Brand Specific Forums > Bullfrog Spas
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:
--- Quote from: dporter22 on March 28, 2015, 11:48:04 pm ---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.
--- End quote ---
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
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