My budget hot tub

[mark 2550]

I recently purchsed this used hot tub made by (blue ridge) a division of of jacuzzi I believe, for $600.00 it is approx. 9 years old with a little work everything is up and runinng my total cost including wiring, staining of wood , repairs to a cracked manifold, 4 months worth of chemicals, new filters,etc. is $850.00 so if it last a year or 2 I will be a happy camper or a happy hot soaker, have been in it for the past 6 days every evening and so far all is good. hope these pictures come out. the last 2 pictures were before staining and I have resolved the foaming issues water is crystal clear the past few days. Still need to finish painting the lower wood and staining the top ledge of the tub will get-r-done pronto.







the pictures come through.

[countryboy]

what did you use for stain?

[Zep]

wow.....looks nice and you got away with highway robbery!

soaking for less than a grand?......Yeee Haw!

how did you find the tub?

thanks for sharing.

[mark 2550]

My wife did the staining I think she used (mini wax) brand sedona red or something to that order.

I had been looking on craigslist, local paper but a guy at work new someone selling this paticular tub that had been stored for the past 2 years in his garage just wanting to get it out of there, they had moved and had no where to set it up at the new house, the skirting had been all removed except for a couple pieces so I had to do a little work to get it back in shape.

[Richs100]

Mark:

GREAT JOB!
I think you should get the "Biggest Bang for a Buck" Award this year!

Now, get out there and rake up those leaves.  
Waddayadoin? Just sittin' round the house while there's work to do?
Get on that!  

Rich

[mark 2550]

Rich, I live in a neighborhood that has nothing but oak trees and other varieties but no we haven't just been sitting around the house more like sitting in the tub soaking and goofing off, it is almost next to impossible to keep up with them leaves in the fall.

[WannaSoakNow]

You did a GREAT job...and a real deal!!! Happy soakin'  

[Spiderman]

Looks great!  I have one question though, where is the I.C.B.M. button on the "Command Center"      

[mark 2550]

Sorry no cruise missle here unless I read your post wrong please inform.

[mark 2550]

I know it's late but just came in from from about a 45 minute soak at a 103 degees WOW time to go to bed tonight.

[Renee]

Wow...you scored the deal of the century...Looks great!  
How did you get your foaming issues resolved?  I'm still trying to master that.  My water is crystal clear, but when the jets come on, it looks like a bubble bath....
Happy soaking!
--renee

[mark 2550]

(rnblase) What I did was to solve the foaming issue and I'm sure it depends on what your using for chemicals, but in my situation was I turned the pumps on and used a screen scoop and got rid of most of the foam then I re-shocked the tub, corrected ph I'm using a system called (EZ om spa kit ) it was around $70.00 for a 4 month supply don't now if ot's the best system but the local dealer who sold me the parts to help repair this spa recommended it and until he steers me wrong I'm going with his recommendations I'm totally new to this but so far so good and he also told me not micro-manage my chemicals. hope this will be helpful,oh by the way I also explained to the wife not wash the bathing suits in washing detergent everytime this can cause a foaming issue just like in our bath-tub if you add soap to the water you get foam galore.

[mark 2550]

(RNBLASE) you can also use a chemical to make the foam go away if all of your other attempts fail, it's a de-foamer it takes very little to control your foaming issues until you get it under control.

[Renee]

Mark 2550
Thanks for the info on the foam issue.  We have been using the de-foamer...I've actually mixed it 1/2 & 1/2 in a spray bottle as someone else suggested.  It does solve the problem while we're in the tub soaking, but the foam is back next time we turn the jets on.  We also don't wash our suits with soap.  I want to try rinsing my filters to see if that helps....that's the next step on my list to try!
Hope you guys are enjoying your hot tub as much as we enjoy ours....
--renee

[Tyheethan]

Congrats on the nice tub for a swinging deal.

The scooping/scraping of foam, misting the de-foamer on foam during use, and the thorough rinsing of the filters seems to work every time for me.  Also, no washing of suits or just plain no suits helps prevent the foam.  I also had to educate my daughters about not dunking their heads under the water.  Way too many foam creating chemicals in a 13 year old girls hair!