wanted to get rid of it but my father in law thinks that we can just build an above ground "shell" for it and incorporate the piping into the in-ground pool system. Im fairly certain this CANT be done. I once read that there was a difference in how the in and above ground hot tubs were made. Am I correct? Is it possible to build an above ground frame to house it? Or can In-ground hot tubs ONLY be installed in-ground for water displacement reasons? Please educate us! Thanks in advance!

Hello, I'm a fairly new hot-tub owner, and have found tons of valuable resources on this forum. Now that I have a slightly complicated question, this was quickly my first-choice to seek guidance My tub is 425 gallons (Alps Spas Q-90), last cleaned and refilled on 1/22/17 (sodium bromide + floater + MPS), consistently tested with a Taylor K-2106 kit, and set to 102F. Problem is my measurements today have me really scratching my head. TA dropped, and my CH plummeted. I've been busy so the tub's only seeing 1 or 2 bather-hours a week lately. Here's the last few measurement entries in my logbook: 2/11/17: pH=7.3, TA=120, CH=100, SI=-0.3, TB=0.5 2/12/17: pH=7.6, TA=130, CH=100, SI=0.1, TB=5 2/16/17: pH=7.6, TA=130, CH=90, SI=0.1, TB=4.5 2/20/17: pH=7.4, TA=90, CH=40, SI=-0.7, TB=5 Should I be worried that CH and TA tanked? I know bromine is acidic, which can lower pH and TA over time, but I've never seen my calcium dive like that. Also, I did add Leisure Time "pH Balance" during this last refill, which says "Note: due to the unique buffering capacity of Leisure Time pH Balance, it is not necessary to adjust the calcium hardness level in your spa". Was that a mistake? Could it be interfering somehow? Thanks in advance!

We're in the market for a Spa. Admittedly I didn't know much about them before we started taking trips to various retailers around the area, and since then I've started doing a lot more research. At the moment, we're leaning towards the Arctic Spas "Cub", a 7x7 spa meant for 5 adults. https://www.arcticspas.ca/arctic-spas/arctic-cub/ I like the layout, a "captains" chair, a nice lounger, and plenty of additional space for a few friends. Doing a bit of research on various spa companies, it seems like for every "Company X is the greatest, excellent customer service, etc" there are two or three "never buy a spa from company X!". So my dilemma, I don't know what to believe. I realize that the dealer who sells you the spa is a significant factor in making your overall experience a great one or a nightmare. Outside of the "good dealer/bad dealer" factor, I'd love to hear honest experiences with the "Cub" spa, Arctic Spas in general, and perhaps alternative comparables if Arctic is a "no no" for you. I also have some more specific questions about the spa features, I'll just list them in point form but would love to hear peoples opinions/answers to any/all of them, much appreciated! Between the "Prestige", "Signature" and "Legend", is there any difference between them outside the number of jets and pumps? The dealer lead me to believe that the "legend" automatically came with additional features such as the "Family" lighting system, and even other "optional" features such as EcoPack Spa controls, OnSpa, and No Maintenance Cabinets. I didn't see anything about this in the literature, and on the quote they wrote "family lighting"... is that something they're just throwing in hoping we'd upgrade to the more expensive model, or does each of the above really include additional features above the lower model? EcoPack, OnSpa, Spa Boy. Are any/all of these worth it? What about the Onzen Salt Water system? I've read mixed things about salt water systems corroding things faster, not being any less maintenance than water+bromine, etc What about Peak 1, Peak 2 Ozones? I've read mixed things about ozone systems being worth it in general $11,500 for the cub legend (pre tax, but delivery included) good deal, bad deal, fair price? Again, greatly appreciate any and all feedback, opinions and experiences. Of course I will also be returning to the dealership to ask some of these questions directly, but this is a big purchase so want to cover all my bases.

I want to take some time to give credit to a great service tech that I had the opportunity to deal with yesterday. I found him on a forum and he was nice enough to send out his email address if anyone needed help. I have talked with a lot of people in my life but never anyone this sharp. Within minutes he not only had my issue diagnosed and fixed but he knew each and every detail about my spa. He gave me great advice about things moving forward and he was one of the most polite people I have ever spoke to on the phone. I emailed him about the issues and I received a response within a day. Not only that I was given a number to call and deal with him direct which is rare nowadays. I would advise anyone with issues to email him and he will be able to help with any problem possible. I have saved both his name,number and email for the next issue that i come upon. He has parts and everything needed to solve your problems.He can be reached at the following email: premierhottubs@etcmail.com Ask for James - he is one of the best as far as I am concerned.

Pump needs replacing.. everything I read about variable pumps say "pool" in the descriptions. Are variable pumps used for spas?

I'm trying to learn about a spa that exists at a house I recently bought and I'm trying to understand when one would use the Sleep Mode. It's a Balboa topside control panel and I read that it will heat to 20 degrees F of the set temperature during filter cycles. So I generally keep it at 104 degrees F, so if I put it in sleep, it would heat to a maximum of 84 degrees? What would be the practical use of this? For when I go on vacation? Why not just set the spa to the desired lower temperature when I go on vacation? Also, I would think that if one used the sleep mode somewhat often, they would use more energy heating the spa back to the set temperature by 20 degrees, rather than maintaining the set temperature. Am I missing something? Any real point to using this mode?

Hi, I have an inground pool with waterfall, with attached spa with another waterfall from the spa to the pool. I'm trying to figure out how to heat the spa only. There are a series of valves: 1. Switches suction from the spa to the pool. 2. Opens up/turns off flow to the pool waterfall (teed into the the return line. 3. Opens up /turns off flow to the spa waterfall, also teed into the return line. If I open up the suction to the spa (turning it off to the pool), close off the pool waterfall return, and open up the spa return flow, my assumption is the water is circulating through the heater and through the spa and then back. However, the spa just drains...please help!!

I have an older 4 person spa that I run in a 3 season porch. It is used every other day by 2 people. It is drained during the winter. I use bromine tablets in a floater and a ozonator and monitor the chemistry with strips regularly. Most of the time I have to lower the PH. I shock every week. I replace water every 3 months. Recently, we have been seeing dime-sized clumps of pale custard-like material floating in the water. In ten years I have never seen this anything like this before. The water is clear and there is no smell. The custard material is very soft and spongy with no odor. The filter looks normal. I have not inspected the inside of the plumbing. I suspect this might be a mold of some kind but cannot find any specific reference or images on-line that help identify it. Can anyone confirm what it is? Link to image attached. Link may be temporary or not work. https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgiuxihjzkbwy8s/spa%20custard.jpg?dl=0

Hi all, first post here so please forgive me if I do something wrong... I have a 12 year old Southwest Spa with HydroQuip guts (product HQ6000 - order code CS6220-U). A few weeks ago I drained the tub and cleaned it like I do regularly, and after filling it took twice as long to heat back up. Normally it takes roughly 4 hours to heat and this time it took 8. On top of that it has been having a hard time keeping the temperature at 100. Where before the pumps/heater only came on as needed, now they are running all the time. Last night I noticed that the temp has begun to fall as it was at 96 and holding. the top side controls say that the heater is on (or calling for it), but I don't see the heater light on the controller lit. All other functions and flow seem normal, and there are not any error codes or warning lights. I will put an ohm meter / multimeter to it this weekend, but my initial thoughts are that the heater may need replacing. Thoughts? Suggestions? Any help is greatly appreciated. thanks, Kent

Hi! Rather a newbie of less than one year with a hot tub. Was told by the dealer each week I needed to add the multi shock. I'm not sure why, the ph, chlorine levels are normal and after draining and changing the filters after six months and trying for two weeks no shock treatment, I have a pleasant smell and no bad side effects of any ski infections or other issues. I'd appreciate any rationale for its use. I was asked to buy many chemicals, but seem to use just a few. Jacki

I just bought a house with an in ground pool and spa combo. This my first time owning either. There is a small (1 1/2" - 2") pipe in the wall in between the two, which allows water flow (I assume). The pool is much colder than the spa. As I am attempting to heat up the spa, cold water from the pool just keeps rising in through that tube. I'd like my spa to operate between 100-103 degrees, but I cannot seem to get it past the low 90's with the cold (70-72 degree) pool water flowing in. The NG heater keeps running (set to max temp) without the ability to reach the desired temp in the spa. Is that pipe supposed to be there, is there supposed to be a cap... I'm freaking out... PLEASE HELP!! Thanks!

Hi Gang, OK, so first time spa owner and someone gave it to me. I pulled out both motors and had them tested, both OK and no cracks or leaks. It's called a Coast Spa but it's made by Northwind Hot Tub and it says it's a "Deluxe Series" its from about 2009. It's in place now freshly filled via the filter and now the startup questions since I have no clue. When I first power it up I see the display show: - the display initializes - it flashes 100 - it then flashes 93 - it then flashes 43 - it then flashes 12 - it then shows " Pr " after about 5 mins, you head a click and the Pump 1 light comes on and the display shows: - - F And thats where it sits so any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated! I'm going to call the tub guy to look it over but I'd like your suggestions first before he shows up. Cheers' Dave

I have a Sundance optima 850 spa from 1998 The Jets from jet 1 are very weak. I removed the Control/Diverter Valve that controls the flow to the jets and there appears to be a broken piece or something floating around that may be causing a an obstruction. I have attached pictures below. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

We have a 2002 Sundance Cameo that stated to trip the 240 GFI every few days. Since I have a 'time of use' electricity service, the spa is in 'Economy mode' so it only heats up during the cleaning cycles. I set the cleaning cycles to run during the night (cheaper electricity) so that when I get into the spa ( ~6 am) the spa is at the desired temp (~100f) The GFI trips sometimes during the night... every few days..... It Never trips while using the spa with all 4 consumers on (circulating pump, big motor, the two speed pump and air blower going) Things I did so far. 1) Ozone generator was >5 years old so I replace it. ---> No help 2) Circulating pump was 13 years old so I replaced it with a more efficient one --> No help 3) Heater element was 13 years old so I replaced it --> No help GFI test button in the main panel work well --- H E L P -- What should I do next ?

After my system has shut off, water from my raised spa drains into the pool overnight until the levels are roughly equal. After reading other posts, I concluded the Jandy check valve on the spa return line might be the cause so I ordered a new valve. Upon removal of the old check valve, I discovered it was positioned with the red flapper flush against the pvc pipe. Water flowing through the line has no effect on it. The old check valve was in fine condition. It was originally installed this way 8 years ago when the pool was constructed. The drainage problem with the spa began about a month ago. I installed the new check valve anyway; first the same way as the original one, and then I also repositioned it with the red flapper to open if spa return valve opened. The problem of spa draining into pool overnight persists regardless. Since the check valve is not the problem, what could be causing the spa to drain? (And why was the check valve installed in such a way in the first place - it seems to have no purpose that way!) I thought I had it beat with the check valve - now I'm stumped! Thanks for any advice!

Ok. I have been having problems with the heater housing from my spa and not sure how to fix it. I have a Dynasty Spas spa with the In.XE spa pack that i got from Trevi in Montreal Quebec. For the first little while i would only have problems with mechanical/electronic things like the control board or the spa pack, and even once the 240/110 converter box, and those were all fixed under warranty. Last winter (2013) however i had a leak in the spa somewhere and the spa started emptying until only enough water was left in the bottom. This was mid winter so it froze. Long story short i had to have TONS of piping underneath redone. At that time, they claimed that the leak started within my heater assembly and they said the reason for the leak was that the spa was not meant to run on salt, and also that the water chemistry was off, and that that was what caused the small hole which eventually led to a crack in one of the seals. So they replaced the heater, which i had to pay for, and i called Gecko, the makers of the spa pack. They actually sell a salt system and said that salt systems are ok to use in this spa. So i continued again and no problems until the end of this winter (couple of weeks ago). I started noticing a small puddle of water that never dried up near the corner. So today i managed to open up the front panel and take a look inside. Now i am not sure if there's a full sized hole in it or around it, but there was definitely water leaking out from there somewhere. The heater assembly had salt accumulation along various parts of it. So i took it all out and the 3 nuts at the top where the heater cables come out were all rusted. I am not sure what to do at this point. I can replace the heater for around $100 but i want to stay with a salt system as the bromine has adverse effects on my skin. Can anyone give me some tips maybe on how to keep it under control? I use the Technichlor Salt System and for the first few years everything was fine. It's just these past 2 years that have caused the problems. Thanks in advance. I can post pics if anyone thinks it will help.

I Have a Jandy Aqualink RS, the pool and spa lights turn on without any scheduled programs. This has been happening ever since the pool was built in 2005. No pool guy has been able to figure out the problem. The following actions have proven a failure: HARD REST RESET, AND CLEAR ALL PROGRAMS (THE HARD RESET IS WHEN YOU HOLD DOWN THE RESET BUTTON FOR 10 SECS AND TURN OF BREAKER WHILE STILL HOLDING BUTTON IT, THEN TURN POWER ON WHILE STILL HOLDING RESET BUTTON 10 SECS then lettting go) DISABLED THE SPA SIDE CONTROL TO RULE OUT THAT AS WELL The lights come on every night at around 9PM and off at around 11PM, i usually just turn it off by the remote. Just so you know, there are 0 programs for the pool or spa lights, they just randomly come on without any program. Please help. Thanks in advance.

Hello, thanks for contributing to such a great resource and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! I (we) are embarking on my first spa purchase in Western NY. It will primarily be used by my wife and I. I've always enjoyed spas on ski trips and am usually the last one to exit. I have a blown out disk at L4-L5 and muscle tightness is my worst enemy. I am hoping in addition to stretching a spa will help stay off back episodes. Our home is a ranch with a two tier deck. The bottom 10' x 20' tier is at grade and the upper 16' x 16' tier is at 2' above grade, planing on placing the spa on the upper tier close to the 10' side of the lower tier. While the deck is exposed to full sun in the summer making it virtually unusable, we are blessed with a large back yard with a mature Red Maple at the center. Due to removal of a perimeter of dying Blue Spruces and overgrown Creeping Junipers privacy and shade is at a premium for the near future. We would really like to make a destination of our back yard and admittedly are "putting the cart before the horse" buying a spa first. This week a 60 Amp 220 VAC and 110 VAC service were run out to the deck with a disconnect box mounted on the house but not within reach of the proposed spa location. Next week the main deck beam will be reinforced and and additional beam added. I am fortunate to have to reputable dealers in our area, Pettis Pools (Maax) and Clover Home Leisure (Hot Springs). Both dealers have been around for a long time, have great local reputations and clean BBB reviews. Pettis also carries the Sterling Covana motorized spa cover, which has great appeal given our lack of shade and privacy. I hope this coming Sunday to wet test a Maax 481 and a Hot Springs Envoy. The Maax 781 would be a better comparison to the Envoy, but both are more than we would like to spend. Both the Maax 781 and Hot Springs Envoy are several paychecks above our budget. Bullfrog would be in the running, but for me having a local dealer to service us is extremely important. Our budget started with the Maax 471, but tat 6' tall the lounge did not fit well thus the 481 and Envoy. The Covana would solve any problems related to shade and privacy quite well, but the money even for a 2yr old showroom display could easily put us into the Maax 781 or Host Springs Envoy. After reading about spas and service I "think" I would prefer a spa that is insulated (Maax Spas), but not full foam (Hot Springs). It certainly gets cold here, but with heat rising isn't the cover one of the largest sources of loss (Therefore Covana)? Hot Springs would blow out our budget and not place us in a position to afford the Covana or deck improvements offering shade or privacy. With 110' of snow a year on average and a huge shade and privacy problem. Your experience and input would be very welcome as we try to make this decision. If I could sell my 2013 BMW K1600GT I might be tempted to buy the Envoy (based on this forums members current endorsements on HS) and the Covana. I am not ready to fire sell the bike just to make this purchase. -Seamuis

Hello. I've got an older CalSpa 2000 and it runs well during the summer, heating to 100+ degrees as needed, but the outdoor temps tended to be from 75-95 degrees. It appeared to heat well simply by having the cover on, but I noticed if I had the temp set to 100, it would drop to mid-90s even during the summer. The pump would run constantly and the heat light would never come on unless I turned the pump to high speed with the "jets" button and that only lasts about 15 minutes each time. So, I'd have to wait around and hit the jets button every so often to get it to (and keep it at) the desired temperature. During this last winter (I'm in Michigan), I could not get it to heat above 78 degrees, even while "activating" the heat with the jets on. My thought is it should heat to temperature regardless of whether the jets are on high or not. I'm not getting any errors codes and it's certainly never overheated. Underheating is my issue. How can I fix this? Thanks.