Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

The Pentair iChlor is a great salt water system and the control panel is very user-friendly. There are a lot of different lights and functions so to clear things up for you I made a short video going over all of the lights and functions. The Status LED indicates the following on the iChlor Salt System. Cell Status: Shows the status of the iChlor. Green: iChlor is operating normally and producing chlorine. No Light: iChlor is off and not producing chlorine. It may be in an off-period of the sanitizing cycle and will return on shortly. This happens if the percentage is set to less than 100%. If you set it at 20% the iChlor will be running for 12 minutes every hour and off for 48 minutes. So the cell light will be off when it is not producing during that time. There is nothing wrong with the unit. Red: iChlor is in “Standby” mode (system off, no chlorine production) due to a cold water condition. The iChlor will resume to normal operation mode, including salinity report, once...

Adding the right amount of D.E. (Diatomaceous Earth) can be challenging as the measurement guides can vary from bag to bag. Adding too much or too little can affect filter performance and water quality. Note: You DO NOT use D.E. in a Cartridge filter - it will clog it up. The simplest way to add the correct amount is with a D.E. scoop. I use the DE EZ Scoop (1 Lb.) by Aladdin (300). You can find an exact clone of this scoop at Leslie's pool supplies. This takes all the guesswork out of adding D.E. to your pool. In the video, you will see my D.E. amount recommendation but you can also use the one on the Aladdin cup itself which is one scoop per 5 sq. ft. of filter area. I was trained by an old-time pool guy who had over 40 years of experience and the measurements I use were passed down to me by him and I have been using the same D.E. measurements for over 15 years now. I have cleaned over 4,000 filters with the majority until recently being D.E. filters (Cartridge filters ...

I have been using the Skimlite pool poles since I started servicing pools back in 1988. It has always been my go-to pool pole and over the years Skimlite has expanded their professional grade pool pole line up significantly. I will go over two of their newest lines of poles, the SnapLite 6000 series and the Brute line. Here is a little on the SnapLite Series by Skimlite: “SNAPLITE™ 6000 SERIES The SnapLite™ series is quickly becoming one of Skimlite’s most popular poles. The lock is similar to what has been utilized as the primary locking mechanism in the painting industry for years. With a simple push of a button, you can slide and lock your pole to your desired length. All Snaplite™ poles have a unique decagon shape to them which keeps the pole from rotating and provides ultra-smooth sliding.” What I like about the SnapLite poles is how easy it is to extend and retract the poles with the push of a button. No more twisting to lock the pole sections in place and the pole will...

The Dazer II Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent is a great way to stay safe while you are entering a customer’s backyard. Over the years I have been bitten by several aggressive dogs and in almost every case the customer either let the dog out on accident or forgot to put them away. I carry Mace on my truck for extreme emergencies but the Dazer II is per friendly and perfectly safe. For me, one of the biggest hazards of my job is aggressive dogs. Most of the dogs on my route are very friendly but there are those certain dogs that the customer puts away on the service days. I have even had aggressive dogs escape from a neighbor’s house and come charging out their front door at me. You never know what a dog will do and you can never rely on the customer or even the neighbors to keep their aggressive dog from attacking you. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big dog lover. I carry all kinds of treats on my truck and the dogs on my route can’t wait to see me each week. The last thing I would want to...

Getting Algae constantly in your pool each week can be very frustrating. Below are several methods to prevent algae from forming in your pool and all of these methods are tested and proven to work. BORATES: Adding Borates to your pool to achieve a level of 30-50 ppm has many benefits. I have a series of videos on Borates and highly recommend adding Borates to your pool. I have added Borates to my pool and couldn't be happier. The results are well worth it.  Here are the proven benefits of having a Borate level of 30-50 ppm: Lower Chlorine usage: The Borate helps reduce chlorine usage by eliminating Carbon Dioxide and also by keeping the pH stable. Chlorine last longer when the pH is right at 7.6-7.8. When the chlorine is in the ideal range the killing element in chlorine the HOCI is at the most balanced percentage so the chlorine in a pool with a pH of 7.4 is 30% more effective than in a pool with a pH of 8.0. This is a big factor in creating the safest...

The Aqaubot Rapids 2500 is Aqaubots latest entries into the Robotic cleaner market. It is a retail only cleaner and you can only find it at your local brick and mortar pool store or from your local pool service company. It comes loaded with features and is backed by a full 2 Year Bumper to Bumper Warranty. Here is more about the Rapids 2500 from Aqaubot: “The Aquabot Rapids 2500 is designed to clean Residential In-Ground Pools of all sizes and surfaces. Thanks to the patented AquaSmart Gyro System, the Aquabot Rapids 2500 will automatically brush, vacuum and micro-filter dirt, debris, and contaminants from the pool’s floor, walls and waterline in a synchronized fashion helping to keep the cable from tangling. The AquaSmart Gyro System is an intelligent program for robotic pool cleaners that aids the cleaner to efficiently clean any standard residential swimming pool. The smart algorithm installed in the brain of the cleaner enables the robot to cover the pool in a systematiz...

There are several reasons why your pool is green. Or you may do pool service and part of your services offered is green pool cleanups. I will cover some of the Green Pool Clean Up Methods that I use on my pool route. Green Pool Clean Up Step by Step: Make sure the pool can be cleared up vs draining it and refilling the pool. A rule of thumb is that if there are more than 4 inches of sediment on the bottom, draining may be better. This would be a lot of algae and dirt on the pool bottom so more like a pool that has been sitting unattended for over a year or more. Generally, a pool that has only been green for a few months can be cleared up with just chemicals and algaecide. Step One: Scoop out all of the leaves and debris from the bottom and surface. Don't worry about stirring everything up, you will vacuum at the end of the treatment. Step Two: Brush the pool as best as you can. Some of the algae might be really tough to brush off. If you have a plaster or Pebble Tec Poo...

One thing you will learn if you have a pool with a Salt Water System otherwise known as a Salt Water generator is that over time the salt cell can get calcium build-up on it. Depending on your area this could range from a slight amount of calcium to a large amount. The Pentair iChlor is no exception and once the salt level light starts to flash red it is time to remove the cell and inspect the plates inside for any calcium build-up. It is important to note that when the cell does get dirty it will stop producing chlorine. This is important because if you're not paying attention and checking your salt system weekly, the chlorine in your pool could reach zero ppm and the water quality can deteriorate quickly. I recommend checking your salt system every few days to make sure the dirty cell warning light is not flashing red. Cleaning the iChlor is easy and all you need is the Pentair Salt Cell cleaning cap. It is known as the Pentair 520670 IntelliChlor Acid Washing Kit. The ki...

So, who makes the best Variable Speed Pump? I get asked this question often and the answer is cut and dry nor black and white. It is based more on some factors that you need to consider before making the choice on a Variable Speed Pump (VS Pump). Pentair was the first with their IntelliFlo VS pump and it is still the benchmark pump because there are just so many of them installed in backyards. When they first came out many thought they would never catch on and the first generation of the IntelliFlo did have a few issues. In the beginning, I didn’t like them much myself and thought it was a fad that would fade away. Now many states like California and Arizona require you to install one once your standard single speed pump needs to be replaced. So, Pentair being the first makes it the best, right? Not exactly, but you can’t go wrong with a 3 HP IntelliFlo VS pump. It features a great price point and is super reliable. The menu can be challenging to understand but it has a long tr...

The Aquabot Classic Junior is as Old School as you can get. It uses the original body design of the first robotic cleaners that were made by Aquabot. This is not a bad thing actually. The design of the cleaner allows it to be highly reliable and also very efficient. It also allows it to have a price point of around $550 which is a true bargain for a robotic cleaner with these features. The only downside is that it does not climb the walls passed the slope (or cove) and does not come with a cord swivel. With that said if your budget is less than $600 and you are looking for a solid robotic cleaner, the Aqaubot Junior does come with some great features. You can see all the key features below: For In-Ground Pools Shape: Rectangle, Lap, Kidney, L-Shape, Round, Oval Surfaces: Vinyl, Gunite/Concrete, Fiberglass. Except for Tile Pool to Wall Transition: 90 Degree Angle Cable Length: 50' Scrubbing: Fixed Scrubbing Brushes Cleans: Pool Floor, Cove, & Partial Wall 4 Hour C...