Interest in swim spas has rapidly increased since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. No longer is it as simple to head down to your local gym or public swimming pool to go for a swim. Stay at home orders, quarantining and non-essential service shutdowns have seriously changed things for swimming fanatics. Swim spas are also smaller, cheaper and more easily installed than a full sized swimming, but exactly how big are they? How long? How many gallons in a swim spa? How much do they weigh? To help give potential buyers an idea of the size of a swim spa, we’ve put together this article.
How Big Are Swim Spas?
Swim spas come in a variety of sizes. It really depends on the make and model you’re looking at. Hydropool features a couple of lines of swim spas that range in length from about 12 feet to 19 feet. One of Hydropool’s largest models, such as the AquaTrainer 19DTFX, are almost 19 feet long by 7.75 wide and 4.4 feet deep. The 19DTFX also features a second tank that acts as a hot tub that seats six to seven people. Most swim spas have a dry weight between 2,300 to 4,000 pounds, but can weigh over 20,000 pounds once full.
How Many Gallons in A Swim Spa?
The Executive Trainer 19EX, the largest model in the line, also holds the most water at 2,378 gallons. The AquaPlay 12FFPX is the smallest model in Hydropool’s swim spa line that holds 1229 gallons.
Knowing the volume of your swim spa is important when it comes to keeping the water chemistry in balance. The amount of chemicals you need to add to the water will depend on how much water there’s in the swim spa in the first place. If you’re unable to remember how many gallons your swim spa holds, you can calculate the volume by multiplying the length by the width by the depth and multiplying that result by 0.00434. This will give you an accurate enough measurement to be able to estimate the chemicals you need to add.
How Large Should A Swim Spa Be?
It’s generally suggested that you should go for the largest swim spa that your budget and your space limitations allow. All else being the same, a larger swim spa generally provides a more natural swimming environment. A smaller swim spa will create more turbulence which can interfere with the swimmer’s strokes. Those who are taller should also look towards a longer swim spa as a person’s height can affect comfort in smaller tanks. It’s also been found that swim spas are quite frequently used as a place of relaxation rather than exercise. Simply soaking or floating around in the swim spa can be an enjoyable social activity for families and other groups. Naturally, the larger the swim spa, the more people will be able to use it at the same time.
How Will You Use Your Swim Spa?
A swim spa that’s used solely for swimming practice may not necessarily need to be as big as one that will more likely be used for social situations. If entertaining is one of your primary goals for your swim spa, investing in extra seating and space will pay off in social dividends. If you’re a solitary competitive swimmer simply looking to improve your stroke, lounge seating or a secondary tank may not have as much appeal.
To learn more about Hydropool swim spa lines, download a free buyer’s guide today.