Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Picking the best of anything is wide open for debate and picking just one pool filter as the best for every pool is nearly impossible. Since filters vary by region the choice of the best pool filter will also be very regional. For example, I love the Pentair Quad D.E. filter but if you are in an area where very large amounts of dirt in the pool are common you will not think the Pentair Quad D.E. filter is the best. If you have a 12,000-gallon pool the new AquaStar Pipeline filter may be the best filter for you, but if you have a 35,000-gallon pool maybe not.  Each of the three filter types is vastly different in how they work but they all essentially do the same job. D.E. is always going to give you the best filtration with cartridge a close 2nd and sand a distant 3rd. But a sand filter makes up for that is how easy it is to maintain and operate whereas a D.E. filter can be a real pain.  D.E. Filters Best filtration down to 3-5 microns Uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) or Perlite...

Picking the best salt system is very tricky. I like a lot of them from the Jandy TruClear to the Circupool RJ Series. THE CMP (owned by Jandy now) is great! The Ichlor is not bad either and Pentair seems to have fixed all of the initial issues.  I default to what is best for your pool rather than push a brand. If you have a pool of 30,000-40,000 gallons the Circupool RJ Series or the CMP and even the IntelChlor IC60 would be good choices. But if you have a pool of 20,000 gallons or less the Jandy TruClear would be a great fit.  Of course, I am all for making things easy so if you have a Pentair Intelichlor cell and want to upgrade, the iChlor would be easy and fit in the same spot without any replumbing needed. You can even use the same power unit or if it is attached to automation you can just purchase the cell only (with the special retrofit union). If you have a Jandy Aqaupure cell you can purchase the TruClear with the unions and it will fit right in the same area that you...

 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. The owner Reggie is always making changes to improve his product and I must say the new 2023 version is the best yet. Some new features are updated material, a thicker rub area (the color portion of the bag), and a much more robust cord lock. The cord lock is now designed to lock in the rope in two locations and to lock it in extremely tight. If the previous version allowed for a bag to sometimes come loose and be blown off (so frustrating) this new design will not have that issue.  So you will sacrifice some fine dust cleanup when you use these bags but overall you will gain a longer-lasting bag. If you are currently using a 100-micron bag you will not notice much difference going to the 120-micron bag (MX-120). If you are using a 200-micron bag, I would suggest trying the MX-140 which is 140 microns and will give you the sa...

I was around when the 1st generation of robotic pool cleaners hit the market. They were dumb, hard to clean, and unreliable at best. And very expensive. But a lot has changed in 15 years and today’s robotic pool cleaners are smart. Easy to clean, very reliable, and affordable.  Let’s touch on the first big change, robotic pool cleaners used to just go back and forth in a mindless pattern. A lot like the Kreepy Krauly bouncing type suction side cleaners. If the pool got cleaned you were lucky that day. Today robotic cleaners have mapping technology and gyroscopes so they can clean a pool very efficiently by scanning and mapping the pool. With the gyroscope, the cleaner always knows where it is in the pool, whether it be the deep end, the step area, or the waterline.  The older robots were hard to clean out because they had a cloth debris bag on the bottom which was awkward to clean and very time-consuming. I call them “robot diapers” and if you have ever cleaned one you will se...

 Cleaning a salt cell is part of regular maintenance for a Saltwater pool. As the cell plate gets calcium build-up on it the salt production will drop and sometimes stop completely. I have cleaned just about every salt system out there and the CircuPool is an easy one to clean if you use its cell stand. CircuPool Cell Cleaning Stand: https://www.circupool.com/CircuPool%C2%AE-Cleaning-Stand-for-CircuPool-RJ-Plus-Universal-and-Si-Systems_p_94.html Expected Maintenance After the system has run for a time, your cell will eventually need to be cleaned due to natural mineral scaling. The system will notify you of this by turning on the “Cell Maint.” light. When illuminated, follow the cleaning instructions below under "Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell".The frequency of cleaning depends on your water chemistry and the Saturation Index of the water. For most people, cleaning is only necessary a handful of times per season. The more rapid mineral build-up is a sure sign of a chronically...

Which is the best Variable Speed (VS) swimming pool pump? I do have my preferences for sure but nailing down the best VS pool pump and saying there is a legitimate winner is like trying to pick the best SUV or best full-size truck. Each has its pros and cons and I think the best way to pick the best VS pump is to think of it as, “the best VS pump for your situation.”  If your pool equipment pad runs off of 115V (120V) then the best VS pump for you will be one that matches your old 1 hp pump. Let me unpack this for you a bit more. VS pumps feature Dual Voltage which means that the pump will automatically recognize if your equipment is running off of 115V or 230V and modulate the voltage. If you install say a 2.7 THP Hayward TriStar VS pump on a 115V equipment pad, it will modulate the voltage to 115V but it will also downgrade the total horsepower to around 1.85 THP. So why pay extra for a 2.7 or 3 THP VS pump when a 1.5 or 1.65 THP pump will suffice? To make things even more compli...

Advantage Manufacturing is the leading manufacturer of swimming pool service carts and portable filtration carts. From time to time they make some pretty cool custom carts like this one for the Bottom Feeder Vacuum. Why would you need a cart for the Bottom Feeder as it weighs about 12 lbs in total? To carry everything back to the stop with you as well as the Bottom Feeder.  This was their first generation cart and you can special order the cart with the tray to hold the Bottom Feeder higher up. That way you can also put an empty HASA case in the bottom to carry back your chemicals. This one has the vacuum hose handle on it so I just simply put the Bottom Feeder on it when I want to take other chemicals back to the pool. But you can special order the bottom Feeder Cart to fit your needs.  You can reach Advantage Manufacturing at 800-636-8866 and if you talk to Eben he will set you up with the Bottom Feeder cart usually in less than 48 hours. Here is a look at their standard ser...

 These prediction episodes are for sure hit and miss as it is hard to account for future events that are of course unpredictable. So here is a shot at predicting the 2023 swimming pool season at the end of 2022. Will chemical costs come down? There are more factors driving costs up than just supply and demand. It would be great if that was the only factor and all it would take in 2023 but there are labor costs, inflation, and possible strikes to consider. We have to factor in labor and fuel costs which generally go up each year and not down. Inflation in the industry has been a big issue and I think we will see a leveling off in 2023. It can’t go much higher right? But higher fuel and labor costs will probably keep prices up. Will there be a slight pullback? Maybe in some areas like the 3” trichlor tablets. With leftover supplies from 2022 and the BioLab factory back online, I would assume trichlor prices would see a decline. Maybe not back to pre-2020 levels but off the highs of 2...

  The T-Bar Mount is designed for pool service professionals who wish to connect two service carts to their trucks at the same time. The T-Bar mount is a great way to take your service truck to the next level.   It’s easy to mount and will only take you mere minutes to set up.   The T-Bar mount can be ordered directly from Adnatange Manufacturing for $499.00 All you need is a standard Class III Receiver mounted to the bottom of your truck.   To order the T-Bar mount:  https://www.advantageman.com/product_p/t-bar-mount.htm   I would suggest the Hitch Tightener Anti Rattle Stabilizer found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JDD8L3H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1   This will help stabilize any service cart mount that you add to the T-Bar. I also have a piece of wood taped on between the T-Bar Mount and my truck bumper to eliminate all wobble. Wobble is bad for the carts as it will wear down the hitch over time. ...

 Emaux Volumetric Sand Filter is probably one of the most unique Sand filters on the market today. It uses a unique design allowing it to maintain a small footprint while delivering a larger filtration area.  ULTIMATE FILTER PERFORMANCE One-piece blow-molded tank combining the technology of structurally engineered high-density polyethylene material manufactured to maximize the strength of the filter. It is perfectly suited for all pools with different disinfection systems (Salt chlorinator, Ozone, UV, and chemical dosing). The Volumetric Filter is engineered for the best clarity of filtered water and an outstanding pressure standard among the market benchmarks. The filter incorporates a multiport valve manufactured from robust components to create the most efficient, reliable, and user-friendly filter with the best value-for-money positioning in the market.. Tank Material:HDPE Max operating pressure 58 psi / 4.0 bar Max temperature of 50°C (122°F) 6-way clamp style multiport v...

Working forever should not be your game plan. Yet almost 40% of self-employed individuals have no retirement plan. The question is, do you have a plan and if not when were you planning to start? The earlier the better. Real Estate is how we have been investing for the past 21 years. We don’t flip the houses but keep them and rent them out. I have been a landlord in Southern California since 2001 giving me over 20 years of experience. I have done everything from eviction and fighting with the city planning/code enforcement department to removing a dead body. Being a landlord takes some getting used to and you do need to have some people skills.  Real estate offers many key benefits and here are a few: 1) The tenants are paying off the mortgage for you. 2) You get a great tax write-off with rental real estate 3) Your asset will grow at the rate of inflation or above that rate. 4) It’s relatively safe and you have a tangible physical asset 5) After 30 years or sooner you wil...

We are lucky enough to keep our pools open and uncovered all Winter. Or unlucky enough I suppose. The cold weather adds another wrinkle to pool service and besides freezing out there in the mornings, pool care in the winter months is a whole other ballgame. I’ll start with the nice things about the winter months. No one is paying much attention to their pools so if you can keep them reasonably clean that is usually good enough. It gets dark early so people tend to forget about their backyard entirely. You also use less chlorine because with cold water these are the months you can recoup your chemical costs. Maybe 1 gallon of liquid chlorine per month and 1 3” tablet will get you by with most pools.  Now the bad news. It’s cold out there! Your truck heater is your new best friend. Wearing the proper gloves is essential. I like the Atlas 772 Nitrile Coated Gloves which as 25-inch-long and will protect your hands from the cold water while emptying the skimmer basket and cleaning the p...

If you use the industry standard quart bottles on your pool route transporting them to your stops on the Riptide SL Cart has gotten even easier. These quart bottles are popular with companies like United Chemical, Boi-Dex, Applied Bio Chemicals, and many more. Plus a lot of service techs like to carry a squirt bottle of dish soap mixed with water to spray the pool surface to cut down the surface glare.  You can add as many as 4 of the Quart Bottle Holders to the Riptide which is a great way to bring back the industry-standard Quart Bottles and Spray Bottles to your stops. You can also transport up to 5 Tri-Chlor Tablets back with you in one of the holders.  QUART BOTTLE/TAB HOLDER $30.00 each https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/quart-bottle-tab-holder One thing to note is that the bottles fit in tight. If you are testing out the Quart Bottle Holder when it is not mounted on the Riptide SL vacuum you may think it does not fit. But it will fit just fine o...

  With the crazy inflation and of course the crazy price hikes at businesses because of this, is there a ceiling we can reach in the pool service industry? Can we reach a point where weekly pool service is priced out of the market? The answer is not a simple yes or no but how your services are perceived. Are you an essential service that the homeowner is willing to pay for? I used the example of the $19.00 burger special from a new local burger place. That is almost twice the price of similar restaurants in my area. I am afraid to say that customers are not lining up for a cheeseburger, fries, and a medium drink for $19.00. That is more than the price of most fancy restaurants that have burgers on the menu. They are priced out of the market in my opinion and good luck to them as a $19.00 burger special does not fit the category of an “essential meal.” Most consumers will look for the price point in the middle. I do the same thing when I am calling around to establish a new serv...

 David Sargent, President of Riptide has numerous years of product design and development under his belt. He is well-versed in CAD and has an understanding of many different manufacturing processes. After spending some time with other pool cleaners he was determined to make a better product and poured his heart and soul into developing the Riptide Pool Vacuum System.  Dave goes over the finer details of the Riptide SL for you in this short video from the Western Pool & Spa Show. The Riptide Pool Vacuum System made its debut in late 2016. Since then, it has gone through several transformations. The Riptide Circa 2021 is the finest version yet and it is packed with so many updated features it should have been called the Riptide SL 2.0. Listen as David Sargent President goes over some of the features for you in person.  Here are some of the great updated features: High Torque Motor (uses rare earth magnets) High Torque Motor- Our new High Torque motor utilizes rare earth...

I’ve been out in the field since 1988 servicing pools. Over those years I have seen a lot of odd things happen out there. Some are just perplexing. Others are downright deadly.  Ever clean a D.E. filter and then arrive the next week to a major algae outbreak? Wait a minute. I thought cleaning the filter would prevent that. I asked chemistry expert Bob Lowry about this phenomenon a while back and he said that the Diatomaceous Earth itself was the issue. Huh? It seems that one component of D.E. is dead algae. So D.E. contains algae. That would explain why after cleaning a D.E. filter you may experience an algae outbreak.  What I have been doing after cleaning a D.E. filter and recharging it is to bring the chlorine level up to a higher level to prevent this. But sometimes even then algae will form in a newly cleaned D.E. filter. Switching to Perlite will of course prevent this and I don’t see this too often with other filter types.  I will cover the dangerous things that I ...

 The “No Drain” pool water purification process has pretty much been perfected by Pool Water Purification Products. They can filter an entire pool without losing only about 20% of the water. Pool Water Purification manufactures completely mobile, self-contained pool water recycling trailers and they offer this as an as true Turn Key business opportunity. Basically, you purchase a trailer and you are in business (of course the rigs are not cheap costing $150,000 plus). To learn more:  https://www.poolwaterpurificationproducts.com/ The Process: The Pool Water Purification System is a totally mobile, self-contained unit that generates its own electrical energy to drive two large electric pumps. These pumps serve thirteen large filter membranes that can filter the contamination from your swimming pool water.  This entire process is completed with less than a twenty percent (20%) loss of processed water.  As a result, all unwanted contaminants can be reduced to acceptable...

 Reaching my 1,000th podcast episode is truly a milestone and it could not have been done without all of the loyal listeners who tune in each week! Having crossed over the 1,000-episode threshold with  1,100,000 downloads at this point you have all made “The Pool Guy Podcast Show” the #1 industry podcast show! To see the list of my 1,000 podcast episodes: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ I cover a wide range of subjects on the podcast show and have interviewed industry experts (In no particular order) Bob Lowry, Harold Evan, Rudy Stankowitz, Terry Arko, Scott Roberts, Ed Barney, Fred Schweer, Chris Marcano, Joe Laurino, Wayne Ivusich & many more. I have also interviewed the owners and reps of many industrial products like the Riptide Pool Vacuum System, and Primate Pool Tools. VacDaddy, PoolRx, CCH Cal Hypo Tablets, Natural Chemistry, Orenda, Skimmer, PSS, Pay the Pool Man, AqauSuite, Culator, LaMotte, Sutro, the Bottom Feeder, and many more.  I also tr...

 There are three main swimming pool filter types that you will find in just about every region of the World. A pool will have either a D.E. Filter, a Cartridge Filter, or a Sand Filter. Depending on your region one of these three filter types will be the most common. It’s no secret that I prefer cartridge filters and there are many good qualities of this filter type with a couple of drawbacks as well. D.E. Filters are the most common filter type. D.E. Filters or Diatomaceous Earth Filters offer the best filtration of the three types. They use a set of grids or cloth cartridges depending on the filter type and a coating of D.E. Powder (Diatomaceous Earth). The D.E. coats the grids and acts as a barrier trapping dirt, debris, algae, and organic particles. This allows a D.E. Filter to filter down to an amazingly low 3 microns. A cartridge filter can filter down to 10-20 microns so a D.E. Filter although superior but not by a real measurable level as far as the eye can tell. A little a...

 The SmarterSpa+ is an even better way to add chlorine to your spa or hot tub and it is of course similar to the SmarterSpa unit I previously reviewed.  It is a great way to convert your spa to salt without any replumbing and it is a plug-and-play device with the added feature of an app control! It takes minutes to mount it and a few more to add the salt and get it up and running. Drop the electrode in and after setting the level you are good to go.  The app works on both an android and iPhone and with the app, you can easily control and set the chlorine output from anywhere with an internet connection (by connecting the SmarterSpa+ to your home's wifi network). It also offers a convenient Bluetooth connection so you as a pool service pro maintaining your customer’s spa can quickly access the app and make any adjustments needed to the SmarterSpa+.  Order on their site and use this code to save 10% at checkout “POOLGUY” https://controlomatic.ecwid.com/ The SmarterSpa+...

Inspecting the pool equipment for leaks and odd sounds is all part of your job out there. Many problems can be headed off with a proper weekly inspection and some potentially catastrophic leaks can be stopped by simply looking for them early. You also can suggest equipment upgrades to your clients if you notice aging filters, pumps, or other equipment. The pool pump can be the highest energy hog in your house, passing your Air Conditioner and Refrigerator just by the sheer amount of hours it runs each day. If you have a 1 ½ or 2 HP pump installed and you run it 8 hours per day, not to get into complicated conversions of kWh (Kilowatt Hours) and how you are charged each month by your Electric Company, just imagine it as having on Twenty 100 watt light bulbs every hour it is running. That is a lot of electricity each day and if your bill is tiered by usage, meaning the more you use the more you are charged, your bill can get very high very quickly. On average a pool pump will be about 40...

One of the things about owning a Vacuum System is that the replacement bag cost can add up over the course of the year. If you purchase only OEM bags you are looking at anywhere from $35-$50 per bag. This is where the after-market vacuum bag can save you hundreds of dollars each year and still provide the quality and durability you are looking for.  You are not sacrificing quality or microns over price when you switch to the Clear Pool Bag. These bags are handmade in Mexico and if you have been in the industry since early 2000 you know that Mexico was once the hub of great pool products. The quality of these bags is excellent and they are available in micron sizes of 90, 200, and 400. They also have a mesh Green Pool Bag available for those big clean-up projects. Order here: https://clearpoolproducts.com/product/clear-pool-bag-400-micron-bag-slate?v=f24485ae434a You can also buy in bulk and save even more money. To order in bulk: http://bulkpoolbags.com/ These bags feature a univer...

 Black algae is a plague of the pool industry. Like the black death in Europe well, probably not that bad, but still, it is sometimes death to the pool, especially a large outbreak. There are some ways to cure and treat black algae and I will outline the steps here for you.  First, you have to find out if it is black algae or maybe something else like copper staining. The best way to accomplish this is with the use of a 3” trichlor tablet. If you can reach the spot you can rub the tablet over it and if the spot lightens or disappears it is more than likely black algae. If you can’t reach it or if you have a lot of spots on the walls of the pool, a tablet holder is a great option for you. This Algae Gone Tablet holder is a great tool: https://amzn.to/3y3bdH7 After you confirm it is black algae now we must treat it. Since the heads on black algae act as a protective barrier, brushing off the heads is step one. A good 5-6” Stainless Steel Algae brush is a good option. I like the ...