A spa system including an operating mode that results in efficient and/or reduced electrical energy consumption while ensuring the use temperature is achieved no matter the time and/or date at which the user desires to enjoy the spa. The operating mode described herein obtains information indicating a time at which a user may like to enjoy the spa, precisely determines a time it takes to heat water in the spa from an ambient temperature to the use temperature, and causes the spa pump and/or heater to begin the process of heating the water to the use temperature at least the determined time prior to the time at which the user may begin enjoying the spa. A spa may not achieve peak efficiency without a spa operating mode that calculates the estimated time to heat a spa from an ambient temperature to the use temperature.

A system and a method for automatically discovering one or more pool devices of a connected aquatic system. The one or more pool devices include one or more secondary panels and one or more pool components. A primary panel can broadcast a discovery message to identify the one or more secondary panels and/or the one or more pool components connected to the primary panel of the connected aquatic system. An identification response is generated and transmitted from the one or more secondary panels and/or the one or more pool components in response to the discovery message from the primary panel. The primary panel can receive and process the identification response and update a discovery status for each of the one or more secondary panels or the one or more pool components based on the identification response.

A system for controlling a bathing unit system including a receptacle with two or more seating areas and a plurality of bathing unit components is disclosed. The system comprises a) a user interface presenting user selectable options allowing a user to independently select a specific seating area of the two or more seating areas. The system further comprises b) at least one processor in communication with the user interface and configured to, in response to a user selection of a first seating area, control at least one of: operational settings of a first set of the plurality of bathing unit components, the first set of the plurality of bathing unit components being mapped to the first seating area; and a specific spa experience in connection with the first seating area at least in part by controlling the first set of the plurality of bathing unit components.