Arctic Spas onzen salt system

[RedALE]

Hello,

My husband and I have been looking into Arctic Spas and Beachcomber hot tubs. We're intrigued by Arctic's onzen salt system but are struggling to find much info about it other than Arctic's website. Does anyone have any experience with that system? If so, would you recommend it? Does it help decrease the amount of chemicals needed? I guess you could say I'm a bit scent sensitive so am looking for the option that is the least chemical smelling - if that's even possible!

Thanks in advance!

[Tman122]

Hello,

My husband and I have been looking into Arctic Spas and Beachcomber hot tubs. We're intrigued by Arctic's onzen salt system but are struggling to find much info about it other than Arctic's website. Does anyone have any experience with that system? If so, would you recommend it? Does it help decrease the amount of chemicals needed? I guess you could say I'm a bit scent sensitive so am looking for the option that is the least chemical smelling - if that's even possible!

Thanks in advance!

Salt is used to create chlorine. Using a automated system to chlorinate your tub is easier but not necessarily less.

That does not mean Arctic isn't a good tub. I like Beach also.

[wmccall]

Hello,

My husband and I have been looking into Arctic Spas and Beachcomber hot tubs. We're intrigued by Arctic's onzen salt system but are struggling to find much info about it other than Arctic's website. Does anyone have any experience with that system? If so, would you recommend it? Does it help decrease the amount of chemicals needed? I guess you could say I'm a bit scent sensitive so am looking for the option that is the least chemical smelling - if that's even possible!

Thanks in advance!

Salt is used to create chlorine. Using a automated system to chlorinate your tub is easier but not necessarily less.

That does not mean Arctic isn't a good tub. I like Beach also.

Welcome to the forum. I can't speak to this particular system, but most tubs use dichlor or Bromide.  Some people are sensitive to one or the other and use one of them.  Its is just the chemical smell you are worried about, you can use regular chlorine with out having that.  I have a regular routine of adding the dicholr after we are done soaking and the sanitizer level is just about down to zero when we use the tub at night.

[RedALE]

Thank you both for your input-it's very helpful!

[bud16415]

Most people new to hot tubs base a lot of what they think about sanitization on tubs and pools they have been in mostly at resorts, hotels or clubs etc.

One misconception is the chlorine smell thing. Public tubs always have a strong smell and they are most likely loaded up pretty good with chlorine many times more than you need at home. But that strong unpleasant chlorine smell isn’t the active chlorine it is rather the smell of chloramines (combined chlorine) or used up chlorine. When chlorine combines and burns up all the organic stuff (trying to not be gross) that comes off and out of our bodies in the tub. The chlorine is used up and clings to the oily gunk it makes and smells bad and somewhat like chlorine smells. It stays in the water until the filter takes it out and you clean your filter to be done with it in your tub. Shocking gives this process a boast when it gets out of hand.

Clean water with a small amount of chlorine say 5PPM is a fresh smelling water.

Salt as mentioned above is just a different way of getting chlorine into the water by making it out of the salt in the water. It is a very nice process and delivers pure chlorine and delivers it slowly rather than all at once like manually dosing. There is another factor to a salt water tub though. In a salt tub the water is not like the ocean water people think of. The salt level is very low about the same as a tear drop. That small amount of salt gives the water a very smooth and soothing feel you don’t get with regular water alone.

Hard to describe but something you will notice when wet testing.   

[duncang92]

My gf and I bought a used Arctic Spa salt water hot tub and we love it.

It's very easy to look after with no smell and leaves your skin feeling good.

This is our first hot tub. We have friends who have non-salt hot tubs and always hear them speaking of trying to get the chemicals balanced .... we've never had that issue.

Duncan

[Hot Tub Guru]

I'm an Arctic Spa dealer since 1999.  I have sensitive skin I can't sit in a bromine spa.  I have a salt system on my tub.  It doesn't smell.  Yes a bromine tub will smell less then a rec center tub.  Yes you will use less chemicals.  I never sell this as it will pay for it self because you use less chemicals.  There will be a payback but it's going to be at least 5 years down the road.  I sell it as its softer on your skin.  It doesn't smell at all.  I have two spas in my showroom with salt and they are open all day.  People love that we can keep the cover off and have zero smell. 

[RedALE]

Many thanks for your input and advice especially Bud 16415 with the detailed information re the sanitization. After much research we have purchased an Arctic tub with the Spa Boy/salt system. Now to prep for the delivery. I really appreciate your help in educating us and look forward to enjoying our new tub.

[bud16415]

Many thanks for your input and advice especially Bud 16415 with the detailed information re the sanitization. After much research we have purchased an Arctic tub with the Spa Boy/salt system. Now to prep for the delivery. I really appreciate your help in educating us and look forward to enjoying our new tub.

Glad we can help and if you could please stay engaged with the forum as you get used to your new tub and its salt processing chlorine system.

I think you are going to be really happy and glad we all could be of some help.

The only negative I have read about with salt is some of the costs to maintain the salt converting cell. That system where the cell has to be replaced every couple years for a fair amount of cost is something some don’t like. The system I hear complaints about is not the one from your manufacture though.

I have a friend that converted his tub to salt and used a aftermarket salt generator that is user friendly to service and not built into the tub. He’s had it for several years and I just love the way his water feels and smells. My intention is to switch to salt and one of these aftermarket deals myself come spring. I have no issues with using dichlor as I do now I’m mainly going to do it for the salt feel.

Good luck I bet you are excited. There are always little issues that will come up with new owners. Just know they always work out with a little practice.   

[Hot Tub Guru]

Many thanks for your input and advice especially Bud 16415 with the detailed information re the sanitization. After much research we have purchased an Arctic tub with the Spa Boy/salt system. Now to prep for the delivery. I really appreciate your help in educating us and look forward to enjoying our new tub.

Glad we could get you into Hot Water!!  Enjoy your spa!!!

[RedALE]

Thanks bud16415 and Hot Tub Guru! I will certainly keep in touch to let you now how the salt goes. It'll likely be a few weeks before we're prepared for the delivery but definitely excited!

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I don't have direct experience with Onzen, but I do sell a lot of salt systems and it really enhances the spa experience imo and I know our customer base would agree...as mentioned above you'll do fewer water changes, the water will have a "softer" feel to it overall as well as less residue on the skin after you are done soaking.  You'll also avoid heavy "chemical spikes" you get with traditional floaters/adding granular powder etc. because salt systems operate more consistently than manual dosing.  We've sold so many more tubs to people who thought they would never ever want to own one due to chemical sensitivity and/or the hassle of using some plastic floater/expensive proprietary replacement cartridges/etc.  Good Luck!

[RedALE]

Thanks for the info BullFrogSpasMN, great to hear! We're looking forward to the enhanced spa experience.