24 hour circulation pump: is this a must hav

[solo]

It seems that the spas that have a 24 hour circulation pump tend to put me above my price point ($7000).  Would you consider getting one that does not have this feature?

Why or why not?  

[tony]

It seems that the spas that have a 24 hour circulation pump tend to put me above my price point ($7000).  Would you consider getting one that does not have this feature?

Why or why not?  

There are many ways to filter water in a spa.  Many have circ pumps, some don't.  Both ways work.  On top of that there are low flow circ pumps and high flow circ pumps.  Spas have been around longer than circ pumps with fine results.  It is not a necessity.

[D.P. Roberts]

 On top of that there are low flow circ pumps and high flow circ pumps.  

Low flow? I don't like the sound of that!

[Spiderman]

There are several Hot Spring and Tiger River spas below your top price.  Both have 24 hr circulation pumps.  I personally don't care for tubs that use a 2 speed pump to handle circulation duties.

[Steve]

I too find tubs with PROPER circ pumps (not fish pond pumps) to have far more value to the end user. They filter more maintaining better water quality, are far more quiet and extend the life of the jets pumps as they don't need to be turning on and off throughout the day.

That said, I would think there are still spas offering this feature within your price range as the added cost of the circ pumps alone would not be significant.

Yes, both systems work fine but you will be happier with a circ pump if you can find one in your price range.

Steve

[Jacuzzi Jim]

You should check out the Jacuzzi J-280 non lounge or the J-270 with lounge we sell it with circ just below 6400 with out 6100.00

 Circ pump is optional.

[MarKee]

I can't speak for other brands, but I know the Marquis system which doesn't use a circulation pump will typically filter more than most spas with a circulation pump.  For instance:


Marquis - 80 gallons per minute x 60 minutes in an hour x 5 hours of filtration per day (factory default setting) = 24,000 gallons filtered per day

HotSpring - 5 gallons per minute (MAX) x 60 minutes in an hour x  24 hours of filtration per day = 7,200 gallons per day



When you look at these two spas filtering, you will see surface water movement throughout the entire spa on the Marquis, but very little surface movement on the HotSpring.

[Steve]

I can't speak for other brands, but I know the Marquis system which doesn't use a circulation pump will typically filter more than most spas with a circulation pump.  For instance:


Marquis - 80 gallons per minute x 60 minutes in an hour x 5 hours of filtration per day (factory default setting) = 24,000 gallons filtered per day

HotSpring - 5 gallons per minute (MAX) x 60 minutes in an hour x  24 hours of filtration per day = 7,200 gallons per day



When you look at these two spas filtering, you will see surface water movement throughout the entire spa on the Marquis, but very little surface movement on the HotSpring.

The "fish pump" circ on HS (and others) is nearly useless IMO but Beachcomber uses a 56 frame circ that draws .6amps and filters 42,000 gallons of water a day. Still one of the best filtrations out there as far as I'm concerned.

I hear Marquis might be going back to a circ...  

Steve

[D.P. Roberts]

Here's a thought: now that Ozone is one of the primary sanitizers in today's hot tubs, the ideal pump is one that puts as much ozone as possible into the water, without ozone escaping into the air and eating your spa pillows (if you have them).

Energy, as we're now discovering, is not cheap. So, for filtering purposes, the best pump is one that gets the water CLEAN in the most efficient manner. Why pay to turn over the water more times than you have to?

So, it would seem that the "ideal" pump - circulation or otherwise - is not the one that runs for the longest amount of time, or filters the most amount of water. It's the one that results in water that looks sparkling and is clean within user-measurable parameters for the cheapest amount of electricity.

[Steve]

I mostly agree with ya. The inception of circ pumps were designed to offer the bathers maximum filtration/circulation (which is a good thing and you can't have too much) while operating at the same or less cost than the conventional method of running cycles with the larger (and more power hungry) jet pumps. It's a wonderful thing!

Where I differ in opinion is that ozone does not need to be introduced into the water 24 hours a day in order to be effective. In fact, it's a waste at that level and extremely hard on jets, pillows, humans, the cover, etc. I also dissagree that ozone is considered a "primary sanitizer". It certainly AIDES with chlorine or bromine (which IMO are the primary sanitzers) and can extend the life of these products but it is still an assistant to them with unproven results in just how much it does assist.

Picking peanuts outa sh*t I know....  

Steve

[Vanguard]

The "fish pump" circ on HS (and others) is nearly useless IMO but Beachcomber uses a 56 frame circ that draws .6amps and filters 42,000 gallons of water a day. Still one of the best filtrations out there as far as I'm concerned.

I hear Marquis might be going back to a circ...  

Steve

I find my circ pump to be quite useful.  I never have cloudy water, the spa is always hot and I use very little electricity.  At some point, the law of diminishing returns applies to filtered water in a spa.  Not that there is anything wrong with filtering 42,000 gallons a day, I just find it to be overkill.  I find that the so called "fish pump" on the HSS filters quite efficiently and keeps my spa beautiful.

In the end, both Marquis and HSS keep their water clean and clear and ready for the user to enjoy their spa.

[D.P. Roberts]

I mostly agree with ya.... Where I differ in opinion is that ozone does not need to be introduced into the water 24 hours a day in order to be effective. In fact, it's a waste at that level and extremely hard on jets, pillows, humans, the cover, etc.
Steve

I agree with you - that's what I was attempting to say. There should be enough ozone in the water to sanitize it, but not so much that it eats pillows and such. And, AFAIK there's no standard for hot tubs as to the proper application of ozone, so who knows whether 24 hours is enough or too much, and how much depends on each manufacturer's method of introducing ozone to the water. And yes, chlorine and/or bromine are the primary sanitzers, but I think most people would want to use more ozone and minimize chlorine use.

In my humble opinion, many manufacturers produce great, safe, effective hot tubs that will clean the water and offer good therapy. However, that sort of thinking does not jive with some sales presentations (i.e. my way is good, and everything else is crud). I think if hot tub salespeople were first and foremost concerned with making sure customers understood the importance of buying a quality hot tub, the buying public would be better informed, and as a whole more likely to keep me in business.

For example, I sell books for a living. I think it's important to have good bookstores out there, both as an employee and a shopper. If, for example, I worked for Borders, & I couldn't fill a customer's needs, I would much rather send someone to Barnes & Noble than to a web site or Wal-Mart. Sure, I may lose a sale, but I'm losing it A) a company I may want to shop at, and B) a company that may employ me in the future. Unlike Wal-Mart.

[loosenupspas]

In over 20 yrs., Coleman Spas have never used a cir pump.......I have had no problems with water clarity.  Clearness of water is a function of proper sized filter for the gallons of the tub and numbers of times the water courses through the filter daily.  At the end of the day, how many times has that water gone through the filter will determine water clarity.  Is the filter clean too is important.    It is a fairly simple formula but let your spa sales person explain it to you.  Checking of course if they even understand it.  In and of itself a cir pump is a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment, by itself it shouldn't push a price too much higher than a none cir pump model.    Good Luck....trust but verify....Tom

[Repeat_Offender]

Really is tough to make an argument against the circulator pump, whether it be a cartidge type or close coupled type. Why run a 2-5 hp pump to do the work a fractional horsepower pump does easily and more quietly?
Educate the consumer about how their hot tub functions and what each component does instead of endless pontification about why manufacturer A is better than manufacturer B. Saves a lot of money in Kool-aide too.

[hottubdan]

Solo--

Here is a thought.  The primary reason you are getting the spa is hydrotherapy.  You like the Moto Massage.  You seem to like the idea of the circ pump.  You kike Nature2.  You have a budget.  The 220v Sovereign is too much money.

Consider the Jetsetter.  The only drawback from the original description of what you are looking for is size.  However, you say the main reason you are getting it is hydrotherapy.  While many people don't regret getting bigger spas, many others report a smaller one would be just fine.

The Jetsetter is one of our biggest sellers.