Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

  I recently hosted a pool cleaning equipment webinar on Skype for the group members. Here is the edited webinar with slides and video clips for you. Glen, the creator of the Bottom Feeder dropped in and spent some time talking about the Bottom Feeder and future updates! I cover everything from your leaf rake to vacuum systems in this talk.   I am in a unique position where I started doing weekly pool service back in 1988 and from this point have used various pool nets, poles, and cleaning equipment so I have become a default expert in what I consider to be the best equipment.   Here is a summary of the cleaning equipment I like. You can find most of these at your local pool store or wholesale supplier but here are some links to them and manufacturer websites for quick reference.   Everyday  use gloves for chemical handling: G& F 6 PAIRS Men's Working Gloves with Micro-Foam Coating - Garden Gloves Texture Grip: https://amzn.to/3r57bez   Cold...

About a year ago I tested and filmed two Aiper cleaners, one very similar to this one but with a traditional cord. The other Aiper cleaner was a compact battery-operated unit which I think lacked cleaning time and didn’t have great programming. The Aiper Seagull 3000 is like a combination of these two cleaners and I think this time around Aiper got it right. The Seagull 3000 is a cordless type cleaner since it has a floating battery and an 8ft cord attached to that so technically it is not entirely cordless. The floating battery gives this cleaner plenty of power and a 2 hour cleaning time so it is a good compromise in my opinion. Note that the battery cord is only 8 feet 2” in length to the maximum depth of a pool you can use this in is 8 ft. So it is designed for a small to the medium pool and with the 2 hour run time you couldn’t effectively use it in a large pool anyway.   The Seagull 3000 utilizes a built-in, rechargeable, 7800mAh Battery so the 2-hour run time is accurat...

The pHin started in 2014 as a concept when these smart pool monitors were first coming online. They were a $7 million start-up and the pHin began to dominate the market. This caused ripples in the industry and many pool pros were worried that these smart pool monitors would replace them one day. Fast forward to Dec 20th, 2021, and the pHin is now discontinued and in all intents and purposes a paperweight now. Here is the email from Hayward about the shutdown of pHin: Dear David, Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to end the pHin service on December 20, 2021, and close the pHin business. We are grateful to the customers who were so supportive of pHin. We understand this news is abrupt and would like to help provide answers to your questions. Please note that your subscription to pHin has expired and is completed and you will not be charged for a renewal or any further charges from pHin.   Will I still be able to use my pHin? No, the service will no longer be ava...

Sutro recently came out with their Pro app and a program for builders and pool service professionals to link multiple Sutro devices into the app so you can monitor your customer’s accounts with the Sutro Smart Monitor. This app allows you to install a Sutro at a customer’s pool and monitor Free Chlorine, pH and Alkalinity, and water temperature via Wifi or LTE over the internet and allows you to see these readings anywhere where you have an internet connection. The applications of this are that if you do startups the Sutro will take 3 readings per day for you and this will help with any warranty requirements from the builder. Since the Sutro will take the FC, pH, and ALK (and Temperature) – four test factors of the Saturation Index, if you are computing the LSI at this pool all you will need is the Calcium Hardness reading and CYA at the initial fill and the Sutro will monitor the rest for you as long as it remains in the pool.  If you are a builder you can offer the Sutro to your ...

 I have been using the Taylor Test kits almost from day one when I started pool service back in the late 1980s and early '90s. One thing that sets Taylor apart from many other kits is the number of test factors their K-2000 kits can perform. You can do Free Chlorine & Combined Chlorine, Total Alkalinity, pH with acid demand and base demand, Calcium Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid.  As in the podcast, I suggest one of these three test kits for professional and homeowner use (you can also purchase the version in Spanish and one that does salt or salinity level testing): K-2005* (Spanish : K-2005S*) Complete-high (uses DPD): chlorine 1–10 ppm; bromine 2–20 ppm; pH 7.0–8.0; acid & base demand; total alkalinity; calcium hardness; cyanuric acid; .75 oz. bottles K-2005-SALT* Same tests as K-2005, plus a test for sodium chloride. Available in a case pack of six (K-2005-SALT-6) K-2006* (Spanish : K-2006S*) Complete-high (uses FAS-DPD): chlorine 1 drop = 0.2 or 0.5 ppm; pH 7.0–8.0; ...

Emaux is a leader in the industry in equipment manufacturing in Europe and Asia and they are making strides into the USA. Raypak recently teamed up with them and if you order the Raypak Above ground cartridge filter it is manufactured by Emaux. The design of their filters is simple and practical which makes them very user-friendly.   A cartridge filter has many advantages over D.E and Sand and the CF filter series come in a range of sizes from 25 sq ft to 200 sq ft. You will find the compact design perfect for any equipment pad. I would say that these filters are perfect for above-ground pools and a small inground pool, 10,000 gallons or less.  The CF Series filters come with a UV-resistant tank and a heavy-duty ring-lock lid which allows easy cleaning and replacement of the cartridge element. Also, there is a screw-type air bleeder for easy removal of trapped air inside the filter tank. The high-quality oil-filled pressure gauge is provided for easy inspection of the operatin...

Adding salt to your pool seems like an easy task but there are some things you need to know before you dump in a few 40 lbs bags. The first thing of course is does the pool needs salt added. It sounds simple enough but it needs answering first. Chapter Marks: 00:00 What to Expect In this Video 00:57 Intro in Saltwater pools 2:00 Systems that read Salt Level 2:58 False Salt Reading 4:14 Digital Salinity Meter Test 8:12 Non-functioning unit 9:30 New builds 14:20 Non-salt pool Here are some reasons why you should add salt: Digital meter shows salt level under 3000 ppm Water temperature is over 60 degrees F The pool surface is over 60 days old (new build or remodel) The saltwater cell is clean and functioning You have a saltwater generator on your equipment Here are some reasons when you should not add salt: You do not have a saltwater generator attached to your pool equipment The salt cell is dirty The system is showing low salt – built-in salinity monitor The pool plaster is fresh, under...

  The Jacuzzi J-D300 and the Splash Seahawk are essentially the same cleaners, just branded for different outlets. The J-D300 is sold exclusively at Leslie’s pool supply and  you can find the Seahawk on other sites. The cleaner works surprisingly well and you can keep it running in your pool for several years with part changes here and there.   There is a one-year warranty on the cleaner and I doubt if any of the parts will wear out or break in that first year of use. The diaphragm is not a warranty part and that will likely wear out in 1 year to 18 months. When that happens you would use the Zodiac Diaphragm listed here.   Replacement Diaphragm: Item No. 763276 Manufacturer SKU: WBAPC021 https://lesliespool.com/right-fit-replacement-diaphragm-for-baracuda-g3-g4-pool-cleaners/763276.html   In my opinion, this is a good cleaner for $200 and it tends to go on sale during the season. As far as changing parts I think they made it over complicated. When I f...