ivieisme Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Well we had our first soak tonight in our new Caldera Niagra. For the first soak we put the 2 year old to bed. Then my husband wasn't feeling good and went to bed! So it was me and my 10 year old son. It is unseasonably warm here in South Florida (mid 70s tonight) so we stopped heating at 98*. It was perfect. The spa looks amazing at night. The lighting system on the Caldera was my favorite of all the ones I tested. The cycling of color inside and outside was really cool. I can't get one jet to work, but I have a service guy coming out to replace a panel dented when it was delivered so I guess they'll fix that too. No biggy. We played around trying to learn the whole diverter system, and I think we'll get it soon. More than anything, we enjoyed having the jets off! I was surprised at this. When I read the thread "Jet Setters or super soakers" I thought for sure I would be a jet setter, but I think the jets are great but just floating and soaking is possibly even better. I think the only negative things I can say (though I don't think they are really a negative) is that I wish the waterfall could be on its own switch, so you could have the water tinkling being the only sound. You have to run pump 2 at least at low speed to get the waterfall. Also the air pump is very loud. I thought it would be relaxing to just use the air jets after we turned the jets off, but found that the pump was too loud to really enjoy it. I loved it even more than when I tested it (I kept coming back to it, I think I tested it 4-5 times!!!!) The mini-lounge is the only one I've ever seen, and I really love it. It gives most of the benefits of a lounge without taking up the space or making me float, and it is great to sit in backwards (butt by the foot jets). The spa is the perfect size. I can't wait to use it again tomorrow with my toddler...hopefully that will go well (terrible twos...you never know). The best thing about tonights soak??????? The time I spent with my son. We don't do that often without some type of electronics or skateboard, or a baby around. It was just us, and because he is a little short to really relax in the seats, he sat on my lap and enjoyed it. We haven't really had that much closeness since he turned 10 (unless he wants something). I'd love to post some pictures. I just figured out how to get good shots at night, so I think I'll take them tomorrow. Can anyone send me instructions? (I'm on a mac if that makes a difference) This was the first time I actually had ever been in a theraputic hot tub except for wet testing. Why'd I wait so long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldengirl Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Oooh - I'm so excited for you!! My Caldera will get here in about 2 weeks. Can you stop the lights on a color, or do you have to cycle through them all? Is one of the colors just plain white? I'd love to see photos!!! I'm getting the little Kauai, as we just have a small area on our back porch where we are putting it. Is yours outside or under a lanai? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Reconnecting families is one of the best benefits of a tub. As to posting pictures, you need to upload them to a hosting site, such as photobucket. There are plenty to choose from, and they are generally free. Once you upload your picture, you click on the "Insert Image" button above the text window as you are posting or replying. That opens a window - you put the address of the picture in the blank provided and the picture will appear in your post. Be aware that the size is limited, so thumbnails or reduced files will show up, larger files will not. You can also post the address of your photo collection if you want to show us a lot of photos of the yard, the tub, the installation etc. We love pics! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 I haven't played with the lights yet, but I think you can stop them. We were enjoying the color changes last night. I don't think there was plain white, but I may be wrong. We just got out with the first test with my toddler. He LOVED it, especially playing with the waterfall and jets. He turned them on and off quite a lot, but I haven't tried locking them yet. He pitched a terrible fit when I finally made us get out for lunch. I'll try to post pictures when he's napping or goes to bet tonight. Too bad we won't be home to take some sunset pictures tonight. It is on a screened patio. Part of the patio is roofed, but this is under open screen. Unfortunately though, we have strange lots here. One neighbor is about 15 feet away, and the other side of my lot has a ton of space. The way they built our house though, has the patio access on the tiny side, so our hot tub is right up against our neighbor. Hopefully we don't drive them nuts, because I noticed we talk really loud when the jets are on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Here are a couple of quick night shots, will upload more tomorrow, I wanna get back in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Here are a few more of the installation.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IL Parrothead Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Ivie, that looks real nice! Same exact color combination we're looking at. And the view while you soak -- awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggz Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 ivieisme, That's a big tub. Wow. Very nice. Do you have a pool also because that a pretty big screen you're working with. I like the night shots. Just watch out for the Gators in the lake. Made you look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Congratulations!! Our 2 y/o Granddaughter wants to come over to the house to go "simmin" all the time. She was actually mad when the hot tub broke and she couldn't get in it. She's very excied that it is fixed now, and is coming over today. Funny thing is, her other grandparents have a hot tub, too, and she won't have anything to do with that one. Strange.. Glad you love it! Soak long and prosper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IL Parrothead Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Congratulations!! Our 2 y/o Granddaughter wants to come over to the house to go "simmin" all the time. She was actually mad when the hot tub broke and she couldn't get in it. She's very excied that it is fixed now, and is coming over today. Funny thing is, her other grandparents have a hot tub, too, and she won't have anything to do with that one. Strange.. Glad you love it! Soak long and prosper! Medic, why don't you tell us what brand you have versus the other grandparents. Maybe we can start a thread on the tubs most desired by 2 y/o's. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 We were actually deciding whether to put in a $50,000 pool and spa, and having work done for the next 5 months, and aggravation........I actually put up the screen 3 years ago in the hopes of one day getting a spa. So, we realized that whenever we go to a house that has a pool/spa combo, everyone spends the most time in the spa. We knew we would use it more in the screen too. We need it with the mosquitos here! And yes, we DO have gators!!!! But no pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggz Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 We were actually deciding whether to put in a $50,000 pool and spa, and having work done for the next 5 months, and aggravation........I actually put up the screen 3 years ago in the hopes of one day getting a spa. So, we realized that whenever we go to a house that has a pool/spa combo, everyone spends the most time in the spa. We knew we would use it more in the screen too. We need it with the mosquitos here! And yes, we DO have gators!!!! But no pool. 'ivieisme', Oh, I know you have gators. Everywhere in Florida has them. I'm in Palm Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 I can't get an answer anywhere......my water seems blue. Is this normal? It is like pool blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medic Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Ivieisme, Are your test strips telling you everything is OK? My water tends to look bright blue in the sun when my water is balanced correctly... A LOT better than green and stinky!!!! hehehe!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 That makes me feel so much better. At least it might be a normal thing. My test strips seem OK, if not just a little low on ph and alk, but I am gradually working it up. Don't know if I should use perfect ph or not. The pool store guy said it will bring my ph to the right place and keep it there. Maybe I should use ph up then this? Has anyone ever used that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggz Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 That makes me feel so much better. At least it might be a normal thing. My test strips seem OK, if not just a little low on ph and alk, but I am gradually working it up. Don't know if I should use perfect ph or not. The pool store guy said it will bring my ph to the right place and keep it there. Maybe I should use ph up then this? Has anyone ever used that? 'ivieisme', I never used that product, but your PH will rise over time as will your alkalinity. Keep it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 That makes me feel so much better. At least it might be a normal thing. My test strips seem OK, if not just a little low on ph and alk, but I am gradually working it up. Don't know if I should use perfect ph or not. The pool store guy said it will bring my ph to the right place and keep it there. Maybe I should use ph up then this? Has anyone ever used that? 'ivieisme', I never used that product, but your PH will rise over time as will your alkalinity. Keep it simple. What is your simple routine, do you mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggz Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 That makes me feel so much better. At least it might be a normal thing. My test strips seem OK, if not just a little low on ph and alk, but I am gradually working it up. Don't know if I should use perfect ph or not. The pool store guy said it will bring my ph to the right place and keep it there. Maybe I should use ph up then this? Has anyone ever used that? 'ivieisme', I never used that product, but your PH will rise over time as will your alkalinity. Keep it simple. What is your simple routine, do you mind me asking? 'ivieisme' not at all. I add 1 oz of liquid chlorine every time I exit the tub. I shock the tub once a week usually on Sunday with Dichlor, although I may stop shocking with Dichlor and just use the liquid chlorine as well. I adjust the PH with PH down instead of muriatic acid because I'm just afraid of the stuff. PH down is granular and easy to measure. I do everything in small doses usually less then what the manufacturer suggest until I achieve the results I want. I hardly adjust my PH up because it rises overtime. So if my reading is 7.0 or 7.2 I may not check it for a week or more providing my water is clear and all other doses are consistent. If I have to raise the PH I use baking soda. I use baking soda more for raising alkalinity. I've owned my tub for a month, but I have balanced pool water for a few years making me familiar with the chemicals and how they work. The reason your water is blue is from the light spectrum. Day light has a color balance of 5600K. It's the same thing with expensive cars with the blue headlights. The authentic ones are balanced at 5600K thus making them appear blue. Do an experiment at night with the tub light on standard white. The water won't appear as blue because the color balance is lower then 5600k. For a better explanation I provided a link: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~etrnsfer/water.htm simple explanation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_of_water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivieisme Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Wow, good reply! Now I know what to answer when my kids say "Why is water blue? Why is the sky blue?".......you're the one I'm coming to with all those lovely kid-questions! Really, thanks. I knew water and the light spectrum makes water appear blue (though why, I didn't know), but I thought it needed to be a larger body. You always hear people on the boards saying "crystal clear" water, not "clear, blue water". I haven't found a plain, white light on my tub yet, but I have only had it for a few days, I need to play around a lot more. At least I know it is not from over-chlorinating or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggz Posted December 4, 2007 Report Share Posted December 4, 2007 Wow, good reply! Now I know what to answer when my kids say "Why is water blue? Why is the sky blue?".......you're the one I'm coming to with all those lovely kid-questions! Really, thanks. I knew water and the light spectrum makes water appear blue (though why, I didn't know), but I thought it needed to be a larger body. You always hear people on the boards saying "crystal clear" water, not "clear, blue water". I haven't found a plain, white light on my tub yet, but I have only had it for a few days, I need to play around a lot more. At least I know it is not from over-chlorinating or something. 'ivieisme', You're probably not over-chlorinating. The tub usually goes back to almost zero anyway. Just keep it simple and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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