Caldera Kauai or Bullfrog R5L

[taigacarol]

Both spas seem great.  One of my biggest questions is - what does the circulation pump buy you?  The Caldera has it, the Bullfrog doesn't.  I am really trying to be as "energy star" friendly as I can with a spa.  Any other insight that anyone has would be great.  Just looking for a small, energy efficient spa to sooth arthritis and an aching shoulder and back.

[ORDucks]

Have you wet tested both? That's the most important part. I have a bullfrog R7L and mine doesn't have a circ pump. You can order bullfrog spas with a circ pump. Anyhow my R7L only added $9 a month to my electric bill.

[taigacarol]

Have you wet tested both? That's the most important part. I have a bullfrog R7L and mine doesn't have a circ pump. You can order bullfrog spas with a circ pump. Anyhow my R7L only added $9 a month to my electric bill.

So I went with the RL5.  What have you used to upkeep the water in your RL7without a circ pump?  It was not an option on the small tub.

[dporter22]

I didn't add the circ pump to my Bullfrog and it has been just fine.  There are lots of threads concerning water maintenance,  but I just made sure to get the TA and pH correct, add some non-chlorine oxidizer after soaking, then add some dichlor every so often as needed.  I have it set to run the filter cycles twice a day for 75 minutes each time. (Are there any Bullfrog owners who have good/bad experiences with shorter filter cycles?)

[taigacarol]

I would be interested as well.  Have you tried shorter cycles or is that what the dealer recommended?

[Sam]

Bullfrog's are pretty darn efficient.  I would run it for 4 hours, twice per day.  I promise that you will not notice the difference in your energy bill.  It's really the heater that uses the most electricity.  Proper circulation is very important.

[dporter22]

The dealer recommended a minimum of 2 cycles per day, 2 hours each cycle.  That's what I started with, but I'm a new owner and kept shortening the time by 15 minutes just to see if it would make a difference in the cost and/or water quality.  The water quality is the same and any cost savings are negligible, so I'm going back to 2 hours each cycle.

[ORDucks]

I run two filter cycles each two hours long, From 9-11. For water care I use the spa frog system and shock once a week. It's been super easy and I love it. 

[taigacarol]

I run two filter cycles each two hours long, From 9-11. For water care I use the spa frog system and shock once a week. It's been super easy and I love it.

What shock have you been using with the Frog?

[ORDucks]

I run two filter cycles each two hours long, From 9-11. For water care I use the spa frog system and shock once a week. It's been super easy and I love it.

What shock have you been using with the Frog?

I use leisure time renew, a non chlorine shock. 

[kingdarb]

I have a Bullfrog R6 and did not get the circulation pump.  Truthfully my dealer talked me out it.  He basically said that the 24 hour circulation pumps are more problematic in terms of breakdowns an maintenance and he said that setting filter cycles on the main pump will move all the water and cover my needs just fine.

I've had the tub up and running for about two months now.  The water has been crystal clear the whole time (except when some buds from a nearby tree ended up in the filters - took me a couple days to figure that out and when I cleaned the filters out the tub returned to perfect). 

I have been using the Sani Marc Pro kit (which is dichlor and a few other things) that my dealer recommended and it has been pretty easy so far.

[kingdarb]

BTW I set the filter cycles for two hours, twice a day (just my wife and I use it and shower before each time).  I don't really notice any difference on my bills.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Honestly unless you and your wife dig ditches for a living, I would skip the pre shower.   Only time I worry about it is if I have been working up a sweat doing yard crap. Or loaded up with sun block.

    My guess is you won't notice  a difference.   I also never understood why people take a shower when they get out of the spa either?

[kingdarb]

Hey Jim - I think she just grabs a pre-shower to get the make-up off and hair product out before it goes into the tub.  I usually shower first if I have been working, as I spend most of my hours at an indoor gun range.  The filtration is very good at work, but I still don't want to bring residual heavy metals into the tub or around my house for that matter.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  I can see that!