Welcome to our forum.
New to the forum, but have been reading over the last several months trying to learn as much as possible. Purchased an A7 today and very much hope I didn't make a mistake (somebody please reassure me!). There are so many opposing opinions here for each brand/model that I found it very frustrating attempting to discern the truth and make a decision.In the end I was swayed by the Bullfrog for five main reasons: made in America, full ABS frame, full ABS pan (even though many of you say wood is just fine, it just seemed wrong to me to have exposed wood sitting outside with water splashing around it), strong warranty with no-questions-asked policy, and the ability to maintain full, individually-adjustable pressure at every seat without diverters reducing the pressure for some seats so others can get full pressure. Also, I think I got a fair price which helped.Even though many of the other brands were nice, none of them had that combination of features. One dealer even told me that "you don't really want full pressure at all the seats so it's just a Bullfrog gimmick". Huh? I certainly do want pressure since that's the whole point of getting a tub.Anyway, some dumb questions: 1. Is there an acceptable limit for the surface not being perfectly level? My patio has about a 1 to 2 inch drop in 7 feet. Obviously perfectly level is ideal, but will it negatively affect the tub if it's not? And if so, do you just put something under the low end or does it require drastic measures like pouring a new slab?2. The owner's manual says not to fill the tub with soft water, then it goes on to explain how I'll need to make the water soft if it's too hard. I'm confused. Doesn't soft water help prevent mineral deposits in the plumbing? And what's the difference between starting with soft water or making it soft later?3. Some posts say that a circulation pump is more efficient and keeps the water moving constantly for better heating/sanitizing. Other posts say they don't move enough water and you can only get clean water if it moves through the filters from a main pump several hours a day. I can see the logic in both opinions, but are there any Bullfrog owners or actual spa technicians who can provide real-world advice on whether I should add one or not?4. Very confused about chlorine vs. bromine. Some posts say chlorine is more effective, others says chlorine becomes ineffective at hot tub temperatures. Some say bromine is easier to use or more compatible, others not. Etc., etc. You would think in the chemistry aspect there would be factual information available rather than just opinions.I know these topics have been discussed many times, but any additional answers or advice is appreciated.