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What Is Infusion Microbubble Therapy on a Walk-In Tub?

Infusion Microbubble Therapy is a skin therapy option on Ella walk-in tubs that fills the bath with billions of oxygen-rich bubbles smaller than 50 microns from a single port, turning the water cloudy white and softening and exfoliating the skin. It is a skin treatment rather than a massage, popular with people who have dry or sensitive skin.

How It Works

The system uses its own dedicated 1 HP water pump, rated 7.3A on most spec sheets, together with a pressure vessel and an agitator valve. The pump draws water from the tub through an intake, pressurizes it with air in the microbubble tank, and releases it through one port as a cloud of bubbles too small to see individually, which is why the bath turns from clear to cloudy. The product video notes the water carries up to 70 percent more oxygen than regular tap water. Operation is one press of the Micro button to start and one press to stop, and the water must cover both the port and the intake before you press it. On the LayDown tubs the microbubbles are delivered through one jet switched by an air switch. The full guide is Infusion Microbubble Therapy: What It Does.

Cutaway diagram of the microbubble therapy system with pump, air injection and pressure tank
The dedicated pump, air injection and pressure tank that feed the single microbubble port.

Which Ella Models Have It

Microbubble therapy is built into the shell at the factory, so it is chosen at order time and cannot be added to a walk-in tub later. It is offered on:

Pairings by model are in Which Therapy Combinations Fit Which Tub, and the Standard60's hydrogen version is in H2 Microbubble Therapy on the Standard60. For a conventional bathtub, Ella offers a universal retrofit kit, covered in Adding Infusion Microbubble Therapy to a Conventional Bathtub.

What to Know as an Owner

Cloudy white water is the therapy working, not a water-quality problem. Always fill above the port and the intake before pressing Micro, because running the pump dry damages it. Combined packages that include microbubbles need two dedicated GFCI 20A/120V lines, so if the system trips a breaker, have an electrician confirm the circuits first. If the pump buzzes but the water stays clear, or the bubbles come out large instead of a fine cloud, the checks are in Microbubble System Not Working. For a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support, have your model, serial number, therapy package, whether the pump runs, what the water looks like, and a photo of the port.

Common Questions

Why does my tub water turn white?
That is the microbubble system doing its job. Billions of bubbles smaller than 50 microns fill the water and scatter light, so the bath looks cloudy white until the bubbles rise and clear.
How is microbubble therapy different from air massage?
Air massage blows visible bubbles through many jets for a massaging effect. Microbubble therapy releases far smaller, oxygen-rich bubbles from one port to soften and exfoliate the skin, with no massage sensation.
Can microbubbles be added to my walk-in tub after installation?
No. The port, intake and pressure vessel are built into the shell at the factory. A universal retrofit kit exists only for conventional bathtubs.
How do I turn the microbubble system on and off?
Fill until the water covers the port and the intake, press the Micro button once to start, and press it once again to stop. On LayDown tubs the system is switched by an air switch.
Does microbubble therapy need its own electrical circuit?
It has its own 1 HP pump, and combined packages with microbubbles need two dedicated GFCI 20A/120V lines. Your electrician should confirm the circuit count before installation.

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