Purchasing & Services
HOW MUCH DOES A MANDALA FLOAT ROOM COST?
Custom float rooms start around $21,000, which includes the float system and shower. It can sometimes be done for less, and there are options above as well. To get a bid on your job please contact us. We will need to see all relevant blueprints & measurements. We also sell the float system by itself. Inquire for pricing and availability.
DO YOU DO SITE VISITS AND INSTALLATIONS?
Yes we do. We are also confident in our ability to help you from a distance.
Maintaining and Operating
WHAT KIND OF MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED WITH OPEN FLOAT ROOMS?
Maintaining a float tank of any kind requires a water test kit, and to keep some form of residual sanitizer (we use hydrogen peroxide). In commercial centers we recommend having a backup pump (cost about $320) on hand to use in case a pump goes down, while the other is serviced either by you (Youtube videos can help) or a spa tech. You will want to routinely step in and clean the dry surfaces and especially the waterline. In addition to those basic needs of any float tank, an open pool also needs a pool cover on overnight. We use a solar pool cover (basically thick bubble wrap) because they're cheap, easy to work with, and they do a great job. Using a cover at night saves a lot of energy, and it keeps humidity from being a problem in the room. During the day there is enough air exchange where we do not have any condensation on the walls.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE ON THE FLOAT ATTENDANT SIDE AS COMPARED TO A POD, CABIN, OR TANK?
Yes. Considering ease of accessibility we find enclosed float tanks, pods, and cabins to be more difficult to clean than open concept rooms. In our center we have a very easy time cleaning because we can see and access everything. Note that the customer appreciates being able to easily see everything as well, to assess what they are getting into.
Temperature regulation may take more attention to dial in at first because of the larger area, then with the right pieces in place (like an overhead infrared heater and a simple passive ventilation system) you will find the comfort zone after a few floats. Be sure to leave time to float yourself before opening.
Building
WHAT SIZE ROOM IS REQUIRED FOR A CUSTOM FLOAT ROOM?
Short answer: Small 9' x 10'. Standard 10' x 12'. Luxury 10' x 14' and larger.
As our equipment is adaptable to fit the room, and we approach each room as a new creation, please use our contact form to be in touch so we can give you a more personalized response.
To give a feel of what is possible, the images below show two float rooms fit into a 15’ x 15’ room. One of the rooms is even ADA compliant!
I'M INTERESTED, BUT THIS SEEMS TOO DIY FOR ME. WHY SHOULD I TRY IT?
Compared to a plug and play float tank, it is true that custom float rooms are more involved to create. The great news is this is what we specialize in, and we know how to communicate with you and your contractors. We encourage you to envision how you ideally want your float room to feel, look, and function. Dream big! We are here to help you make it happen.
CAN I MAKE A WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE FLOAT TANK?
Yes! This is a wonderful opportunity to bring therapeutic experiences to people who cannot get in and out of a tank, pod, or cabin. Designing these rooms to be wheelchair accessible is meticulous but it is absolutely doable, and aesthetics can still survive the requirements. Here is one example of an ADA/ANSI compliant float room.
Mandala Features
HOW BIG IS THE MANDALA FLOAT POOL?
The float area of our float pool is 4’ 8” wide by 8’ long. Here are some comparisons to other popular float tanks, using a 6’ 1” tall model.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FLOAT EXPERIENCE AS COMPARED TO A POD, CABIN, OR TANK?
Yes and no. It doesn't have to look like a sensory deprivation chamber to provide a perfect float. We love our custom float rooms because they are an expanded opportunity for you, the owner, to hold the kind of space that you want to hold. Larger than most float tanks, our pools also have plenty of room for stretching, larger individuals, and common-sized couples.
As avid floaters, we love the float quality of our open float rooms. Witnessing the reaction in first timers we can tell you there is a night and day difference in perception of the float experience. When we offered a tank to the public the conversation almost always started out addressing claustrophobia and other fears. With our open float rooms the conversation almost always starts out with "Wow!" and "I can actually do this."
If you’re interested in floatation therapy, ClinicalFloatation.com is the most helpful website live today. At the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Oklahoma there are modern studies being done that quantify some of the benefit of floatation therapy. Sharing the same philosophy on open float rooms with Mandala, Clinical Floatation states the importance of offering open float rooms:
Float Clinic - A new approach
For several decades, float tank design has involved relatively small enclosures, creating a large barrier to entry for patient populations with claustrophobia and mobility issues. Clinical Floatation requires a new approach which removes all enclosures and instead uses an open circular pool design. The open pool is built in a room constructed to be lightproof and soundproof, with closely calibrated temperature and humidity. The open pool design is much more welcoming and reassures anxious subjects and patients. It provides easier access in and out of the pool, including for people with disability or mobility issues, as well as senior citizens.
DOES YOUR FLOAT SYSTEM HAVE AUTOMATED FEATURES?
We are proud to say that our float systems are open source. The lights and music are easily automated through common apps and common hardware. We use a stereo receiver hooked up to a phone or tablet to set audio alarms. With that same wifi device hooked up to a Philips Hue lighting system we also set a gentle light fade on, which is in our experience more effective than sound, to shepherd relaxed people out of their float.
CAN AN OPEN FLOAT ROOM MADE TO BE TOTALLY DARK & SILENT?
Absolutely. The most challenging, as in any float room, is the soundproofing. There is very little difference between an open float room and a pod, tank, or cabin when it comes to soundproofing. To test it yourself get in a float tank, pod, or cabin, shut the door, and float. Play music outside the tank or ask a friend to talk with you while you float, you’ll find that very little sound is blocked. The room itself is what needs to be fortified against noise.
Be sure to read up on noise control on our blog, and most importantly keep in mind that every building has different soundproofing needs.
Light proofing the float room is much easier, and for the most part has everything to do with the door to the room. Generally light proofing is accomplished as a byproduct of soundproofing.
