Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Let’s face it, one of the biggest expenses of owning and using your vacuum system is the bags. Reggie of Mako Bags has been making these vacuum system bags for years now and with the recent upgrades, these bags are top-notch. They feature more stitching and a very thick cloth bottom area and the drawstring has also been beefed up. I have been using the Mako Vacuum System Bags for a few years now and these are very good quality aftermarket vacuum systems bags at affordable pricing. There have been some changes to the micron ratings with the Standard bag now rated at 80 microns, the MX-120 is 120 microns and the MX-140 is 140 microns.  If you are currently using a 100-micron bag you will not notice much difference going to the 120-micron bag (MX-120) or down to an 80-micron bag. If you are using a 200-micron bag, I would suggest trying the MX-140 which is 140 microns and will give you the same durability plus a better micron rating. For some, the sweet spot is a higher micron bag bec...

The chlorine shortage of the 2021 season was epic, to say the least. Searching all over town for chlorine and buying all the Clorox bleach off of the shelves in Walmart was a common event. What caused the shortage and what does the 2022 season look like? I sat down with Chris Brink the CEO of HASA – one of the leaders in the production of liquid chlorine to get some answers. Not to place too much blame on the current supply and demand crunch, what I like to call “The Not Enough Economy” but this was a factor. As Chris explains it the base ingredient for liquid chlorine and muriatic acid was in high demand. They use it for other industries and of course to make drinking water safe across the nation. So with a shortage of the base ingredient, there was a shortage of all types of chlorine.  Add to that the Bio Lab factory burning down in 2020 which was the main production of Tri-Chlor in the industry at 2 million pounds a year, a perfect storm was created in 2021 for the swimming pool...

If you are looking for the smallest and most compact 400 BTU heater for your pool or spa look no further. Because you can place the Hayward Universal HC Series right up against a wall and the fact that everything is accessed from the top, means that this is the heater with the smallest equipment pad footprint.  Another reason I like this heater is the fact that it is virtually rodent-proof. If you do pool service you know that there are many heaters that rats and other rodents favor for a nesting area. They will chew the wires in the heater and other parts and find it very easy to get into most heaters. This heater is completely sealed in the most common entry areas for rodents, so rest assured rats will not be making their home inside this heater. I like the top access panel and find that super convenient over the front access panels. There is no bending down to work on this unit and the main replaceable parts are within easy reach. It is also automation-ready and will work with m...

 I sat down with the owner and creator of the VacDaddy Matt D’Aguanno and we went over some of the things that make the VacDaddy unique in the portable pool vacuum segment. If you do pool service and you are looking for a solid portable vacuum, the VacDaddy is something unique among these types of vacuums.  No question that it performs as advertised. I have been using it for a few months now. Putting it into a category of vacuum systems is another story. It has the same gallons per minute power as a full-size vacuum system like a Hammer-Head but is designed more like a system vac.  One thing that is in the works is a hose attachment that will allow you to use the VacDaddy to vacuum to waste. This would be a real game-changer in the portable clean-up pump market. They are also working on an easy-to-carry bag for the VacDaddy and a new vacuum head. All of this will soon be available on their site. To order the VacDaddy at the discounted price of $895.00 go to their site and...

Ever wonder if these inexpensive pressure washers work? You see them all over the internet and on Amazon and I decided to give one a try. I have an RYOBI pressure washer that I used in the past but I liked the idea of the hose reel (which doesn’t work well) and the lightweight of these online pressure washers like the Paxcess one in this video. The bottom line, for the price point you are getting a solid product that works really well. I just could not get the hose reel to work but maybe that is just me? But I love how light this thing is and the compact size. It is pretty powerful at 2150 PSI. The only drawback with these online units is that unlike a major company like RYOBI the tech support that these small companies from China provide is lacking. That is okay as long as you don’t have an issue which you shouldn’t as these work well.  You really don’t know how dirty your pool deck is until you start pressure washing it. It really is an amazing transformation and if you are a poo...

 Water Tech has been the leader in battery-powered vacuums for your pool and spa now for over 20 years. They make a vacuum for just about every pool and spa size and with over 30 models it can be a bit confusing to decide on which vacuum is right for you. Below are some of my favorite vacuums and I also included the playlist for you so you can see all of the vacuums I have reviewed and field-tested. Water Tech Cleaner YouTube Review Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsvsTjbpoT-foAH3gBNlBhH1lI-64qI1r I put together a short video featuring the Jacuzzi branded Water Tech cleaners and go oversizing for those 3 units which are a good cross-section of the Water Tech lineup of cleaners. To learn more about how I size a cleaner for a pool or spa you can watch this short video: https://youtu.be/K3r3v9Jr3oI For a default cleaner, I would say the Pool Blaster Max Li would be the unit that is compact and powerful enough for a spa, an Above Ground Pool, and to spot vacuum a stand...

Back in the day if you had a 110/115V set up for your pool equipment there was no way to upgrade to a VS pump. Pentair broke into the 110V equipment pad market with their SuperFlo Vs which is a sold pump but lacking in a few areas. The Jacuzzi JVS165S is a fully functional VS pump designed with dual voltage so it will work with either 110/220V breakers. Some features that make this the superior 110V pump to upgrade to is the extended 3-year total warranty if the pump is purchased at Leslie's and installed by either Leslie's or a Leslie's Pro Partner.  It is also automation-ready and can work with any of the three major brand automation including Hayward, Pentair, and Jandy. One thing the Pentair Superflo VS cannot do is connect to existing automation, but the JVS 165S is perfect for any automated system. It is also made right here in the USA. The easy to program control panel and the advanced Time Out mode set this pump apart from others in this category. Setting up and pro...

 One of the most common water balancing issues is having high Cyanuric Acid (CYA) in your pool. Cyanuric Acid often referred to as Conditioner or Stabilizer is added to the pool in order to slow the chlorine burn-off caused by the Sun's UV rays. But if you use 3” Chlorine Tablets (Trichlor Tablets) you will be adding Cyanuric Acid to your pool on a constant basis. Here I will discuss the effects of high CYA in your pool water, how to correct it, and ways to prevent it from rising to high levels again. Bob Lowry is the author of over 23 books but this has to be one of his most relevant and shortest books coming in at just 19 pages thick. But it is packed with so many essentials on residential pool chemistry that you will want a copy to carry in your service truck. Bob Lowry has been in the industry for over 47 years and is the Lead Consultant at Lowry Consulting Group, leads the Pool Chemistry Training Institute, and has created the Certified Residential Pool & Spa Certification...

Oakton CTSTestr™ 50C Cup-Style Waterproof Pocket Conductivity/TDS/Salinity Tester, Premium 50 Series is an underrated digital water tester. It seems to be a branded tester from Eutech which is an Australian company that makes some of the best digital testers out there. One of the key features of this tester is how easy it is to calibrate and how stable it is. Oakton – Item # EW-35634-65 Reliable 3-in-1 tool measures conductivity, TDS, and salinity Redesigned leakproof cap functions as a sample cup and stabilizing base to stand the meter upright Automatic temperature compensation ensures accurate reading in varying environments Easy-to-navigate interface for quick setup and calibration INCLUDES Protective plastic storage case, lanyard, and 4 AAA batteries. MORE ABOUT THIS ITEM These CTS testers make measuring water quality easier and faster. The large display offers a better viewing angle, has indicators for battery life, readiness, and calibration, and shows both the parameter and temp...