ACE™ salt water sanitizing system - Hot Spring Spas

While the rest of the spa universe is reeling from the economic recession and struggling just to survive, for the past four and a half years Hot Spring Spas has been testing the industry's most advanced water care system for spas ever developed. The Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System is the first and only integrated salt water system for spas that uses "Diamond Technology"!




This is absolutely cutting edge, state of the art, none better, but most of all.......really really cool. This thing makes it's own readable, testable sanitizers. It makes water chemistry fun. It makes spa water clean in a natural way. No acidic stabilizing agents that give chlorine it's strong chemical smell. You easily manage settings through your spa's main control panel. The system tells you when it to check and test, once every 30 days.

I can't keep my hands off of the spa we have on our floor with Ace. I keep testing and touching the water. My strip reads 5 ppm (parts per million) chlorine. But the water smells fresh. I know if I had that level of chlorine from a granular source, my eyes and nose would be stinging from the chemical. These natural sanitizers are so much milder to the senses. And I love using the integrated control to test and display the salt levels. The salt level bar with its line level indicator.........on the main control display!! Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System makes maintaining your spa easy and fun!!

More on Ace

The Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System is one of Hot Spring Spa's best selling options.  Over half of my customers have opted to include this state of the art water purification system on their new Hot Spring Spas.  Many have had similar questions about the system.  This article will address some of those common concerns. 

                                                                             

The Ace System generates a bundle of five, natural, sanitizers from salt and water.  It is integrated into the spa control system and uses a diamond generating cell.  It is the only water care system for a spa that uses this diamond technology.  These five natural sanitizers are Active Oxygen, Chlorine, Ozone, Hydrogen Peroxide, and (when pH down is present in the water) Mono per Sulfate. Conventional, granular sanitizers are loaded with acidic stabilizers.  These acid stabilizers are necessary to produce a granular product.  The side effect is that they give the products their chemical odor, and can dry on your skin leaving it itching or irritated.  Sanitizers produced by the Ace Salt Water System do not have any acid characteristics.  They feel and smell clean, natural, better than their conventional counterparts.

Some common questions and my responses include :

1. Does that mean I don't have to do anything to my spa water with the Ace System?  No.  The system does require initial balancing and setup.  However, after an initial set up period, the Ace system will allow the spa to sanitize itself and be hands free for up to 30 days.

2.  Does the Ace System completely eliminate all conventional bottled chemicals?  No, pH will need to be adjusted.  Granular Chlorine is added to shock the water every 30 days.  Also on start up, with a fresh batch of water, it can take up to three days for the Ace System to generate proper Chlorine levels.  If the spa is used right away, GLB Granular will need to be added.  In fact, our Ace chemical package includes a complete set of conventional chemicals to be used if necessary.

3.  Will the Ace System save money? Yes probably.  You will use less conventional chemical, but will have the cost of salt, replacing the generating cell every 3 years, and you will need a Vanishing Act Calcium reducer when ever spa water is changed.  But Ace is about more than just saving money.  It is about clean, natural, organic sanitizers that greatly improve your spa experience. 

4.  Can I go longer in between water changes with the Ace System?  Yes.  Hot Spring says you will be able to go 6 months or longer before needing to drain and refill your spa.

5.  Can I install an Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System on any spa?  No.  Ace is designed and integrated into 2010 and newer Hot Spring Spas and Limelight Spas.

                                                                                     

6.  What's the difference between the Ace Salt Water System and the salt systems I've seen on other spas?  Ace is the only Salt Water System that uses diamonds as part of the generating cell.  This allows the system to work with lower salt levels.  The Vanishing Act Calcium reducer, part of the Ace system, softens the water leaving it silky and smooth.  Other spas use salt systems originally designed for swimming pools.  These systems work great in cooler pool temperature water, but have corrosion and scaling issues in hot water.

Only Hot Spring has the Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System.  It uses proprietary technology that is simply not available on any other spa product.  It was tested in multiple locations throughout the country for 3 years before Hot Spring sold a single system.  It is reliable, state of the art and simply the best spa water care system in the world.

    

No Bypass, 100% filtration.

      I thought a few words about filtration might be appropriate. Hot Spring was the first spa manufacturer to incorporate no bypass, 100% water filtration into their spas. Every Hot Spring Spa includes this feature.  It means that when you're using a Hot Spring Spa,  the water stays cleaner.
     To understand water filtration, lets start with some basics. Filtering water means pumping it through a media that allows the water to flow, but stops solids or particles and traps them in the media. The filter media is then cleaned periodically. Swimming pools use sand or diatomaceous earth filters. These filter media are inexpensive and easy to clean. A swimming pool filter is backwashed to clean the media. Back washing is simply running water backwards through the filter and then out of the system. It usually removes a couple hundred gallons of water from the pool which is insignificant when your pool holds tens of thousands of gallons of water.  Auto fill valves or a garden hose replaces the water.

      Spas don't use sand or d. e. filters because they need to backwash to be cleaned.  Dumping "hot" water on the ground is very energy wasteful and expensive.  Spas use cartridge filters to remove solids from the water.  These cartridges are easy to clean and replace.  Almost all spas use these types of cartridges.  Most spa manufacturers use a filter with a bypass in their spas so they can accommodate large volumes of moving water when the jets are running.  This means when you're sitting in the tub with the jets on, most of the water being pumped against your body is not filtered.  Manufacturers do this to save money.  They can filter the water adequately with only one filter cartridge.  Usually a 2 speed pump is used, with the low speed for filtration.  Low speed will run for several hours everyday keeping the water clean.

      Hot Spring uses as many as five filters in their spas.  They do this to filter the water better.  Each jet pump uses two filter cartridges, the silent flo circulation pump uses one.  Every drop of water that circulates in a Hot Spring spa is filtered.  This means that while you sit in a Hot Spring Spa the water is cleaner than that of a spa using bypass filtration with only one cartridge.  You can see the difference if you wet test in our showrooms.  We have as many as 6 wet spas in our showrooms and some have conventional bypass spa filtration.  I have seen customers sit in various spas in a wet test situation.  They usually spend time in different spas, trying the different models and features.  When they're finished, the water in the spas with standard bypass filtration has a more clouded look.  The Hot Spring Spas are cleaner, the water is clear and sparkling.  The spas with standard bypass filtration have the pump running on low speed after each use and will be clear after a period of time.  But Hot Spring just does it better.

Ace Cell Cleaning Procedure

The Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System from Hot Spring Spas has a simple cleaning procedure that should be proformed when necessary.

The Colorado Life Style

My wife and I just got back from a few days in the mountains.  It was the kind of trip many Coloradoans make.  Whether it's camping, or a B & B, or a remote family property,  we love to head to the hills.  After all, those hills are the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Rocky Mountains!  When we get there we go hiking, strolling, biking, climbing, hunting, fishing.........endless options.  One option many enjoy are the thermal hot springs found all over the state.

 

                                                                                                      
Mineral hot springs are geothermal features that many resorts have been built around.  Glenwood Springs for example, has two huge pools fed by a natural hot spring.  There are many natural hot springs in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Around the world, for thousands of years and in many different cultures, soaking in hot water has been enjoyed by many.

It's one of the common threads we all share.  It's one of the pleasures of being human. If you're a human being, it feels GREAT to soak in hot water when your body is aching. If you live in Colorado, where people have so many options for fitness and recreation, one may find oneself overdoing it a bit.  And that  was my situation returning from our mountain get away.  We had spent a few days with a canoe on a gorgeous, pristine mountain lake.  Purple mountain majesties towering above us.  We were out twice the first day, then 3 times the next.  Even past dark to watch a nearly full moon rise on the lake.  While being novice canoers we over did it.  Sore is a mild way to put it.

                                                                                                                 

When finally home we indulged ourselves in a mind blowing, pain relieving soak in our spa that made our Colorado getaway perfect.  A spa in our back yard is like having access to a hot spring resort 24/7, all year long.  We love it!!  After all, we're only human.

Beware the Pack

In the hot tub world there is one leader.  One manufacturer that is head and shoulders above the rest.  Watkins Manufacturing is the worlds oldest, largest and leading spa maker.  Watkins makes Hot Spring Spas, Caldera, Limelight, and Hot Spot Spas.  Watkins is a  MASCO company.   http://www.masco.com/  MASCO includes Behr Paint, Delta Faucet and 3 dozen other home improvement companies.  Watkins is the only spa manufacturer that is part of a publicly traded, fortune 500 company.  This makes them not only the strongest, most financially stable company, but also the spa maker with the most resources. 

Watkins employs engineers and designers, while having access to those from other MASCO divisions.  It has the financial strength  to do the research and development necessary to be the industry leader.    Watkins newest innovation, the Ace Salt Water Sanitizing System was in Beta testing for three years.  In many different locations through out the country.   

The second tier has several spa makers like Sundance, Jacuzzi, and Dimension One.  These are good spas, not the equal of Hot Spring, but good.  These spa makers have UL listed products.  They have some level of engineering and do some research and development, as well as testing.  They have national dealer networks and are generally good companies. 

The Pack is all the other spa makers.  Many have products that are not UL listed.  Some are small assemblers that purchase spa shells and equipment from bigger spa makers and then build their products using equipment they did not manufacture.  Most of the pack has no engineering departments at all.  Research and development is nonexistent.  They buy products from original equipment makers and put them in their own.  They are the smallest companies, many with fewer than 20 employees.  Some have fewer than five.  They are companies that have the weakest financial foundations.  That means you take the biggest risk when doing business with them.  They have fewer resources to honor warranties and have the most chance of failure.  They are the companies that can close down one day and open the next under a different name.  So beware the pack.

Before you buy a Cal Spa, Watch This!

Nordic Spas, The Industry Leader In Its Class

International Hot Tub Company has been known for 33 years as offering the very best spas from Hot Spring Spas.  But Hot Spring is not the only manufacturer we represent.  In an effort to provide the very best in all price ranges IHT began offering Nordic Spas 5 years ago.  They have been received by our customers with exceptional success.  These spas are great values.  Now IHT has a premium spa in every price range. The Robb Report, internationally-renowned for rating premium products, selected Nordic as one of the five best spas in the world.





Nordic says these spas are "Simple, Therapeutic, Affordable, and Reliable".  They are indeed, exactly that!  Nordic is one of only a very few spa makers that still offer a tradition round hot tub.  This simple design has advantages that many square designs lack.  It is easy to move about the spa with its barrier free bench seating, no lifting your body over an arm rest or bucket seat divider.  This round spa allows for a special whirlpool jet to provide the classic, training room style hydrotherapy.  With the whirlpool jet operating, all the spa's power is directed to this one big jet creating a giant whirlpool.  This is the kind of hydrotherapy that professional athletes have found  gives the most positive results.  Nordic does all this with a very low price tag.  Many models are available at under $5000.00.  Finally, these tubs are very reliable.  We have very few issues with these spas.  That makes our customers and our management very happy.  So, if you're on a budget, but still want a fantastic spa experience, consider our Nordic Spas.  Great spas at great prices, at IHT we have something for everyone.

Kids and Spas

If you have children you know how much they love the water.  As an adult, I can vividly remember family time as a child including water often.  Being older than (dirt, as well as) most of the spa industry, my memories are of vacations and outings.    The seashore or east coast campgrounds with lakes, streams and creeks.  Water always being there to enjoy and play in. 

My kids grew up in Colorado with a spa in their back yard.  When they were small, it was constant!  "Can we take a hot tub?"  They'd spend hours playing, under a watchful eye, in the tub.  We introduced them to our spa as babies.  It was tender and bonding, while giving them confidence and experience with water.  They learned to swim quicker because of their early experiences with the spa.  There was no need to teach them not to be afraid to put their face in the water, they'd learned that years before diving to the very bottom to retrieve their latest favorite toy. 

As parents, we enjoyed our time with and without the kids in the spa.  Family time is important, but so is alone time.  Simply relaxing with the quiet, night sky.  Kids can be stressful.  A spa in your backyard can take care of the whole family, the kids, or sometimes, take care of just you.

Hot Spring Equipment and Serial # Locations

For our new customers, this might be helpful. I show how to access your Hot Spring Spa's equipment compartment, and identify some major components.  I also point our where your spa's serial number is located.

Golden Opportunity 2010 Model BLOWOUT Sale!

If you've ever told yourself "I'm just waiting for the right time", to buy my new spa, well here it is.  The time is now! At IHT we have 40 brand new model 2010 spas that are priced to move.  In fact, we've rolled back prices on these 2010 spas to 2007 price levels.  This is a real sale.  The lowest prices we have ever had on these 2010 spas.  Never will prices be this low again.  Remember, this is a limited time offer.  When they're gone, they're gone.

                                                                                 

You can make this New Year your Best Year ever!  Stop by and visit with me.  I can show you the way a new Hot Spring Spa can improve the quality of your life.  And for less cash than ever.  Value is what it's all about.  The Absolute Best Lifetime Ownership Experience.