Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Treating high phosphate levels in your pool is easy with Natural Chemistry PHOSfree and anyone can follow these simple steps. It is important to follow the steps for the best results. Below are the step by step process of using PHOSfree in your pool. Directions for use of PHOSfree: This product is designed for use in properly balanced pool water. 1. Clean or backwash filter. 2. Determine the appropriate dose. * See chart below. 3. Shake bottle well prior to application. With circulation pump running, add a dose to the skimmer. 4. Run filter for 48 hours continuously without backwashing or cleaning. 5. After 48 hours of filtering, clean/backwash filter. Retest phosphate levels, and if necessary, repeat steps 1-5. Note: If DE filter pressure rises to 10psi above start-up pressure, turn the pump off for 1 minute and then turn it back on. If the pressure remains high, backwash or rinse for 30 seconds. Dosage Chart: Dose per 10,000 gallons (38,000L) Pho

I got the opportunity to record several podcast episodes with Harold Evans, the owner of Orenda Technologies. Orenda is an industry leader in pool water treatment and they make several products ranging from Phosphate Removers to Enzymes. They also offer many free educational opportunities and a free chemical dosage app. If you are interested in listening to all six podcasts all covering different topics the links for those are here: Orenda Technologies Water Quality Issues Series Part 1 of 6: Virtual Classroom and App (Episode 325): https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/3040495 Orenda Technologies Water Quality Issues Series Part 2 of 6: Phosphates (Episode 326): https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/3040546 Orenda Technologies Water Quality Issues Series Part 3 of 6: Enzyme Treatment (Episode 327): https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/3040582 Orenda Technologies Water Quality Issues Series Part 4 of 6: High CYA (Episode 328): https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/3040630 O

Primate Pool tools have been making their carbon fiber pool pole since 2014 and they now have three different models to choose from. Any of these three models would be great for your pool route depending on your need and your pool pole preference. These poles have been proven to be very well made, durable and lightweight. Here is a brief summary of each pole for you. Primate 3X [6ft x 15.6ft Pole] This is their flagship product and it is the strongest, lightest, and most durable pole in the Tri-pole category. The Primate 3X offers a quick and easy to use lever-lock and a double inner extension system that can reach 15 ft 6 inches. Specs: Measurements: Collapsed length- 72”, w 2nd tube 144”, w 3rd tube 187” Weight: 2lb, 4oz Materials: Carbon fiber tubing with fiberglass reinforcement at stress and wear points. Primate 2X [8 x 16ft pole] The Primate 2X is a traditional 2 part 8 x 16 ft pole. It is compatible with the Primate X 8 ft and 6 ft extensions, and t

The use of Tri-Chlor Tablets is pretty widespread and you will see them referred to in different names such as “Tablets,” “3-inch Pucks,” “Tabs,” but everyone knows you are referring to the bucket of 3” Tablets. They appear very simple to use but there is a lot of things you should know about the use of them and of course some safety guidelines. Tri-Chlor or Trichloroisocyanuric Acid comes in three forms. The familiar 3” tablets that slowly dissolve in your pool, a very fine powder shock and a granular form. About 50% of the Tri-Chlor by weight is Conditioner (Cyanuric Acid). So, a 50 lbs. bucket of tablets is about 25 lbs. of Conditioner. If you overuse tablets your pool’s CYA level can go up rapidly. Trichlor tablets are usually 90% to 99% active chlorine. Tri-Chlor tablets have a very low pH of 2-3 so they will lower the pH in your pool. The tablets contain acid in the form of Cyanuric Acid so if one falls into the pool it is likely to stain the surface by burning it.

I wanted to really give the Pleatco Advanced ULTRA a real-world test so I left 4 cartridges in a filter for one year without cleaning them. The pool was fine for the entire year as far as water quality which in itself was pretty amazing. Typically, these for cartridge type filters need cleaning every 6 months so going an entire year was a real stretch. The pool was also open all year round so the filter was running every day for at least 8 hours per day. One thing I really like about these cartridges is that they have no bands holding the pleats together. This makes cleaning these cartridges very easy and quick. The Aqua Comb filter cleaning tool really shines with the ULTRA cartridges. It took me about 5 minutes to clean all 4 cartridges, the dirt just poured right off of them which is also amazing after 1 year without being cleaned. Below is more about the Pleatco Advanced ULTRA. Pleatco has been working on creating the best replacement cartridge filter and this year

The Raypak heaters are known in the industry to be bulletproof – so to speak. Turn the power on and the heater will fire up. They are one of the most reliable heaters for your pool and spa and with some new updated features, they are worth a second look. Raypak offers a 2-year warranty for any of their heaters installed at a residential pool and a 3-year warranty if the heater is part of a new build. Here are some of the features of the Raypak heaters: Featuring a low-profile design, the corrosion-resistant cabinet made of galvanized metal, copper fin tube heat exchanger and advanced-engineered materials make this one of the most reliable and long-lasting heaters on the market today. ProTek Shield ProTek Shield is a cutting-edge module that protects the heat exchanger and extends the life of your Raypak Digital Gas Pool and Spa Heater. Corrosion of the heat exchanger is the number one failure of a gas heater. So the Raypak Heater is perfect for saltwater pools. The

The Jacuzzi JPV100 Professional Grade Pool and Spa Vacuum is a great little tool for vacuuming out your spa and to spot vacuum a small pool. It is a battery-powered vacuum so no cords or hoses are needed. It is designed primarily for spas and hot tubs but can also be used to spot vacuum an above ground pool or in-ground pool. Here are some of the features of the JPV100: Use by hand or attach to any standardize size telescoping pole. Up to 2.5 hours of use (multiple cleanings) Includes Vacuum Head, Filter Bag, Power Head, Battery Chamber, Pool Pole Adapter, and Micro Filter Bags. 2-Year Warranty. Powered by five D-Cell Batteries, the Jacuzzi JPV100 Professional Grade Pool and Spa Vacuum vacuums up unwanted debris, including sand, silt, and algae without the use of a pool hose for approximately 2.5 hours of run time with multiple cleanings. Basically, you would choose your portable battery-powered vacuum by the amount of use it will get. The JPV100 has a sm

Orenda Technologies makes a wide variety of products for your pool and spa and I have highlighted a few of them here for you. One of the things that set Orenda apart is their focus on training and the use of their app along with educating customers on how to use their products correctly. PR-10,000 Phosphate Remover Concentrate Phosphates are measured in PPB (Parts Per Billion) which should be an indicator for you that even a small amount can affect your pool water quality negatively. If you are having issues with your pool holding chlorine or algae forming on the pool surface, you may have an issue with an elevated phosphate level. Testing the water for phosphates would be the 1 st step to take. If you have a high level of phosphates in the water this could be the primary reason why your chlorine is not holding and why you have algae. Of course, there may be other factors but it helps if you start first by reducing the phosphate levels in your pool. You can achieve this

I spent some time talking to Wayne Ivusich, CPO ® , PHTA CPO ®  Instructor Manager of Education & Technical Services Taylor Technologies, Inc. about some of the hard pool chemistry issues you may encounter. These include pools with high CYA levels, how to do the Adjusted Alkalinity and the LSI Index. There are also two more parts to the interview which you can listen to on the podcast site if you would like. Part 2: https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/2856088 Part 3: https://www.buzzsprout.com/110832/2856088 Wayne also mentioned the Taylor Webinars that he hosts each week. To join him in these webinars you can email him and he will provide you with the link: Wayne Ivusich Wayne@taylortechnologies.com Here is more about Taylor Technologies: For more than 85 years, Taylor Technologies has been a leading manufacturer of products for analyzing water chemistry. Whether industrial, commercial, or residential applications—Taylor is committed to providing the highest qu

The Jacuzzi ® JPV200 - Professional Grade Pool and Spa Vacuum, is a rechargeable portable vacuum for your pool or spa. There are many great features of the JPV200 and I really like the compact size and large debris chamber and the power of the JPV200. Here are some more features of the JPV200: “7.5 inch Wide Vacuum Head for catching more debris Large Debris Chamber for the toughest jobs Powerful Motor with Fully Rechargeable Lithium Powered Battery Cordless Operation 2-Year Warranty Includes Vacuum Head, Nose Cap, Filter Bag, Cleaner Body, Motor Box, and Battery Charger Small enough to navigate spas and fountains, but strong enough to clean medium-sized above and in-ground pools, this cleaner can take on just about any job. With its large debris chamber and filter bag, the Jacuzzi JPV200 Professional Grade Pool and Spa Vacuum, Rechargeable cleans large areas of the pool, spa, or hot tub. Featuring a cordless, hose-less design, a reusable Extreme Multi-Layer