blog.Spa-Mart.com

Happy Mothers Day to you moms out there! Since we didn’t get you a card, here’s a coupon instead. Use WELOVEMOM to receive 10% off any order today (up to a maximum $20 savings). Even if you’re not a mom and just shopping for one, tell her you care with some great spa and hot tub supplies!

We’re pretty big football fans here at America’s SPA-MART. (Go Bengals!) To celebrate, our customers can use coupon code 2008DRAFT to receive $10 off any order over $100. Even if your team doesn’t get the player you want, you can save on spa supplies to ease the disappointment.

Offer ends 4/28/08.

As we’ve looked at different products to sell here at America’s SPA-MART, one thing that caught our eye was the difference between non-chlorine shock agents.  All of them are made with DuPont Oxone, which is potassium monopersulfate.  However, some are 100% MPS and others like Leisure Time Renew have some buffers and stabilizers built in.  The obvious question is, Why?

Apparently MPS has a tendency to drop the water’s pH in a spa or hot tub.  Leisure Time, as well as Zodiac with their Cense shock product, adds buffers to the mixture so this doesn’t happen.  This does make the shock agent more expensive and a bit less effective per ounce.

After review, our recommendation is that you should definitely use the buffered shock agents Renew or Cense if you typically have low pH in your spa.  However, if you’re pH runs high or in normal range, you could probably save some money by going with a 100% MPS like Spa Choice Re-Energize or GLB Oxy-Brite.

Here in Ohio, we were buried with snow.  I think we ended up with about 18″.  Well, after two days in the forties the snow is almost gone.  I just wonder how many spa covers this storm claimed.  For anyone who is looking for a new cover, use coupon code 18INCHESOFSNOW for a $20 discount through the end of March 2008.

For a limited time at America’s SPA-MART, save 10% off Unicel filters when you purchase two or more.  You can mix and match sizes too!  No coupon is needed as the savings will automatically be calculated when you checkout.  Your savings will show up as Multiple Item Discount.

Unicel premium spa filters lead the industry in quality which means you can use them longer.  A dirty filter is horrible for your spa as it can lead to mechanical issues with your spa from the strain on waterflow.  If you’re spa has ever given you the FLO error code, it’s probably telling you to clean your filter.  Filters typically last about a year and then need to be replaced.  Don’t skimp on quality; get the best you can by purchasing a new Unicel filter cartridge from America’s SPA-MART.  Your spa will thank you.

Okay, I know we sell this stuff, but we can also be truly impressed when a great product comes down the pipeline.  This was definitely the case when I and my America’s SPA-MART staff layed our eyes on the TruTest Reader from AquaChek.  We all hailed test strips when they appeared on the market to replace the old OTO/Phenol liquid test kits.  In my humble opinion, this reader will have the same effect.

For a mere $50, pool and spa owners can now use a mini-computer to analyze their water’s pH, alkanility and free available chlorine.  Bromine users can use it too by multiplying the free chlorine number by 2.2 to get their reading.  Why only $50?  Because once you buy the unit, your testing cost is the same as if you bought the standard testing strips.  AquaChek has decided to not gouge their customers on the special test strips required for this reader.  You can still pick up 50 strips for around $10, which is what most test strips are selling for these days.  At times, we see a company bring out a great unique product only to charge way too much for it.  I applaud AquaChek for keeping this new innovative tool for water testing affordable.

WHAT IS IT:  AquaChek TruTest Reader for Pools and Spas

STREET PRICE:  Around $50 for the unit and 25 strips.  Replacement strips are $10 for 50.

WHERE TO BUY:  America’s SPA-MART, of course.  Click here to view the TruTest Reader

PROS:  It reads the test strip for you, taking the guesswork out of water testing.  Replacement strips are the same price as normal chlorine/bromine test strips.  At $50, it’s affordable for what you get.

CONS:  Only works with chlorine and bromine sanitation systems.

For more information, check out the AquaChek TruTest website at http://www.aquachek.com/trutest/.

As my online store America’s SPA-MART celebrates its first month open, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the overwhelming response from our customers both new and old.  This past month has been great and we look to continue to build on our early success by adding new products that meet our strict guidelines of quality and value.

In case you don’t know, we’ve been getting into the Grand Opening spirit by offering some money-saving coupon deals through the end of May 2007.  We have three promotions going on right now.  To use each offer, you enter the coupon code during the checkout process.

To save $20 off any total purchase over $150, enter GRANDOPENING into the coupon code field during checkout.  We are offering all Covermate-brand spa cover lifters at 10% off our everyday low prices when you use the coupon code COVERMATE.  And finally, you can save 10% off of any Leisure Time spa water care product by entering LEISURETIME into the coupon field.

Welcome to In Hot H2O, the personal ravings and rantings of me, Sir Spa.   As proprietor for the new online spa superstore America’s SPA-MART, I am currently hard at work dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s getting ready for its launch in the near future.

Once SPA-MART goes live, I’ll be back to introduce you to the news and my views, of course, in the wonderful world of spas and hot tubs.

Check back for my next entry.