Other Options?

[jcisbig]

Hey All,

New to the forum here, but looks like a nice spot to ask questions!  My wife and I are looking to buy a hot tub.  We researched a few different brands at a fair that was here in town a few months ago and were most impressed with Sundance Spas.  We liked the fact that there were no chemicals involved in the day-to-day use of the spa and that we would be sitting in "pure" water all the time.  We also liked that the spas pushed water through their system and didn't just blow air.  They did seem quite pricey though!

Anyway, my question is this: Are there other manufacturers that offer good quality and are chemical-less spas?  The chemical free experience is really what boosted Sundance over the other brands we looked at.  What say you all?

Thanks!

[Spatech_tuo]

Hey All,

New to the forum here, but looks like a nice spot to ask questions!  My wife and I are looking to buy a hot tub.  We researched a few different brands at a fair that was here in town a few months ago and were most impressed with Sundance Spas.  We liked the fact that there were no chemicals involved in the day-to-day use of the spa and that we would be sitting in "pure" water all the time.  We also liked that the spas pushed water through their system and didn't just blow air.  They did seem quite pricey though!

Anyway, my question is this: Are there other manufacturers that offer good quality and are chemical-less spas?  The chemical free experience is really what boosted Sundance over the other brands we looked at.  What say you all?

Thanks!

The whole "chemical free" thing is salesmanship. Every brand requires the same water care. Do not buy any brand due to the sales guy promising you that you'll sit in water as clean as mountain spring water or whatever else you were told.

One more thing, spa shopping at a fair is great because you can see multiple brands all at once but make sure you visit the local showroom so you can see their regular operation and if its someone selling at a fair that has no local presence I'd look elsewhere. If possible I'd always recommend you buying from someone who is pretty close by. How close is largely based on how rural of an area you live in but I’d want someone within 40 miles of me personally but I’d stretch that out if I really had faith in the dealer or if I lived in an area where you travel far for most things.

Make no mistake; the brand you looked at is a good brand but there is nothing about it that makes it "chemical free" no matter what they promise. Visit their local showroom when you’re ready to look closer but I’d also see who else is close by (every legit spa manufacturer has a dealer locator so you can what local choices you have) as its always best to comparison shop.

[Tman122]

Hey All,

New to the forum here, but looks like a nice spot to ask questions!  My wife and I are looking to buy a hot tub.  We researched a few different brands at a fair that was here in town a few months ago and were most impressed with Sundance Spas.  We liked the fact that there were no chemicals involved in the day-to-day use of the spa and that we would be sitting in "pure" water all the time.  We also liked that the spas pushed water through their system and didn't just blow air.  They did seem quite pricey though!

Anyway, my question is this: Are there other manufacturers that offer good quality and are chemical-less spas?  The chemical free experience is really what boosted Sundance over the other brands we looked at.  What say you all?

Thanks!

No matter what you were told the only chemical less spa is a dirty one.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

just to follow what everyone else has mentioned.."chemical free" and/or "pure water" does not exist...the only way to maintain "safe water" in a spa as approved by the EPA is: chlorine, bromine, baqua, silver ion + shock...anything else is a salesperson attempting to circumvent saying those exact words.  I'm not saying the "all in one" or the "pure" forms don't work, but in the end you'll end up using one or a combination of the methods listed above to go along with your "chemical free" system.

You also said "pricey" well what are you comparing it too? can't imagine walking into a BMW dealer and then after the fact saying geez these are pricey...you get what you pay for in a spa just like any other item you buy

[jcisbig]

Thanks for the info guys.  My understanding was that Sundance hot tubs needed to be filled up with "clean" water and after that there was a filter system that took care of all the "cleaning" of the water.  The sales guy didn't mention any chemicals that needed to be added or balanced or anything.  Can anyone shed some light on this?  Perhaps this kind of thing is standard practice these days with most spas?  I really don't know, so any help or info is appreciated!

[Chas]

As was posted above, you will need to add something to your spa to sanitize.

If you purchase a tub with an ozone system, you can slip a Silver Ion cartridge (a mineral purifier) into the filter or other place on the tub, and then add a non-chlorine shock once a week. Some folks add the shock in smaller amounts every time they use the spa instead. It's not a burden: it is odor-free and does it's job and leaves in minutes. That would be "soaking chlorine free," but you WILL have to back the system up with a chlorine shock once a month.

You will also need to 'balance' the water. That means adding something as common as baking soda to counteract the acidity which may be present in your tap water. Once the water is balanced, you may not have to do much to keep it there. Or, you may have to tweak it just a bit every couple of weeks.

Those are the basic rules, and no manufacturer has gotten around them yet. If they include a better/stronger ozone system, you can use less chlorine on the monthly shock, and you can use less of the oxidizer/shock weekly. If you don't have ozone, you simply add a bit of chlorine every time you exit the spa. It becomes very easy as time goes by, and most people who own these things think that the care is a breeze after a few months.

Don't panic about chlorine: it is not the big nasty thing many of my customers think it is as they are shopping. We have all had bad experiences in public pools and spas, but this is NOT a public spa we are talking about. The same rules do not apply: you can run your spa with just the right amount of chlorine to keep it sparkling clean and fresh-smelling without the huge chlorine gas cloud you choked on at the Holiday Inn.



HTH

 

[wmccall]

Don't get us wrong, Sundance is recognized as a good brand, but this salesperson is a bit suspect.  All tubs move water and filter it, they don't just blow air.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

Thanks for the info guys.  My understanding was that Sundance hot tubs needed to be filled up with "clean" water and after that there was a filter system that took care of all the "cleaning" of the water.  The sales guy didn't mention any chemicals that needed to be added or balanced or anything.  Can anyone shed some light on this?  Perhaps this kind of thing is standard practice these days with most spas?  I really don't know, so any help or info is appreciated!

absolutely not standard practice...the salesman is going down a dangerous path by not telling you the proper way to maintain a spa....if you don't balance and sanitize your water properly you or your family members could end up in the hospital with any number of various skin conditions that can be caused from water that is not sanitized, I would find a new, knowledgeable salesman

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Sounds like one of the spa slingers that work the fairs.  The local Sundance dealer brings this one in that does that very thing.  He also tells people that Jacuzzi is built totally different than Sundance from the frame to the components even the warranty.   He's a douche!

[Spatech_tuo]

I'd be somewhat skeptical of what a fair sales guy will say because sometimes they're just hired guns who'll say what’s needed to make the sale knowing they'll be in the next town by the time the spa gets delivered. That’s why the next step after looking at the fair should always be to go check out the local showrooms and talk to the people who work for that brick and mortar establishment. Its not that the local sales guys are immune to hyperbole and salesmanship but they tend to be more knowledgeable and straight with you because they know you'll see them again.

[Flyonthewall]

sounds like he is touting the clear ray uv system that sundance is pushing.  of course you guys are right about what it takes to maintain a tub (as in, more than that).  they may come up with an all encompassing system some day, but this isn't it imo.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

sounds like he is touting the clear ray uv system that sundance is pushing.  of course you guys are right about what it takes to maintain a tub (as in, more than that).  they may come up with an all encompassing system some day, but this isn't it imo.

  Even with ClearRay Jacuzzi and Sundance are saying you need to use a sanitizer with it..  He's winging it on his own and it's just an accident waiting to happen when the customer comes in with the "ITCH"

[Chas]

For years I have been saying that with the "Freshwater III Ozone System," which is standard equipment on Highlife Series tubs from HotSpring Portable Spas, and an option on Limelight Series tubs, you can add a Nature2 cartridge and soak chlorine free. But I always quickly add that you will have some chlorine in your life: you will want to shock with it once a month or when you have a group in your tub. I have had some of my customers hear something else: they thought I said no chlorine, ever. They sometimes even miss the part at the start-up when I tell them to add MPS after every use (Or shock with it once a week - seems to work just as well).

There is so much information floating around during the spa-shopping process, and I wasn't there, so I would say it's possible the salesman is pushing the limits of truth a bit, but it's also possible that we only heard what we wanted to hear. It happens to me - it can happen to anyone. But please - don't go without some form of halogen: Dichlor is my first recommendation.

HTH

 

[Spatech_tuo]

sounds like he is touting the clear ray uv system that sundance is pushing.  of course you guys are right about what it takes to maintain a tub (as in, more than that).  they may come up with an all encompassing system some day, but this isn't it imo.

UV systems are hardly new and require sanitizing just like anything else. I originally assumed the person was using salesmanship but maybe he just doesn't know what he's saying but wither way its flawed.