Support Center / Therapies & Operation / How Much Water Before Turning On the Jets: Fill Levels for Hydro, Air, Foot, and Microbubble
Back to Therapies & Operation

How Much Water Before Turning On the Jets: Fill Levels for Hydro, Air, Foot, and Microbubble

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary6
  1. Fill Levels by Therapy
  2. Foot Jets with a Partial Fill: It Depends on Your Pump Package
  3. Dry-Running Is Permanent Damage
  4. How Full Is Too Full
  5. Related Guides
  6. Common Questions

How much water should be in a walk-in tub before you turn on the jets? Before you switch on any pump in your Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub, the water must cover every jet that pump serves. For a full-body hydro massage, fill until the water is 1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jets (Ella's official operation video uses 2 inches). For air massage, all air jets must be under water, which means a full-tub fill. For a foot-only massage on a tub with the independent foot massage option, fill the footwell to just below the seat and just above the calf jets. Running any pump before the water covers its jets can permanently damage the equipment, and that damage is not covered by warranty.

Close-up of chrome hydro massage jets, foot jets and the anti-slip floor inside an Ella walk-in tub
Hydro jets sit at several heights. The highest jet that will run is the one to watch as the tub fills.

Fill Levels by Therapy

TherapyMinimum water level before switching on
Hydro massage (seat, back, hips)1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jets. This takes about 10 minutes with typical household water pressure, and about 6 more minutes to reach the overflow.
Air massage (three-speed)Every air jet submerged. Air jets sit low by the feet and up on the seat, so use a full-tub fill and turn on the air button when the tub is full.
Independent foot massage (separate foot pump)Footwell filled to just below the seat and just above the hydro calf jets. Seat and back jets stay dry and are not used.
Infusion microbubble therapyMicrobubbles are produced by a water pump with a pressure tank and delivered through a jet, so treat it like hydro: the jet must be under water before you start.
Pre-installation water test (installer)At least 3 inches above the highest jet, or to the bottom of the grab bar on a soaking tub with no jets. See the pre-installation water test.

A simple rule covers every case: if you can see a jet above the waterline and its pump is about to run, keep filling. How long that takes depends on your faucet and home supply; the fast-fill faucet expectations article explains the range.

Foot Jets with a Partial Fill: It Depends on Your Pump Package

Customers often ask whether they can enjoy just the foot jets without filling the whole tub. The answer depends on whether your tub has the independent foot massage option.

  • Tubs with independent foot massage (Hydro + Hydro Foot): Ella installs a second water pump and a separate control for the foot and calf jets. Fill the footwell to just below the seat and just above the calf jets, then press the foot massage button. The upper pump for the seat and back jets stays off, so the dry upper jets are not at risk.
  • Tubs with a single hydro pump (Hydro or Hydro + Air): one pump feeds all the hydro jets, including the ones in the footwell. If the tub is only filled to seat height, water will still try to come out of the higher jets, and the pump is running with jets uncovered. On these tubs you must fill the tub all the way before using the foot jets.
  • Standard60: this model uses diverter switches on its hydro system that let you choose foot-and-leg jets only, back jets only, or both. Whatever position you choose, the water still needs to be above every jet that will be active before the pump starts.
Best Walk-In Tub with Independent Foot Massage (Buyers Guide)
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Independent Foot And Body Massage Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs offer independent foot massage and full body hydro massage for powerful therapy.
  2. 0:21 Competitor Single Pump System Competitors use one pump and a diverter valve, which creates a weaker and inconsistent flow.
  3. 0:36 Control Intensity With Dials With two pumps, you can run full power to your feet or body and control intensity with dials.

The video above explains the difference in plain terms: Ella's independent foot massage tubs use two separate pumps, one for the seat jets and one for the foot jets, instead of a single pump with a diverter. That is what makes a partial footwell fill safe on those tubs. If your tub has only one hydro button, assume it has one pump and fill the tub completely. Not sure which package you have? Open a ticket with your model and serial number and support will confirm; the therapy package cheat sheet also lists which pumps come with each package.

Independent Foot Massage In A Walk In Tub
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Independent Foot Massage Option The video introduces the new independent foot massage option on Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs.
  2. 0:17 Enjoy Hydro Foot Massage Customers can enjoy a luxurious hydro foot massage without filling the entire tub.
  3. 0:39 Powerful Hydro Massage Jets Four dedicated foot jets and two calf jets deliver a powerful hydro massage.
  4. 1:03 Therapeutic Foot Massage Benefits This feature is a must-have for anyone who enjoys the therapeutic benefits of a warm, relaxing foot massage.

This second video shows the footwell fill itself. The bather steps in over the low threshold, fills only the footwell with the fast-fill faucet, and starts the foot massage with its own button; a separate dial sets the intensity of the four foot jets and two calf jets. It is the clearest picture of where the water line should sit for a foot-only session: below the seat, above the calf jets. Watch: Independent Foot Massage In A Walk In Tub - Safe & Comfortable Bathing Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Feet submerged in bubbling water from the foot jets during an independent foot massage in an Ella walk-in tub
Footwell-only fill on an independent foot massage tub: the foot and calf jets are covered, the seat jets stay dry and off.

Dry-Running Is Permanent Damage

Ella's owner's manuals carry the same warning: do not turn on the hydro jets until the water reaches the waterline, the point where all jets are covered, because operating the pumps without first filling the bath above the jets can cause permanent damage to your equipment. The pump is designed to move water, not air. Damage caused by running a pump dry is an operating error rather than a defect, so it is not covered under the warranty. The same care applies to the air blower on air-massage tubs and to the pump on microbubble tubs.

A helpful habit for the order of operations, written out in full in how to take a bath step by step:

  1. Step in, close and secure the door, and close the drain (both drains on dual-drain models).
  2. Turn on the water and adjust the temperature at the faucet.
  3. Watch the highest jet you plan to use. Wait until the water is at least 1 to 2 inches above it.
  4. Only then press the hydro, air, foot or microbubble control.
  5. When you finish, switch the pumps off before you open the drains, so the pumps never run as the water drops below the jets.

How Full Is Too Full

Ella's manuals set a simple upper limit: do not fill the tub above the center of the drain handle. Above that line, the overflow takes over. Every Ella walk-in tub has an overflow connected to the drain (two overflows on dual-drain models, one on single-drain models), so if you get distracted while filling, excess water goes down the drain instead of onto your floor. The overflow is a safety backstop, not a target; stop filling at the center of the drain handle.

Remember that your body displaces water. The Big4One, for example, holds 127 gallons unoccupied but 75 to 100 gallons with a bather seated, depending on body size. If you fill to the top before you sit down, the level rises when you do. Filling with the door closed while seated, as Ella's operation videos show, keeps this from being a problem. Occupied and unoccupied figures for every model are in the water capacity guide.

Common Questions

How high should the water be before I turn on the hydro?
For hydro massage, the water level should be 1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jets before you turn on the pump. Ella's official operation video uses 2 inches as the working figure for the water level. Running the hydro pump before the water covers all its jets can cause permanent damage to the equipment, which is not covered by warranty.
Can I run the foot jets with a partial fill?
You can run the foot jets with a partial fill only if your Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub has the independent foot massage option, which includes a second water pump and a separate control for the foot and calf jets. For this option, fill the footwell to just below the seat and just above the hydro calf jets, then press the foot massage button. If your tub has a single hydro pump (Hydro or Hydro + Air), you must fill the tub completely before using the foot jets, as one pump feeds all hydro jets, including those in the footwell.
Will running pumps dry damage the tub?
Yes, running a pump dry will permanently damage the equipment. Operating the hydro pump, air blower, or microbubble pump before the water covers all its jets can cause permanent damage because these pumps are designed to move water, not air. This type of damage is considered an operating error and is not covered under the Ella's Bubbles warranty.
Can I fill to any level for air?
No, you cannot fill to any level for air massage. All air jets must be submerged under water before you press the air button. Since air jets are located low by the feet and up on the seat, a full-tub fill is required to ensure every air jet is covered. Running the air blower dry can cause permanent damage to the equipment, which is not covered by warranty.
Does the microbubble system need a full fill too?
Yes, the microbubble jet must be under water before you start the system. The Infusion microbubble therapy system uses a water pump with a pressure tank to produce and deliver microbubbles through a jet, so it should be treated like the hydro system. Running the microbubble pump dry can cause permanent damage to the equipment, and this damage is not covered by warranty.
The Auto Purge came on while I was still filling. Did I hurt anything?
No. Auto Purge is the air blower running on its own about 20 minutes after the air pump was last turned off, for 120 seconds, to blow the air lines dry. Blowing air through the air jets is what it is designed to do, so the water level does not matter for the purge. It stops by itself.
How full is too full?
The maximum fill level for your Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub is the center of the drain handle. Every tub has an overflow connected to the drain, which will carry away any water above this line to prevent spills. The overflow is a safety backstop, not a target fill level, and remember that your body displaces water, so filling while seated helps prevent overfilling.
Should I turn the jets off before I drain?
Yes, you should always turn off all pumps before you drain the tub. Switch off every hydro, air, foot, or microbubble pump first, then open the drains. This ensures that no pump is running as the water level drops below its jets, which prevents permanent damage to the equipment.
The water is above the jets and a pump still will not start. What next?
If the water is above the jets and a pump still will not start, first check that the pump's cord is securely plugged into a live GFCI outlet. Next, verify that no circuit breaker has tripped. Finally, ensure that the air tube from the push button is properly seated at the control box. For more detailed troubleshooting steps, refer to the Pump or Massage System Not Working: Connections, Relay Switch, and What to Check First article.
When I turn on the back jets, water sprays over the edge of the tub. What am I doing wrong?
The upper back jets need to be covered by about 2 inches of water before the pump runs; a two pump tub has strong pumps, and an exposed jet will spray over the rim. The back jets are also directional, so tilt them slightly downward and use the round intensity dials to soften the flow.
Why does the Deluxe need less water before the back jets work?
On the Deluxe the back jets sit lower on the backrest, so they are covered sooner than the higher, recessed jets on the Ultimate. Whatever the model, never let a foot or hydro pump run with the water below its jets; if one is running dry, press its button off immediately.

For fill guidance specific to your model or therapy package, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and the Ella's Bubbles support team will be happy to help.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

Related guides

Did this solve your question?

If not, open a ticket and our team will pick it up from here.

Open a Support Ticket