Need advice on emptying tub.

[bobhol]

I use my pool vac hose with the vac head on it to drain and vacuum the bottom of the spa. First I place the hose over an active jet and as the tub siphons ,I turn off the tub,slip the vac head on and drain the tub in about 30 minutes as I vacuum the bottom .All but an inch or so of water will drain,so a bailer or shop vac is needed .Works great for me.....bobhol

[Brewman]

A cheap and suprisingly effective bailer can be made by cutting the bottom off of a bleach bottle, leaving the cap on the other end.  
Brewman

[Backpains]

I am not familiar with your tub but why do you need a bucket, is there no floor drain.  If not how much water can still be left that you would care about it before filling it back up, I mean 1 gallon or so against 399 gallons fresh shouldn't make much difference should it???

Ray

Ray;

I'm very very picky about clean fresh water..I want almost every ounce of water out of the tub before I refill it. BUT......I can't get it all out and it leaves a little of the cleaner that I use on the bottom of the tub...this bothers me..I like it to be clean and ready to refill. If I'm wrong in being through in my cleaning efforts then I'm wrong

[orlandoguy]

I bought the battery operated pump from Spa Depot and it claims to drain fast, but I won't know for a few months when I need to drain again.

I got nervous about the hot water and chemicals hurting my St Augustine sod so i ran the hose to the street the first time but found the seats filled with water the first time.

[drewstar]

Ray;

I'm very very picky about clean fresh water..I want almost every ounce of water out of the tub before I refill it. BUT......I can't get it all out and it leaves a little of the cleaner that I use on the bottom of the tub...this bothers me..I like it to be clean and ready to refill. If I'm wrong in being through in my cleaning efforts then I'm wrong

If your tub doesn't have a floor drain,  most pool supply places sell what they call a "Cover pump". I haven't used this type, but It's like the small electric pumps we've talked about here, but the have an attachment that lets them sit flat on a surface and allows you drain down  almost completely. Any remaining water could be wiped up with a towel.

[Backpains]

If your tub doesn't have a floor drain,  most pool supply places sell what they call a "Cover pump". I haven't used this type, but It's like the small electric pumps we've talked about here, but the have an attachment that lets them sit flat on a surface and allows you drain down  almost completely. Any remaining water could be wiped up with a towel.

Drew where would I find one of these? Hubby and I discussed getting a sump pump for this winter seems right now at this point and time it's been every 3 weeks on the drain.

[drewstar]

I've seen them at pool supply  stores, you may even find one home depot.   I am sure your spa dealer might know.

It's a small submersuble pump with the intake on the bottom so it drains that extra inch out.  The ones on the net sell for about $129.

http://www.marine.com/product_info.php/products_id/2321


Honestly? I use a small electric pony pump (see one of my previous posts) that gets all the water out except for about the last 2.5 inches.  I bail the rest out with a cup. takes about 10 minutes to bail the remaining water out.

I think I might try syphoning it out with a large diameter sump pump hose as another poster recomeded. Seemed pretty quick.