Ginny, I have recently invested in an Aquatic Airjet Serenity 2, but it is not yet installed. The most that I can personally tell you is that my contractor guys sat it out on the patio to test it for leaks, and we all stood around smiling watching the 'effervescent bubbles' fizz. It passed the leak test and "it works!" test with flying colors. I took pictures ... it was a milestone in my remodel... something worked! Just kidding. :) I will tell you what the friend who recommended Aquatic to me said however. She loves it. Said the bubbles sensation from an Airjet are amazing, very relaxing. I have heard that the blower on an Aquatic is fairly quiet; that the water bubbling makes a greater sound than the blower. Also the '600 Watt Air Heating System' that comes with the product insures that you feel only WARM air entering the tub. Someone who has another product posted that the air entering her tub was cold and she would have preferred not feeling that sensation. However, important to me was not having to be concerned about bacteria from water circulating through the tubes that sometimes occurs with a hydro jetted tub. Although there are cleansing tablets that you can use to clean a jetted tub, I did not want to have to remember to do that. Airjets only use a blower to blow air into the tub, causing the "champagne bubbles" and then after use, a blower comes on to 'dry out' the system. In your case, you would like a hydro-massage, as well. I have heard only good reports about Aquatic, which is why I puchased, and the Infinity Series offers both. I don't think the cleansing issue is a big deal for conscientious people, I just don't want to be conscientious anymore. :) In another month, I hope to be able to give you a personal recommendation. In the meantime, Ted at the link below (Olde Tyme Hardware) is very knowlegeable about Aquatic and other brands. He has very good pricing, as well. Best of Luck.

I'd like to invite you to check out Zero Bull Jetted Tub Cleaner. I’m a co-founder of Zero-Bull.com. We make powerful, safe, all-natural replacements for common, dangerous chemicals. We’ve taken a successful industrial cleaner used by Kellogg’s, Carnival, Craft, and U.S Navy and repackaged it for household bathtub use. Pages like this often recommend DIY solutions using bleach, vinegar, or products that use “quat” like Oh Yuck. We have a lot of research on these chemicals as cleaning solutions. The consensus is that bleach and quat are extremely dangerous, and vinegar is mildly effective. Here’s a brief explanation about why bleach, vinegar and quat are not great solutions for jetted tubs: Bleach: when bleach is added to a tub of hot water, the chemical aerosolizes, filling the room with the noxious chemical known to cause asthma, lung damage, and rashes. Also, the corrosiveness of bleach will damage a jetted tub system over time. Vinegar: household vinegar has a pH of about three. Vinegar by itself won’t actually clean out the jets—it’s better at cleaning mineral deposits but can’t cut and remove gunk saturated in biomaterial oil deposits. Quat: Like Bleach, quaternary ammonium compound is known to cause asthma, lung damage, and skin irritation. Quat poses a “high health risk” and “moderate flammability” on the HMIS scale. Oh Yuk is a popular jetted tub cleaner that contains quat. Jetted Tub Cleaner - LInk! Please send your feedback, we love seeing reviews, especially the nasty photos!

For a jetted tub used as a shower, it has to have an integral tile flange. That allows the wall cladding to overhang and any water that hits the wall to not go behind your walls. There aren't that many in that size that are inexpensive. It will need a specialized drain, and, if you want to spend any time in the tub, a supplemental heater so the water doesn't cool off so fast. Since it's a tub/shower, the wall cladding will need to be redone to be waterproof into the tub. It's possible, if the build is recent, and it was done with the proper vapor barrier behind it, that only one row of the tile would need to be pulled in order to replace the tub. But, I wouldn't count on that. I'd count on having to replace all of the wall cladding in the alcove. That can be as cheap as a plastic surround for around $100 or cheap tile with the proper vapor barrier for probably $150 or so. The first is the easiest and the least chance of leaking. The second will read as more upscale, but you have to be sure your contractor understands about the vapor barrier and correct materials to use to tile this (NOT mastic.) And since you have that torn out, it would be foolish to try to keep your current control valves for the bath unless they are also very new. New safety standards are in place for anti scald mechanisms. So, you will need a new shower/bath faucet and valve. Then you will need the electrical line run from the panel to the location for the whirlpool pump and supplemental heater. That location is usually opposite the drain side of the tub. You will need to be able to site an access panel that is removable to be able to get to the electrical innards here. That can be from an adjacent room, or from a hidden panel on the tub itself. All in all, you might be able to get all of the needed materials for 2-3K if you shop the box stores carefully and find some bargains. The danger to that is that if you are inexperienced, you don't know if you're buying quality or crap. They sell both. And that's one reason that it would be simpler to let the pro pick the products after you tell him the features that you want. Then you've got to pay the contractor labor to install all of that. The electrician's price will depend on how difficult it will be to access the panel and run the wire to the location. For that, it's a really good thing you are on a crawlspace! That makes it cheaper for both the electrician and the plumber. On the whole, I'd expect your project to cost between 5-7K, depending on location, and if you have no DIY skills to bring to the table and have to hire professionals for the whole job. And be sure that you hire someone that is licensed and insured to be in your home, and will pull the proper permits to get the job inspected with your code office. Some handyman guy isn't licensed to do electrical of that nature, and while he might be able to do the demo and get the tub in place and glue on the plastic surround, it's unlikely that he'll have the right insurance to deal with a large job like that, and thus probably wont' want to pull permits and be inspected. They are usually limited to smaller jobs like simple fixture replacements like a faucet or light. Which this isn't. Just remember, you are doing a project that combines electricity and water. You really have to know what you're doing here! A small General Contractor should be able to do the complete job, and also carry the needed papers. And he should have no problem with the code guys coming in to inspect his work either. If he does, then he's not the right person for the job.

I have a large 2 person jacuzzi 6 foot tub. It is the bellavista. It has 8 jets and an in-line heater. The heater is a must as the water stays nice and hot. I love the big tub and am planning on getting a maax kashmir freestanding tub for my new home. It has air & jets. The new tubs have the drains for the jets at an angle so they drain better. That was the problem with most of the bacteria build up. My tub is about 5 years old. I also have an outdoor hot tub that I can't live without. I have chronic pain and they both do wonders for my health. I highly recommend them both. I know that the big tubs take up a lot of room in a bathroom, but it all comes down to want you want. It is a choice that I have been very happy with.