Just purchased a Bullfrog A7

[dporter22]

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.

[holleigh]

CONGRATULATIONS!  Hijacking for a moment...
We are possibly going to purchase an A7 or A8 today.

Did you get the ozonoator and what did you pay?

I am anxious to see answers to your other questions.
We always used chlorine in our old tub btw, which had a wood frame that eventually rotted.

Husband says circulation pump is very efficient and our slab is about 1/2 inch off total.

[dporter22]

Yes, I got a mahogany/platinum A7 with ozonator, delivery, setup, cover, lift, steps, 1 yr of chemicals, and two booster cushions for $9950 plus tax.  You never really know for sure, but based on what I've seen it seemed to be the going price or slightly less.

Scheduled to arrive in 2 weeks, but don't know what to do about the slope in the patio.

[dporter22]

Sorry if this is a repeat.  I responded several hours ago but it hasn't shown up and I don't know how long it's supposed to take. 

I got an ozonator, cover, lift, steps, delivery/setup, and 1 year of chemicals for $9950 plus tax.  The price seemed comparable to what I've seen on various forums.

Still researching what to do about about the patio slope.  Looks like the Level-R is the simplest solution, but expensive.

[Hottubguy]

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.

1 inch isn't too bad 2 inches might be noticeable at the waterline. Have the dealer check it out

You want to make the water a little bit harder. Somewhere in the 100 ppm to 150 ppm range

There are lots of opinions on circ pumps. Proponents will say they keep the water clearer and work better with ozone as the ozone will be constantly introduced to the water. They are also quieter to run then the main jet pump. Opponents of them will say that a jet pump running 4 hours per day will turnover mote water then a circ pump running 24/7. I've found that usually they are the first thing that needs to be replaced on hot tubs. I think they have pros and cons. Depending on cost (couple hundred bucks or less) it's prob worth it. Anything more then that and I would skip it.

They both work. Chlorine is easier to control because it can be measured. It's very effective. Bromine is also effective but comes in a tablet form and can ge tough to regulate. In marquis spas (brand I sell) I have the customer use the spa frog system. It's a bromine/mineral system. It works great. My other customers I usually have them use dichlor chlorine. Both systems if done correctly work fine

[Hopvader]

dporter2. In what city did you purchase your 2015 Bullfrog A7 @ $9,950 ? The best price I have been quoted at a Austin, TX dealer is $10,881. I am visiting the dealer Wednesday and doing the wet test.

[dporter22]

$10,800 is right around the lowest price I've seen on various forums.  A few months ago they had them at Costco for even less, but I was still doing research at the time and didn't know I would choose a Bullfrog.

I think I was able to get mine for a little less because it's near the end of the month, they had a sale, and they were able to offer a military discount.

I'd be interested to know what you think after your wet test.  The only negatives I found with the A7 were that the footwell is not very deep, which for a taller person makes it less comfortable, and the two side seats are more upright than I would prefer.

[dporter22]

Dealer advised that circulation pumps reduce the amount of filtration during the main pump filtration cycle, and that the lifespan of the ozone generator is decreased when it is on continuously with the circulation pump.  Not sure if this is true with any other brands, but I decided not to have one installed on my Bullfrog based on his advice.

[sksmoker]

I relaid my patio blocks for a 3/4" drop for where the hot tub was going to go. That is over 92". I have a covana as well and it didn't affect anything so far, just the water line is over the lights on one end and under the lights at the other. It has to shed water when it rains or else I would have had a real mess if it was perfectly flat.

Basically what my installer told me was you don't want to put a bunch of constant water weight on one end of the tub for no reason as it may stress the frame and shell. If   it was 3 or 4", probably not good but my installer had no issue with even up to an inch of drop over 92".

[Sam]

Congrats on your purchase!  You picked a good one 

I would agree with the post above that said 1" isn't too bad, but 2" may be.  You will definitely notice it at the water line.  The spa level-r is a option.  Another is to build a box and fill it with crushed rock.  You can level the rock pretty easy.  I've also seen people just build a platform barely off the ground, like a mini-deck.

Good luck!

[dporter22]

Does anyone have information or experience on why you can't use soft water to fill?

[Hopvader]

dporter22, Wednesday, I purchased a Bullfrog A7 for the same reasons you did. My package was spa, cover, lift WellSpring Ozone, and bromine feeder for $ $10,767. Deliver in approximately 3 weeks with no charge to haul off my 15 year old Hot Springs Grande. Good surprise was the dealer told me that about 85% of his tub sales qualify for (Texas) sales tax exemption with proper documentation, which is 8.25% or $888. I called my cardiologist and he agreed to write a prescription. Bad news was that Hot Springs uses a 30 and 50 amp circuit, 10 gauge wire, which I had the builder put in 15 years ago. Bullfrog and almost everyone else requires a 50 amp circuit with 6 gauge wire. It will cost $900 to have a electrican re-pull the new circuit the 100'. During the wet test, it was harder than I imagined to choose the 5 jetpacks out of the possible 15 available. It helps that this dealer will allow you to swap out one jetpack within 30 days. Enjoy!

[Hopvader]

Sorry , i meant to say the 15 year old rotted Hot Springs uses a 20 and 30 amp circuit.

[dporter22]

Cool, sounds like we'll both get ours around the same time Hopvader.  That tax exemption is a great benefit.

Were you able to wet test the A7, and if so, what did you think about the foot space?

I picked the Wellness, Neck Masseuse, Pulsator, Fibrotherapy, and Acutherapy.  Which jetpacks did you prefer?

[Hopvader]

dporter22. Before wet testing we were going to order a A7L, but the lounger took up to much space. Jetpaks : Pulsator, Alleviate, Gyrossage, Oscillator, and NeckMasseuse( might change out in 30 days to Wellness, due to noise and water splashing). Colors; Interior mirage, Exterior driftwood.