New Buyer, about a year out

[tnlandsailor]

I'm starting my search now and have learned the following things from this forum and elsewhere. Tell me if I'm on the right path.

1. The major manufacturers all make a great tub. Jacuzzi, Hot Springs, Bull Frog, Marquis, Artesian, etc.
The terrible reviews and complaints may seem voluminous on any particular brand but that is usually because a bad experience is more likely to get a mention than a good one. There are always complaints, but in general, the major brands are good quality.

2. Tub maintenance is a given.
Mechanical stuff breaks and wears out. How often and how severe is multifaceted and a guess at best. Put aside some money every month and designate it for the tub and it will be there when something breaks.

3. Select the dealer with care.
When stuff breaks, you need someone you can count on, make sure you can trust your dealer. I'm leaning toward the Artesian spa brand because the Hot Springs and Bullfrog rep in my area is a douchebag (I know him personally) and I would have to deal with him if I picked either of those. I haven't visited the Artesian place yet so we will see how that goes.

4. Do the wet test.
This actually creeps me out, but if it's important to the selection process, I'm willing.

5. Water chemistry and care is very important, make sure you understand it and make sure your spa is set up to yield success in this area.
I have a lot to learn here but I think I can figure this out. I plan to pick out the right features on the tub to make this as straightforward as possible.

6. Be prepared to wait.
I plan to order early since the delivery times these days are months long according to a lot of posts I have read. Not sure what the forecast is for the next 12 months.

If the above are all valid, then selecting the specific model and features is purely preference based and I can figure that out as I go along. I really appreciate the expertise in this forum. If you have stuff to correct or add to the general list above, please do so. These things are expensive and I want to do this right.

[HoW2001]

Bought my first this past February, just arrived a couple weeks ago.  Your list looks right to me, but I'd add "wet test" may be in impossibility in current times; it certainly was for me.  Being my first tub and me not being incredibly picky (and not interested in a lounge, which seems to be a particular item to be sure if as part of the wet test), I can't say not having one was a real issue.  The tub I have is the most comfortable one for me that I've ever owned, since there's nothing I can compare it to. 

Water chemistry has turned out to be much more difficult for me than expected.  Took me forever to drag TA and PH levels up to acceptable ranges (based on the mostly useless, I'm told, test strips) and once I finally did, within a few days my water went totally cloudy, which I've been unable to resolve.  Totally frustrating.

Definitely be prepared to wait, and don't count on the initial delivery estimate being accurate.  I ordered in February, my deliver estimate was mid-March, after one delay it arrived in mid July, and honestly I feel like I got pretty lucky with that timing in retrospect. 

[Spatech_tuo]

You have a good handle on the situation but regarding #4, if you do NOT wet test then I think you'd be wise to go with a spa that does NOT have a lounge since they take up a great deal of space so if you're not using that seat its dead space. Its a crapshoot on how well that lounge will work for you if you don't test unless of course you oversize the spa to your needs to teh point you'll have plenty of space but IMO if in doubt go lounge-less!

[cranbiz]

I would say you have it covered. If you can't wet test, at least try to dry sit in one or one with similar features. My tub has a lounger, what has been said is accurate but if it's comfortable dry, it can be made to work when wet. You might need a bit of additional weight to offset your buoyancy. I do tend to float a bit out of any seat in my tub and in the others that I was able to wet test, had the same experience. I had to learn to live with this and I have.

I bought my Artesian in January, it arrived in May but it was actually an unsold tub from an August 2020 stocking order. So far, maintenance has been a breeze. I had the tub up and balanced within a few hours (tub uses the Frog@ease system) and I negotiated a years worth of supplies as part of my deal. I did dump the test strips and went with a Taylor test kit which is more accurate, making it far easier to correctly adjust. I also dumped the MPS given to me by the dealer for shock and went to Dichlor, which helps sanitize, keeping the water clear and helps extend the life of the SmartChlor cartridge. The tub itself, is working flawlessly. (granted, I have only had it 3 months but it gets used 5-6 days a week) The two small issues I had (needing a different cover lifter than ordered and an air bound pump) were promptly addressed by my dealer. I had a new lifter the same day (dealer is 90 miles away) and the service tech made a return call to me within 5 minutes of my call and walked me thru the process to bleed the pump and also texted me after to make sure it was fixed. He also had a tentative service call set up for the next day if I couldn't get it fixed.

A good dealer will enhance your experience and a bad dealer is just a nightmare.

[HoW2001]

the process to bleed the pump .

lol, uh oh, is this something i should have done, or only if you are having some issue?

[cranbiz]

the process to bleed the pump .

lol, uh oh, is this something i should have done, or only if you are having some issue?

Only if you have issues. No need to if everything works correctly.

I filled mine thru the filter opening as recommended by many people but forgot to move the hose to the other filter opening (I have one filter for each pump). Therefore, pump 1 was fine but pump 2 got air bound and wasn't moving water.

[tnlandsailor]

Thanks for the feedback. Let's pretend I'm looking at a 5-6 person tub so that I can get 4 seats with "real" jets in them. What's the general opinion on multiple pumps vs. size of the tub? Does it matter as long as a single pump is large enough, or do multiple pumps have advantages?

[cranbiz]

Technically, the Artesian Island Nevis (the tub I bought) is a 5-6 person tub. The Artesian Island Antigua is the same tub but a bit larger footprint.

5 people in my tub will get jets for all but will by a bit tight on space, 5 people in an Antigua will be a bit better simply because it's 6" wider in one direction. The step has no jets and is considered the cool down seat so it's technically a 6 person tub. No way I can put 6 adults in mine ( I'm not that friendly nor will the tub will overflow with 6 adults in it when filled to the height in the manual. I doubt you can put 6 adults in the Antigua but being larger in footprint, you just might be able to. So, I can easily fit 4 in my 5-6 person tub. I have 4 seats, 2 are captains chairs (one with neck jets) 2 are higher seats with decent jetting, one is the lounge and then the unjetted cool down seat/steps.

I had a size limitation which is why I chose the Nevis 78"x84" over the Antigua 84"x84". The Nevis fit thru the opening, the Antigua would not. The Captiva is the same 84"x84" foot print with 2 additional captains chair in exchange for the lounger.

I like having multiple pumps. If it's just me in the tub, I leave pump 2 off unless I want the foot blaster on, then I sit in the seat serviced by the foot blaster, turn on pump 2 and turn pump 1 off. I like having a circulation pump also. It lets the tub keep at temp without using either main pump.

[tnlandsailor]

I'm really only wanting 4 adults at a time (1 or 2 the majority of the time), I just want each of those 4 spots to have real jets in them. I will probably pass on the lounger. I was looking at the 748B in the South Sea line.

[CanadianSpaTech]

Minimum 2 pumps is best. Most single pump spas will be under powered and usually you will have to divert the pump pressure to one area/seat to get any enjoyment and the other seats be dammed. A 7' spa with a lounger will really only seat 3 adults comfortably. 1 person in the lounger and one in each corner seats. Yes there are 2-3 other seats but you will have to squeeze another person in and the foot well will be real touchy feely. Without the lounge you can have one person in each corner and yes it will be touchy feely but not as bad. Don't buy a spa because you might have friends over. Buy based on your needs and make do with the rare occasion friends show up. If you are the party hub and will have a heavy bather loads get an 8' spa. IMO bigger is better and if you have the space and can swing the budget I will recommend an 8' spa every time. Just so nice to have the extra space.

[cranbiz]

The 748B would certainly do the job. It's a good quality tub.

I don't personally like is the foot dome. I found them to be in the way, and takes away from foot space however, the additional jetting in it can be really soothing on the feet.. I also prefer a dedicated circulation pump instead of using pump 1 at low speed for heating and circulation. Again, these are strictly my opinions, you can and will have different feelings and may absolutely love the foot dome.

I would have loved to take the advice of my friend from the frozen north and get an 8' tub for the inside space, it's great advice. Unfortunately, size, not funding was my constraint.

[Spatech_tuo]

Minimum 2 pumps is best. Most single pump spas will be under powered and usually you will have to divert the pump pressure to one area/seat to get any enjoyment and the other seats be dammed. A 7' spa with a lounger will really only seat 3 adults comfortably. 1 person in the lounger and one in each corner seats. Yes there are 2-3 other seats but you will have to squeeze another person in and the foot well will be real touchy feely. Without the lounge you can have one person in each corner and yes it will be touchy feely but not as bad. Don't buy a spa because you might have friends over. Buy based on your needs and make do with the rare occasion friends show up. If you are the party hub and will have a heavy bather loads get an 8' spa. IMO bigger is better and if you have the space and can swing the budget I will recommend an 8' spa every time. Just so nice to have the extra space.

Great advice.

It is FAR FAR more common for a spa owner to wish he had gone with a larger spa than it is to hear an owner wishing he had gone smaller.

[HoW2001]

the process to bleed the pump .

lol, uh oh, is this something i should have done, or only if you are having some issue?

Only if you have issues. No need to if everything works correctly.

I filled mine thru the filter opening as recommended by many people but forgot to move the hose to the other filter opening (I have one filter for each pump). Therefore, pump 1 was fine but pump 2 got air bound and wasn't moving water.

hmm i filled only through one pump opening too.  is it obvious if only one pump is working? (sorry for the mini-threadjack!)

[cranbiz]

the process to bleed the pump .

lol, uh oh, is this something i should have done, or only if you are having some issue?

Only if you have issues. No need to if everything works correctly.

I filled mine thru the filter opening as recommended by many people but forgot to move the hose to the other filter opening (I have one filter for each pump). Therefore, pump 1 was fine but pump 2 got air bound and wasn't moving water.

hmm i filled only through one pump opening too.  is it obvious if only one pump is working? (sorry for the mini-threadjack!)

In my case it was. Circulation pump was moving water, Jets connected to pump 1 were moving water, jets connected to pump 2 were not. If all your jets are moving water, you are fine.

[tnlandsailor]

The tub is really just for 2 people, but maybe 2 or 3 times a year, another couple might hop in. Even though I might have room for an 8 footer, not sure if the size is warranted for that seldom occasion.