Support Center / Therapies & Operation / What Is a Bubble Tub and How Does Air Massage Work?
Back to Therapies & Operation

What Is a Bubble Tub and How Does Air Massage Work?

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary8
  1. How the Air Massage Works
  2. Three Speeds from One Button
  3. The Automatic Purge After Your Bath
  4. Bubble Bath in a Bubble Tub
  5. Microbubbles Are a Different Bubble
  6. Related Guides
  7. Related Videos
  8. Common Questions

A bubble tub is the everyday name for a walk-in tub with an air massage system. An air pump pushes air through fully plumbed lines to air jets in the seat and between the legs, and the air rises through the bath water as a blanket of bubbles that you control with one push button. Ella also offers a second kind of bubble, the Infusion microbubble therapy, which turns the water cloudy with billions of tiny bubbles from a single port. If the bubbles feel too strong, start with What Do I Do If My Walk-In Tub Jets Are Too Strong?.

How the Air Massage Works

The air massage and the hydro massage are two separate systems. The hydro massage draws bath water through a pump and sends it back out through the hydro jets, and an intensity dial on the deck mixes more or less air into that water stream. The air massage uses its own air pump, which blows air through sealed lines to the air jets, so only air moves through those lines while the system runs. That is also why an individual air jet cannot be permanently closed off: removing one lets air escape from the system.

The push button on the deck is pneumatic rather than electrical. Pressing it sends a puff of air down a small hose to the control box, which switches the pump on. If that hose works loose at the button or at the control box, the bubble jet switch does nothing, so a loose hose is the first thing to check when the air massage goes quiet.

Three Speeds from One Button

On the push controls, the first press starts the air massage on high speed, the second press drops it to medium, the third press to low, and a fourth press turns the system off. There is no reverse ramp, so pressing to the third setting is how you get the softest bubbles. On the digital touchpad, touch the air bubble icon once to start, use the plus and minus buttons to change intensity, and hold the icon for two seconds to turn the air off. The first video below shows both control styles in use.

The Automatic Purge After Your Bath

About 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off, the Auto Purge starts on its own and runs for 120 seconds to blow residual water out of the air lines. It is fully automatic, cannot be stopped, and is normal even if it starts while you are still in the tub. Because the lines clear themselves this way, you do not flush the tub after every bath. A vinegar flush once a month keeps the jetted systems clean, and the same flush is run once before the first bath, as described in Before Your First Bath: The Initial Vinegar Flush and First-Use Checklist.

Bubble Bath in a Bubble Tub

Foaming bubble bath and an air massage are a lively combination, because the bubbles whip the product into excess foam and can leave a soap film in the lines. Use it sparingly, watch the foam while the air is on, and rinse afterward. Bath bombs are the one product to leave out of any jetted Ella tub, and Epsom salts are welcome once they are fully dissolved and added after the therapy has finished. The full list of verdicts is in Can I Use Epsom Salts, Bath Bombs or Bubble Bath in My Walk-In Tub?.

Microbubbles Are a Different Bubble

Infusion microbubble therapy is an optional system with its own pump, a pressure tank and one dedicated jet. One touch of the micro button generates billions of microbubbles from that single port, and the second video below shows the water turning from clear to completely cloudy as they fill the tub; the video describes the result as up to 70 percent more oxygen than regular tap water and a warm, skin-softening soak. Because the pump draws bath water in, the microbubble system should only run with the tub filled above the jets. The component chain is explained in What the LayDown Microbubble Schematic Shows: Air Switch, Relay, Water Pump, Pressure Tank and One Jet.

Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Push Controls Versus Digital Touchpad Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs offer a choice between on/off push controls and a digital touchpad for easy bathing.
  2. 0:45 Controlling Air Massage With Touchpad The air bubble icon on the digital touchpad activates the air massage, with plus and minus buttons adjusting intensity.
  3. 1:21 Chromo Therapy Light Functions Chromo therapy light functions the same with both control types, cycling through colors or selecting a specific one.

Watch: Walk-In Tub with Push Controls & Digital Touchpad for Easy, Effortless Bathing | Ellau2019s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Infusion MicroBubble Therapy Introduction The video introduces Infusion MicroBubble Therapy as a popular accessory for Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs.
  2. 0:12 Oxygenation And Skin Benefits Micro bubbles produce more oxygen than tap water and create a skin-softening, exfoliating, invigorating, and detoxifying bathing experience.
  3. 0:26 Visualizing MicroBubble Generation The water in the tub changes from clear to cloudy as micro bubbles are generated and fill the tub.

Watch: Infusion Micro-Bubble Therapy For Walk-In Tubs | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Air Massage Speed Control The video demonstrates how to control the three-speed air massage function on the walk-in tub.
  2. 0:23 Auto Purge System Explained The video explains how the auto purge system keeps the walk-in tub fresh and clean by blowing water out of the air pipes.
  3. 0:48 Auto Purge While Bathing The video addresses what happens if the auto purge system activates while someone is still in the tub.
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Innovative Jetting Design Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs feature unique jet placement for a comprehensive hydro massage experience.
  2. 0:15 Three Speed Air Massage Our tubs offer a three-speed air massage system, activated by digital or Easy Touch push buttons.
  3. 0:27 Auto Purge Technology The Auto Purge system activates 20 minutes after use, clearing moisture to prevent mold and mildew.

Common Questions

Is a bubble tub the same as a jetted hydro tub?
No. A bubble tub uses an air pump to blow air through the air jets, while a hydro tub uses a water pump to push bath water through the hydro jets. Many Ella tubs have both systems, each with its own push button, and the hydro side has an intensity dial that adds air to the water stream.
Why does my tub start bubbling by itself after my bath?
That is the Auto Purge. About 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off it runs for 120 seconds to blow residual water out of the air lines. It is fully automatic, cannot be stopped, and is normal even if it begins while you are still in the tub.
How do I make the air bubbles gentler?
Press the air button to the third setting, which is low. The first press is high and the second is medium. On the digital touchpad, use the minus button to reduce intensity.
Can I use bubble bath with the air massage running?
Use it sparingly and watch the foam, because the air massage whips foaming products into excess foam and can leave a soap film in the lines. Rinse the tub afterward. Bath bombs should be left out of any jetted Ella tub.
What is the difference between air massage and microbubble therapy?
Air massage sends air through many air jets to create a three-speed bubble massage. Microbubble therapy is an optional system with its own pump and pressure tank that releases billions of tiny bubbles from a single port, turning the water cloudy. The microbubble system should only run with the tub filled above the jets.
Why does my bubble jet button do nothing at all?
The push button is pneumatic, so it works by sending a puff of air down a hose to the control box. Confirm the hose is seated firmly at the button and at the control box nipple, and check the GFCI and the green LED on the blue control box. If the box stays dark on a good outlet, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

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