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Author: Alan

Bullfrog Spa

Bullfrog Spa

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Our Bullfrog model A7 Spa was delivered this past Thursday. We had ordered it back in June and initial delivery date was October but due to Covid it was delayed until now.

With 5 custom removal JetPacks and 8 total seats, the party house is now complete!

New favorite way to watch sports!
First big challenge

The guys from Southern Leisure Spas got the job done. Watch THIS 45 second video of how they handled this special installation.

Modes of operation:

Away – NO USAGE – Temperature drops 20 degrees from set point at all times. Use when on vacation or plan not to use for at more than 2 weeks

Standard – Beginner – ALWAYS USED – Set temperature maintained at all times (Can use only for on-demand use during the day. Never leave this way)

Energy Saver – EVENINGS, WEEKENDS – Temperature drops 20 degree during the day. Set point maintained evenings and weekends

Super Energy Saver – EVENINGS – Temperature drops 20 degrees during the day. Set point maintained evenings only, every day.

Weekender – WEEKENDS – Temperature drops 20 degrees weekdays. Set point maintained all day on weekend.

Manual

Specs
A7 capacity: 434gal
Dry weight: 661lbs
Filled weight: 5316lbs
Jetpaks: 5
Pumps: 2
Cost: $12 month ($.10/kw/h at 60f ambient, 102 water temp)

Water Replacement
Replace water every 4 months

Cartridge Replacement (Video)
Replace Grey Smartchlor cartridges every 3-4 weeks (setting at 3-4)
Replace Blue Mineral cartridge every 4 months (setting at 4)
Place grey cartridge facing inside of spa

Filter Care
Replace filter every 1-2 years
Clean filter every 3-6 weeks spraying with garden hose
Deep clean by soaking overnight in filter cleaning agent

Adjustments
Alkalinity (80-120):
Add 4tbsp Increaser per 25ppm
To Lower Alkalinity, the two most popular chemicals available to help you lower the Total Alkalinity in your hot tub are muriatic acid and sodium bisulfate (also known as dry acid). After you’ve added muriatic acid, dry acid or another alkalinity decreaser product, be sure to check the pH level in the hot tub, as the pH level may have dropped as well.
PH decreaser will also decrease alkalinity. About three quarters of a cap to 1 capful will bring it up or down by a color block when using the pH increase or decrease. That depends on the size of your hot tub as well but typically that’s a roundabout measurement.
PH (7.2-7.8) 2.5 capfuls == 2tbs
< 7.2 -> 6 tbsp of Increaser
7.2 -> 4 tbsp of Increaser
7.3 -> 2 tbsp of Increaser
7.6-7.8 -> 2 tbsp of Decreaser
7.8-8.0 -> 4 tbsp of Decreaser
8.0-8.4 -> 7.5 tbsp of Decreaser
Calcium Hardness (150-250)
If > 250 drain 6 inches, refill with low-calcium water
If <150 add Calcium Increaser

Shock Oxider – add 3 tbs (capful) weekly, for heavy use apply twice weekly. After this (non-chlorine) shock, wait 10-15 minutes before entering tub. (1oz per 300 gallons. 1 oz = 2 tbls. 434 gallons takes 1.45 oz or 2.9 tbls)

Dealing with Foam in the Spa

What causes foamy Hot Tub Water:

  1. Things such as drinks, soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, makeup, cosmetics, hair products, body lotions or oils, shampoo and conditioners can cause foamy hot tub water.
  2. Bathing suits fresh out of the washing machine and dryer will be loaded with laundry detergents in the material. The best thing to do is just rinse your hot tub bathing suits with fresh water and then let dry. If your brave enough and have your own private backyard oasis, no swimsuit is always an option!

More reading on Spa Care
Swim University

Malva parviflora

Malva parviflora

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Also known as cheeseweed or mallow. The root was a foot deep with horizontal roots 2 feet long!

One species of this family is actually the original ingredient in the making of marshmallows. The plant is considered an invasive weed.

Second cheeseweed I pulled from garden:

Impossible Creatures 2020

Impossible Creatures 2020

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It’s December so time to fire up Impossible Creatures.

This year, I installed the game on my Macbook Pro running VirtualBox.

VirtualBox is free, you can find a WindowsXP .ISO file online, you can probably find IC ISOs of CDs too or if you own the game, on Mac, you can use Disk Utility to create ISOs from them to conveniently use to install IC in the VM created.

Here are the steps:

Install VirtualBox 5.2. This post explains why you should use this version: “To have 3D acceleration in XP you must run 6.0.x or earlier, using the VboxVGA card (note no S). And run the same version of Guest Additions for maximum 3D compatibility. (You might have to go back to 5.2.x)”

You will need to run the installer twice, the first will trigger you to give it permission to install:

-Run VirtualBox
-Select New
-Name the VM WindowsXP
-Select Version Windows XP (32-Bit)
-Select Memory Size of 512
-Create a virtual hard disk (VDI) of 10gig, Dynamically Allocated
-In a terminal window run: vboxmanage modifyvm WindowsXP — vram 256 (2 dashes)
-In VirtualBox, select the WindowsXP VM and select Settings…Display confirming that video memory is 256. Select Enable 3D Acceleration
-Install WindowsXP (link to WindowsXP ISO file found in this help video). Start Windows XP VM, when prompted, click on the folder icon to navigate to the Windows XP ISO file. Select the iso file and hit start to install Windows XP. You will need to hit F8 to accept EUL so you’ll have to go to Mac System Preferences…Keyboard and make sure the FN key will display Numbered Function keys. When prompted to format the virtual hard disk select NTFS file system (Quick). Be sure to select Central Time for time zone. Select No, not on a network, and enter Kleymeyer for WorkGroup. Go ahead and select automatic updates even though there won’t be any coming. Select Yes, computer will connect through local area network or home network. No to registering with Microsoft
-Once WindowsXP is installed, run msconfig from Start…Run…BOOT.INI tab…select /SAFEBOOT MINIMAL and restart Windows.
– After reboot, select VirtualBox menu Devices…Insert Guest Additions CD image…Check Direct3D Support and Install..select Continue Anyway when prompted..select I want to manually reboot later and run msconfig again and turn off SAFEBOOT and back on General Tab select Normal Startup…now reboot
-Select VirtualBox menu Devices…Optical Drives…Choose Disk Image..select ICDisk1.dmg…when prompted for Disk 2, select Devices…Optical Drives…Choose fDisk Image and select IC_Disk2.img and continue IC install. If install seems to hang (Creating icons…) drag install dialog to side and look for ICConfig warning message about DirectX…dismiss this if found and continue install
-Select View…Scale Factor…175%
-Select Virtual Screen1 800×600

Chuck-will’s-widow

Chuck-will’s-widow

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Chuck-Will’s Widow

We hear this bird almost nightly. I used this app to record it’s song to help identify it:

Birdnet App

Recorded in backyard

Birdnet sent me to THIS Wikipedia page after identifying the song as being from a Chuck-Will’s-Willow. You can find a recording below the right details column

The Chuck-will’s-willow is often mistaken for the Eastern whip-poor-will which has a similar song.

You can compare the two here:

Chuck-will’s-Willow

Eastern whip-poor-will