I would like a hot tub to use for therapy and as a dipping 'pool' in summer. I've been researching and reading about the brands, types and this blog. You are correct when you say there are many crazy claims to hot tub water cleaning systems. I am looking at Dimension One for the water cleaning systems but wonder if the added expense is necessary. I would like at least a 84"square hot tub with a lounge chair and decent insulation as I live in Nebraska. There would only be 2 of using the hot tub and an occasional dog. My other reason for a hot tub is our water well is not going to last forever and our bathroom 2 person tub requires approx 70 gallons to fill and operate water and air jets. Any suggestions? And if the hot tubs come with UV filters, ozonators, frog ease, vision cartridge etc, can they be removed to just have a hot tub with chlorine?
Cant decide on which brand hot tub and water filtration system
- Thread starter Farmgal
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,486
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
You could just get a basic hot tub and use a small SWG with the tub.
Stay away from the Frogg... messy minerals can stain and are expensive.
Maddie
Its time for Golf's Mecca 
Stay away from the Frogg... messy minerals can stain and are expensive.
Maddie
Its time for Golf's Mecca Ok. Where to begin?
Dimension one makes a good, well engineered spa that will last a long time. They are among my top brands. They are by no means the only ones using products and equipment designed to minimize the maintenance associated with spas.
If you think a spa is just a tiny pool, you are mistaken. In my experience (26 years of repair) most people are TERRIBLE AT MAINTENANCE and they and their spa suffer the consequences. All of the things you mentioned and a few more are designed to simplify the process. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Some are plagued by inaccurate information circulating about them and what they actually do, and some of that came from manufacturers trying to sell them.
Bottom line is, if you are here you are doing better than 99% of spa owners out there, most of whom just want to ignore it unless they are in it. You do not "need" any of these things, but that does not mean they are useless. You do not "need" toilet paper or running water either, but they sure are nice to have. The key is understanding how a given system works. You want straight chlorine because you understand it. And you can certainly disconnect equipment or not use recommended products if you choose. But I would suggest you first find out what these things actually do.
Do not base your spa purchase on any gadgets, gizmoes, or doohickeys. Wet test. Find the one you are comfortable in. The one you like, and want to look at for the next 20 years in your back yard. Also, if you plan to fix it yourself once out of warranty, avoid full-foam spas (like D1 and most other high-end brands).
I personally use ozone and a nature2 stick with chlorine in mine, and have recommended the same to hundreds of customers with zero complaints.
I have never heard of a mineral purifier staining anything anywhere but this forum, where everyone insists that it does. Metals can cause stains when your ph is high and they come out of solution, including the ionized silver in a mineral purifier. But there are plenty of people with staining that don't even use one. So blaming them for stains is kinda like blaming your pump for your filter getting dirty, in my opinion. Avoid the conditions that cause metal stains, and you will avoid metal stains. If your fill water has no metals in it, then adding a mineral purifier will introduce metals that can stain, and if you have had a high ph condition it would not cause stains until the silver is introduced. This would lead you to blame the silver, but it's really a ph issue that went unnoticed until there was something in the water to react to it.
I will point out that neither ozone nor mineral purifiers eliminate the need for chemical sanitizers, nor will they reduce the amount of sanitizer you will use. Ozone is like a built-in shock, and minerals are a chlorine backup for when you forget to maintain your spa, and are also effective (albeit slowly) against chlorine resistant pathogens. I also suspect that they help with biofilm prevention as well, but that is a personal observation and has not been tested to my knowledge.
Dimension one makes a good, well engineered spa that will last a long time. They are among my top brands. They are by no means the only ones using products and equipment designed to minimize the maintenance associated with spas.
If you think a spa is just a tiny pool, you are mistaken. In my experience (26 years of repair) most people are TERRIBLE AT MAINTENANCE and they and their spa suffer the consequences. All of the things you mentioned and a few more are designed to simplify the process. Each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Some are plagued by inaccurate information circulating about them and what they actually do, and some of that came from manufacturers trying to sell them.
Bottom line is, if you are here you are doing better than 99% of spa owners out there, most of whom just want to ignore it unless they are in it. You do not "need" any of these things, but that does not mean they are useless. You do not "need" toilet paper or running water either, but they sure are nice to have. The key is understanding how a given system works. You want straight chlorine because you understand it. And you can certainly disconnect equipment or not use recommended products if you choose. But I would suggest you first find out what these things actually do.
Do not base your spa purchase on any gadgets, gizmoes, or doohickeys. Wet test. Find the one you are comfortable in. The one you like, and want to look at for the next 20 years in your back yard. Also, if you plan to fix it yourself once out of warranty, avoid full-foam spas (like D1 and most other high-end brands).
I personally use ozone and a nature2 stick with chlorine in mine, and have recommended the same to hundreds of customers with zero complaints.
I have never heard of a mineral purifier staining anything anywhere but this forum, where everyone insists that it does. Metals can cause stains when your ph is high and they come out of solution, including the ionized silver in a mineral purifier. But there are plenty of people with staining that don't even use one. So blaming them for stains is kinda like blaming your pump for your filter getting dirty, in my opinion. Avoid the conditions that cause metal stains, and you will avoid metal stains. If your fill water has no metals in it, then adding a mineral purifier will introduce metals that can stain, and if you have had a high ph condition it would not cause stains until the silver is introduced. This would lead you to blame the silver, but it's really a ph issue that went unnoticed until there was something in the water to react to it.
I will point out that neither ozone nor mineral purifiers eliminate the need for chemical sanitizers, nor will they reduce the amount of sanitizer you will use. Ozone is like a built-in shock, and minerals are a chlorine backup for when you forget to maintain your spa, and are also effective (albeit slowly) against chlorine resistant pathogens. I also suspect that they help with biofilm prevention as well, but that is a personal observation and has not been tested to my knowledge.
"If you think a spa is just a tiny pool, you are mistaken. In my experience (26 years of repair) most people are TERRIBLE AT MAINTENANCE and they and their spa suffer the consequences"
My experience with an above ground Intex pool was horrible because I was trying to use 'nontoxic' chemicals which didn't work well with my hard well water and subpar filter/pump (that comes with pool).
My husband says the spa maintenance is all my responsibility of which I have no problem as long as I have trusted advice, facts and a schedule. And I know I have found it at TFP. Now I just need to find a local spa seller I trust.
Thank you for the info - I do need to wet test - but there are very few available. Most hot tubs out here sell without a model on the floor to try.
My experience with an above ground Intex pool was horrible because I was trying to use 'nontoxic' chemicals which didn't work well with my hard well water and subpar filter/pump (that comes with pool).
My husband says the spa maintenance is all my responsibility of which I have no problem as long as I have trusted advice, facts and a schedule. And I know I have found it at TFP. Now I just need to find a local spa seller I trust.
Thank you for the info - I do need to wet test - but there are very few available. Most hot tubs out here sell without a model on the floor to try.
I have a similar pool, and the pump/filter doohickey sucks. It's tough to maintain anything with such limited filtration.
Since covid, spas have become hard to come by with long wait times on delivery. It has made wet testing problematic, but my advice stands. Spend $10k+ on a spa that isn't comfortable for you, and you'll be wishing you had found a way to test it. Maybe the dealer knows someone who might let you come try theirs?
Since covid, spas have become hard to come by with long wait times on delivery. It has made wet testing problematic, but my advice stands. Spend $10k+ on a spa that isn't comfortable for you, and you'll be wishing you had found a way to test it. Maybe the dealer knows someone who might let you come try theirs?
We are a pool forum that occasionally discusses spas on the side. Stand alone spas get dumped every 6 months and rarely achieve metal levels over the threshold from frog type systems.
Ozone and UV can also be far more worthwhile than they are for residential pools. They serve a purpose in small (spas) and large (commercial pools) but most of our discussions are for the medium.
So if we haven't said it recently, we are thankful for your professional experience when we are in your wheelhouse and out of ours.
Most of us, because we are already familiar with it, just choose to apply TPFC but with tablespoons instead of gallons.
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Hi 
, I'm a new spa owner this year. It took about a year to get my spa from order to delivery. I deeply considered a hot springs, however the dealer wouldn't allow a wet test. I ended up getting a Marquis and we love it! The dealer can make or break the experience.
Mine has Frog system and ozone. I have given up using the frog system already because the first cartridge only lasted 2 weeks. We are in it 5 times per week. I had to deal with cloudy water because the frog system was already out and 2 weeks + $35-40 per month to use it. Now I put in about 3 oz of 12.5% bleach after every use and just make sure we have chlorine in it at all times. Super easy if you make it part of your daily or every other day routine. Also cleaning the filters about every 3 weeks.
I'm still undecided what i'll do on long trips away (1-2 weeks). Likely just throw in the frog cartridge, in-line. The ozonator makes it hard to keep chlorine up over extended periods of time so I could also unplug the ozonator and raise to SLAM level. SLAM when i get back.
My advice is to do what RDspaguy says, wet test, buy high quality. It's a major purchase so be sure it's the one you want.
, I'm a new spa owner this year. It took about a year to get my spa from order to delivery. I deeply considered a hot springs, however the dealer wouldn't allow a wet test. I ended up getting a Marquis and we love it! The dealer can make or break the experience.Mine has Frog system and ozone. I have given up using the frog system already because the first cartridge only lasted 2 weeks. We are in it 5 times per week. I had to deal with cloudy water because the frog system was already out and 2 weeks + $35-40 per month to use it. Now I put in about 3 oz of 12.5% bleach after every use and just make sure we have chlorine in it at all times. Super easy if you make it part of your daily or every other day routine. Also cleaning the filters about every 3 weeks.
I'm still undecided what i'll do on long trips away (1-2 weeks). Likely just throw in the frog cartridge, in-line. The ozonator makes it hard to keep chlorine up over extended periods of time so I could also unplug the ozonator and raise to SLAM level. SLAM when i get back.
My advice is to do what RDspaguy says, wet test, buy high quality. It's a major purchase so be sure it's the one you want.
Two things
1) Wet test. You say you want a lounger. Some people like them. Maybe people I have talked to (myself included) do not like them. I thought they would be awesome. Then you try one. First it takes up a LOT of space in the tub (maybe you are ok with that). Two, if you like jets, jets and loungers really do not mix. If you run them with any sort of force, they tend to float you out of the lounger. Just try one to see if you like it before you get one.
2) Dog? Did I read you want your DOG in the hot tub? No, no, no a million times no. Dog in a pool, OK - maybe. Dog in a hot tub no. A hot tub is many many times smaller than a pool. Two people and dog in my 334 gallon tub is comparable to 34 people and 17 dogs in my 27' ABG pool. You should be showering before entering your hot tub, but at the very least should make sure you are not a sweaty dirty mess. Putting a dog in a hot tub is going to make that hot tub incredible dirty and unsanitary in not time. Plus, I really don't see it being at all pleasant for the dog.
1) Wet test. You say you want a lounger. Some people like them. Maybe people I have talked to (myself included) do not like them. I thought they would be awesome. Then you try one. First it takes up a LOT of space in the tub (maybe you are ok with that). Two, if you like jets, jets and loungers really do not mix. If you run them with any sort of force, they tend to float you out of the lounger. Just try one to see if you like it before you get one.
2) Dog? Did I read you want your DOG in the hot tub? No, no, no a million times no. Dog in a pool, OK - maybe. Dog in a hot tub no. A hot tub is many many times smaller than a pool. Two people and dog in my 334 gallon tub is comparable to 34 people and 17 dogs in my 27' ABG pool. You should be showering before entering your hot tub, but at the very least should make sure you are not a sweaty dirty mess. Putting a dog in a hot tub is going to make that hot tub incredible dirty and unsanitary in not time. Plus, I really don't see it being at all pleasant for the dog.
1) I almost put a deposit down (refundable) on a hot tub site unseen as there are not many to try here. Then after reading these posts I thought I best. And to also see if I or my husband fit a lounger. Good point about the jets.
2)
34 people and 17 dogs - I'm going to turn down the heat in the summer time for humans to enjoy. If I don't keep my dogs inside they will jump in the hot tub. I originally looked into (and researched this site) an inground pool for us and the dogs to enjoy but the cost prohibited me from doing so. So, the dog have their own little pools. Speaking of turning down the heat in a hot tub - do any special hot tub chemicals need high heat to be effective?
What made you decide to get a Marquis?Hi
Mine has Frog system and ozone. I have given up using the frog system already because the first cartridge only lasted 2 weeks. We are in it 5 times per week. I had to deal with cloudy water because the frog system was already out and 2 weeks + $35-40 per month to use it. Now I put in about 3 oz of 12.5% bleach after every use and just make sure we have chlorine in it at all times. Super easy if you make it part of your daily or every other day routine. Also cleaning the filters about every 3 weeks.
I'm still undecided what i'll do on long trips away (1-2 weeks). Likely just throw in the frog cartridge, in-line. The ozonator makes it hard to keep chlorine up over extended periods of time so I could also unplug the ozonator and raise to SLAM level. SLAM when i get back.
My advice is to do what RDspaguy says, wet test, buy high quality. It's a major purchase so be sure it's the one you want.
Originally, mineral purifiers (nature2, spa frog) were cartridges that went inside your filter and lasted 3-4 months, which is the recommended water change. So new water, new mineral stick. You added sanitizer separately in whatever manner you chose. This is the one I use.
They later developed a combination system With a chlorine or bromine cartridge and a mineral cartridge in a floater or installed inline in the plumbing. I do not recommend these, any more than I recommend a floater with tablets.
Now they have a "smartchlor" system using something akin to toilet bowl cleaner according to @JoyfulNoise, which I also do not recommend.
And they have recently been approved for zero chlorine/bromine systems with the use of MPS residual. I also do not recommend that.
So when I say "mineral system", I mean ionized silver, not all the extras. You add chlorine by hand or with an automated feeder with an orp probe. Not a timer, or variable speed injection pump, but a SENSOR that measures chlorine and adds it as needed.
The part of your frog system running out is the sanitizer cartridge. The minerals (metals) do not rapidly dissipate from the water, and are mostly still present when you drain it.
Trying to maintain a chlorine residual at all times when using a 24/7 ozone injection system is a battle, since ozone depletes fc. A manufacturer putting a chlorine feeder and an ozone generator in the same spa is ticking off selling points to appeal to the uninformed.
Ozone by itself can not handle the contaminant level that bathers bring to the spa because it only treats a portion of the water at a time then returns that clean water to the dirty tub. By sanitizing with chlorine after use you eliminate the contaminants brought in by the bathers , and the ozone then eliminates the combined chlorine created by that chlorine reacting with those contaminants. In a closed spa, very little if any new contaminants can enter the water, so a high residual is not needed to maintain (not create) clean water.
If leaving for weeks on end, I would shock before leaving then shock before use when you get home.
A non-24/7, timer controlled ozone system is only as effective as you make it by running filter cycles, as that is the only time it is on. These it's best to pretend they aren't even there.
They made my short list, I wet tested one of their Vortex tubs and then the Epic which is 6 seats, 390 gallons. Fits our goal of family time, or socialize with 1 or 2 other couples. We also ended up getting the microsilk feature which sounds like a gimmick. However, we love it. my wife's skin has dramatically improved. I have no idea though no real control here.
I generally love the tub, installed in Jan. I like Marquis' approach on having relaxing or intense modes for each seat. I like how each seat targets different spots. And the lounger is not really a lounger, but adirondack chair-like. And the white water jet is intense and deeply works my legs.
On my Bullfrog, the FrogSpa is two separate cartridges. They clip next to the filter cartridges inside the filter compartment, not inline. One cartridge is toilet bowl cleaner, and the other is "minerals". The "sanitizer" cartridge lasts about a month, and the minerals about 3 month. I don't use any of them. However, I guess somebody could just use the mineral cartridge if they wanted (if the are even sold separately - I don't know) if they wanted minerals for some reason.
They could, and I'm not sure if they sell them individually in that type either. The old style cartridge, or "stick" as they are sometimes called, can be used in any spa.
The Frog system is a nice idea. Getting to the holy grail of hot tub maintenance. It falls short. I see it as insurance in some cases.
You can buy the mineral cartridge separately. It's not cheap though, about $35.
I went and sat in a few hot tubs (Dry) and some seats were too low for me! And some lounge chairs were not comfortable. The sales person told me from her experience which ones I'd float out of. They have two I can wet test but are not any I would want. Thank you for the advice!