Best Swimming Pool Filter of 2023

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 to coat the grids

Quad cartridge-type filter and Perflex (Bump Filters) are available 

Backwashing in between cleanings is a plus

Cleaning them can be a real pain

Cities may fine you up to $10,000 for D.E. on the street

Cartridge Filters

Filter down to 10-20 microns

Easy to clean – simply take the lid off and hose them off

Bigger is better and the 4-cartridge types are my preferred version

Can’t backwash in between cleaning

Offer the largest filtration area in square feet. 

Easy to maintain

Sand Filters:

Filter down to 30-40 microns

Easy to use

Backwash when PSI goes up by 10 PSI from clean PSI

No need to take apart and clean

Sand can last for years and sometimes over a decade

Can have water quality issues due to the inability to filter down to a finer micron

Preferred filter for Commercial application and dirt-prone areas

Overall I think the filter size is a bigger factor in water quality than the filtration type. Here is a good example of this from my pool route. A customer had a 25,000-gallon pool with a 36 sq ft D.E. filter on it. We upgraded his D.E. filter with a 420 sq. ft. cartridge filter. The flow had increased so dramatically that we had to divert half of the return flow to the attached spa so that the pool wasn’t like swimming in the ocean! The flow increased dramatically and all the issues I had with the pool disappeared overnight. So upgrading to a larger filter can really move the needle if your pool is experiencing water quality issues.

So how would you get a good size comparison between the three filter types? I think you have to work off of a ballpark figure since all of them filter the water in a different way. Here is the best guess chart for you:

36 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 200 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 150-200 lbs. Sand Filter

48 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 320 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 250-300 lbs. Sand filter

60 sq. ft. D.E. Filter is equal to a 420 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 350-400 lbs. Sand Filter

100 sq. ft. Quad D.E. Filter is equal to a 520 sq. ft. Cartridge Filter and 450-500 lbs. Sand Filter

Since a D.E. Filter uses Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) the filtration area is very small but highly effective. In fact, D.E. Filters can filter down to 3-5 microns making it the best filtration as far as microns go. A Cartridge Filter can filter down to just 15-20 microns and a Sand Filter down to 30-40 microns. So if you are just comparing filters by how well they filter down D.E. is the winner. If you are looking at the sheer filtration area then the Cartridge Filter is the clear winner. With filtration areas of over 500 sq. ft. nothing compares to it. But since it uses a cloth basically to filter, even though the surface area is greater it doesn’t filter as efficiently as a D.E. Filter.

For ease of use, a Sand Filter can’t be beaten. All you need to do when it gets dirty is backwash it and of course, change the sand every few years. But you don’t need to take it apart and clean it every few months, nor do you need to recharge it every time you backwash it. The sand that is in their stays in there and you couldn’t ask for an easier filter to maintain. If you are looking mainly for ease of use then a Sand Filter should be your first choice.

Each filter type has its good points and drawbacks. There probably is no perfect choice but if you go with the largest filter for your pool based on the gallons of water, the better off you will be. The larger filter allows for a better flow rate, better overall filtration, and better water quality. Although the upfront cost may be more it will pay for itself over the years in time and fewer chemicals used to maintain your pool. Think about the time you will save with a larger filter in cleaning the filter and also the energy cost as you can run the pool less with a larger filter. And finally, with a larger filter, you will not struggle to keep the chemistry balanced and therefore will use less shock and algaecide over the years.  So a larger filter is a win-win across the board.

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The Best Salt System for Your Swimming Pool of 2022

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 your old cell came out of. You will need the new power unit however so it is not exactly plug-and-play like the Pentair iChlor.

I like the Jandy TruClear because it is affordable and more importantly the replacement cell is under $500. It also has a nice clear plastic top that will allow you to see if the cell plates have calcium buildup and you can also check to see if chlorine is being produced by the way of bubbles bouncing around the top of the clear window.   It does not have a salinity meter which means you will have to purchase a digital salt meter. Not a major drawback. 

You don't save any money when you convert to a salt pool. It cost a lot more than using Chlorine or Bleach in your pool. Factor in the cost of the unit plus installation, say $1,500, and then a new salt cell every 3-5 years at $500, and the salt to start at $150 and you’re looking at over $2,000 for the first 5 years. And this is a low estimate in some regards.  You would have to spend over $400 a year on chlorine to match that number. Typically, you are not spending over $100-$200 a season for your chlorine.

 I am pretty honest about the true benefit of a saltwater system, the fact that it adds chlorine to the pool without you having to do anything. This means no more trips to the pool store for shock or liquid chlorine. It is a great time saver for sure. But for me, that is the only benefit.

With that said, a saltwater system is a preference. And if you can absorb the cost of the system and don't mind the extra overall cost of a salt pool, then it is the way to go. I mean who wants to add tablets and liquid chlorine or shock every week to their pool? With a Saltwater Generator connected to your pool equipment, you can set it and forget it. Of course, there is some maintenance required like cleaning the salt cell, making sure the salt level is good, and setting the output to the correct setting to chlorinate your pool, but for the most part, it is much easier than trying to maintain a steady chlorine reading during the season by manually adding chlorine to the pool.

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Mako Vacuum System Bags Updated for 2023

 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 same durability plus a better micron rating. The “Standard” bag is 80 microns and a great choice for my area where we get light leaf debris and fine dirt. These 3 bags are the best sellers and I think they are the perfect micron rating. 

These bags feature a convenient updated drawstring lock that is a universal fit to all vacuum systems. The bags will work on the Riptide, Bottom Feeder, Hammer-Head, and Power Vac as well as any Leaf Baggers and Leaf Master. The universal fit is great if you own more than one vacuum system as you can easily interchange the bags between the systems. At one point Mako bags were making the bags for the Bottom Feeder Vacuum before Unicel started to make the bags. So you know you are getting a manufacturer-level product in these bags. 

Reggie the owner makes the bags here in Florida and is well-known in the pool industry. His bags have always been top-notch and if you have any issues with them he is happy to help you. You can order directly from their site at: https://makobag.com/

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A Brief History of Robotic Pool Cleaners with Sean McDermott of BWT

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 see that this description is accurate. The new robotic cleaners with few exceptions are top loading and the debris canisters are very easy to clean. Simply pop them out of the top and hose them off. This makes them much more appealing and they are fun to clean now.

Unreliable is a good word to describe the early generation of robotic pool cleaners. The seals were not that great, and water would eventually work its way into the motor, rendering the cleaner useless. Today the seals are so good you can leave the cleaner in a pool all week long and some of the seals are so good that they are rated for a 10-year lifespan. Robotic cleaners are much more reliable today and most are backed by a 2-year, 3 years, and even 4-year warranty. 

BWT is trying to break into the US market and technically they have always been in the US market under the Aqaubot brand name. BWT is the new parent company of Aquatron which was part of Aquabot for years. There was a messy split of Aqaubot when Fluidra bought Zodiac Pool Systems. In a nutshell, since Fluidra owned Aqaubot the European trade union wanted the company sold so Fluidra would not have a monopoly in the European market. Aqaubot consisted of two companies at that time, Aquatron and AquaProducts. Fluidra kept the AquaProducts line of cleaners and Aquatron was sold to BWT. BWT took the Aqautron robotic line and redesigned most of those cleaners. The confusing part of all of this is that BWT owns the Aquabot name even though it no longer contains many of the well-known cleaners like the T4, T2, and Aqaubot classic. It’s a bit confusing and BWT is going to move away from the Aqaubot name in the coming years. 

I’ve tested two of the new BWT cleaners and they do remind me of Aqaubot in the golden years. The RC60 and Cosmy are two solid cleaners and as they become more available in the US they will become popular choices. The RC60 is a powerful robotic cleaner that features a very fine top-loading debris chamber that will capture very fine dirt as well as leaf debris. The Cosmy is a very light cleaner weighing just 12 lbs but with the features of a larger robotic cleaner. To learn more about both of these you can watch my review videos.

BWT Cosmy the Bot 250 -Clean Your Pool In Style! Compact, Light-Weight, and Smart!: https://youtu.be/rOwFnGO6luc

BWT RC60 Robotic Pool Cleaner - App Control, Transport Caddy & Amazing 4D Fine Filtration! https://youtu.be/MmJ5py-4_Uo

Sean McDermott Director of Sales BWT US

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-mcd-bwt/

BWT’s social media profiles include:

https://www.facebook.com/BWTPoolus

https://www.instagram.com/bwtpoolus/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bwt-pool-us

https://www.bwt.com/en/shop/Pool-Garden/

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eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Cleaning a CircuPool RJ Series Salt Cell

 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 high Saturation Index; imbalanced chemistry can cause scaling to occur quite rapidly. Consult a pool professional for additional help.

Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell

Once substantial deposits have built up on the titanium plates in the Cell, the “Cell Maint.” light will illuminate, and the mineral scaling must be removed. To do so, follow these steps: Important precautions: When cleaning the Cell always wear adequate protection, such as rubber gloves and eye protection. Always add acid to water, do not add water to acid. Always work in a well-ventilated area. Splashing or spilling acid can cause severe personal injury and/or property damage. Before removing the Cell for cleaning or replacement:

1) Turn off all power to all pool equipment, and close supply line valves if

applicable.

2) Unplug the Cell cable connecting the Cell to the Control Module.

3) Disconnect the Cell by unscrewing the Threaded Collars around the

PVC unions where the Cell attaches to the return line plumbing.

4) Remove the entire Cell from between the unions. DO NOT pull or hold

the Cell by its cable.

MAINTENANCE

Cleaning the Electrolytic Cell (Continued)

To clean the Cell of mineral buildup:

1) Attach Cleaning Cap or Cleaning Stand (sold separately, available at www.circupool.com) and orient the Cell vertically. Place on the ground and stabilize to remain upright and prevent spilling.

2) In a separate bucket, mix one part of muriatic acid into four parts of water. Pour this weak acid solution directly into Cell. Ensure that the cleaning solution fills the inside of the Cell.

3) Allow the solution to soak for no more than fifteen minutes.

4) Properly dispose of the acid solution, and use a hose to generously flush any remaining debris out of the Cell.

5) Look inside the cell to check that no debris or scaling remains. Repeat steps 2-4 if necessary.

6) Reinstall Cell into the PVC return line.’

Note: if you don’t currently have a Cleaning Cap, you can completely immerse the cell body in a five-gallon bucket. For instructions, see the guides listed under www.circupool.com/help. Note: If the mineral build-up is severe, more than one cleaning may be necessary to dissolve the remaining solids. Inspect cell plates closely with a bright light after cleaning. If you see any remaining scaling, debris, or physical blockages through Cell, repeat the cleaning process as needed. If “Cell Maint.” comes back on soon after cleaning, verify salinity and system cell version setting, then clean the cell again. 

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The Best VS Swimming Pool Pump of 2023!

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 complicated let's say you have a Jandy Aqualink automated system and you want to replace your single-speed pump with a VS pump. I highly suggest that you go with a Jandy VS pump and not even consider Hayward or Pentair. Not because a Jandy VS pump is better, but because it is logical to match the VS pump to the same brand automation. Just like if you were remodeling your kitchen and you purchased a stainless steel LG oven, LG microwave, and an LG refrigerator it would make sense to get an LG Dishwasher. If you have a Hayward or Pentair automation the same concept applies, go with a Hayward VS pump or a Pentair VS pump respectively. 

Let me step back to the THP of the VS pump and say you do not have an automated system. Matching your existing pump HP with a VS pump's THP is a pretty good rule of thumb. If you are replacing a 1 hp single-speed pump you can easily go with a 1 THP. 1.5 THP or 1.65 THP Vs pump. If you have a 1.5 hp single-speed pump you can go with a 1.5 THP, 1.65 THP, or a 1.85 THP VS pump. If you have a 2 hp single-speed pump you can go with a 2.7 THP or 3 THP VS pump. In the first two examples, a Pentair Superflo VST could be the best choice for you. The Pentair Superflo VS is one of my favorites as it is easy to program and very reliable. If you're looking at a 2.7 THP pump you may want to consider Leslie’s Jacuzzi JVS 2.7 THP or a Pentair Intelliflo 3 THP pump. 

I think choosing the best VS pump is situational. And to be perfectly honest all of the major manufacturers make really good VS pumps and it is more or less like choosing an SUV from Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. There isn’t a lot that separates each from one another.

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Bottom Feeder Vacuum Cart - It Exists!

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 service cart: https://www.advantageman.com/category_s/400.htm

Some things I like about the Bottom Feeder cart are of course the fact that you can carry everything back with you to the stop and it makes things very easy. Carrying the Bottom Feeder in one hand is not a real issue but if you are taking a lot back to the stop it can be awkward. The cart just makes your life easy. I also like this configuration because if you decide you need to manually vacuum a pool with your system vac, you can easily put your pool hose onto the cart and load it up with chemicals as well. 

Service carts come in very handy in my opinion and having one for the Bottom Feeder just makes a lot of sense to me. 

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My Predictions for the 2023 Swimming Pool Season

 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 2022. 

Will you need to raise the rates on your clients this coming Summer? More than likely the answer is still a yes because you want to stay ahead of inflation and I think prices again will maybe level off or increase with less severity. I would not advise you to let the foot off the gas when it comes to pricing and you should be going up at least 3-5% every year at the minimum. 

What about shortage? Hopefully, those days are behind us and everything will be in supply. The only real worry is that if we are heading into a Recession, suppliers and retailers might order less inventory thinking that what they have will be plenty to sell. It would be more of a pullback by distributors and not any manufacturing shortages. After all, you wouldn’t want to stock products if no one has the money to buy them look at what happened to Carvana with their overstock of used cars and a stock drop of 97%. No one wants to have too much inventory. 

2023 will look a lot like 2022 in my opinion barring any undue surprises. I along with many wish for some stability in the pool industry. Hopefully, 2023 will bring some of that with leveling off and declining prices, plenty of inventory, and no surprises. 

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Mount Two Pool Service Carts to Your Truck with the T-Bar Mount

 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.

 Several companies make service carts but I think Advantage Manufacturer and T.Dula are the best. With the T-Bar mount, you can connect a popular vacuum system like the Riptide, PowerVac, and Hammer-Head alongside a portable pump cart or a service cart.

If you are serious about servicing pools I highly recommend a service cart. Once you get one you will wonder how you survived without one. It just makes your day that much easier. And the T-Bar Mount is the best way to mount your service carts.

 Also, since every truck has a different height from the receiver to the ground, you may need to have a custom shank made to mount your service cart. You can also purchase a 2 Inch Trailer Hitch Receiver Extension with 4 inch Rise/Drop, Solid Shank:

https://www.amazon.com/HITOWMFG-Trailer-Towing-Receiver-Extension/dp/B081S3R929/ref=sr_1_32?crid=6BAU2OGNL8N8&keywords=truck+receiver+extender&qid=1668812018&sprefix=truck+reciever+extender%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-32

This will allow you to mount your service cart to the T-Bar mount and this will give your cart more clearance from the ground.

 Advantage Manufacturing also makes service carts and portable filtration systems. You can learn more about those on their website: https://www.advantageman.com/category_s/412.htm

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Emaux Volumetric Sand Filter

 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 valve (1.5”MPV07, 2”MPV08)

ABS lateral system

Pressure gauge

Universal standard of union connection

The unique multiport valve design

 allows tool-free maintenance

 and operation

2. 30% higher filtration bed for

 a deeper water filtration, better

 water quality, and less backwash

3. The cover of the drain

 can be used as a tool

 for opening filter parts

4. Hinged clamp allows a 360° rotation

 of the valve to simplify installation and

 plumbing works

5. Innovative T-shaped filter tank is designed

 for better backwashing. Tank in HDPE

 material can withstand higher pressured

 water temperature

6. Double-Layered lateral

 system benefits uniform

 movement of water

 collection and allows

 more complete and

 efficient backwashing

Better Water: 30% more volume of filtration bed among other filters in the market to improve the filtration quality. Less Backwash: The high volume of the filtration bed allows the filter to trap more dirt and as a result, less frequency of backwash is required. User-friendly: Easy to install, maintain and replace. Affordable spare parts are available. High compatibility: The filter and its components are compatible with all different kinds of pool applications. Robust Performance: HDPE filter body provide the best protection under any extreme weather conditions.

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Swimming Pool Pro Retirement Planning Tips

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 will hold it debt-free

6) Rents go up at the rate of inflation.

7) You can draw equity money out when needed with a cash-out refi.

8) You can do a 1031 exchange for a larger property with zero tax implications.

9) Under the right conditions, your rentals can produce cash flow.

 

But you don’t have to do real estate. You can just invest in Roth IRAs, Mutual funds, Investment funds, and other investments of these types that take very little hands-on operation. We just like real estate and the benefits of owning properties debt-free. The key is to find an investment you like and then to consistently put money into it year after year.

As the recent FTX failure showed I would avoid risky investments that promise high rates of return. You don’t need any crazy return on your investment. 8%-10% a year will make you a millionaire over 30 years in very safe investment funds. 

You also need to consider that as you get older your body will start to break down. You can’t service and clean pools forever. One way to extend the life of your service business is what I call Empire Building. Keep acquiring more and more pools and bring on an employee and then keep adding pools and employees until you reach a level where you don’t need to be in the field every day. This could mean 150 pools, 300 pools, or 1,000 or more. 

Working for a company in the industry after you call it quits on your route is another option. Hayward, Pentair, Jandy, and Leslie’s all looking to hire former pool pros. They pay well and you may find the work on the other side of the industry very rewarding. It is something to consider and a way to continue to earn a good income and save on the wear and tear of your body.

A good retirement calculator can be found here:

https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/riq

Just enter your goal and what you already invest and in 2 minutes the site will let you know how you are doing. 

The bottom line is it is never too early or too late to start planning. Start today.

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Cold Weather Pool Care

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 pool. Without these gloves, your fingers will get numb and the mornings will be miserable. 

Coldwater gloves:

https://amzn.to/3EkIX3c

If you have an automated system or a stand-alone VS pump you may notice the pool turning on at odd hours in the night and at unscheduled times. These systems have a Freeze Mode or Freeze Protect Mode so when the air temperature gets below 37 degrees the pump will turn on. This is to prevent the pipes from freezing but in most areas where we do not get freezing temperatures this feature is more of an annoyance. You can’t disable the feature so to prevent the pool from running all the time I suggest switching the pool’s start schedule to the coldest point of the night, usually, Midnight to 8 am. That way the pump is set to run anyway at that time and won’t be running all night and then the regularly scheduled runtime

One thing that we must deal with in the Winter is the weather and the wind and rain can be an issue. The Santa Ana Winds will blow in my area from October through February and these winds can reach gusts up to 60 mph making a real mess of the pools. You need to be very proactive when it comes to leaves and dirt in your pool. The leaves from the wind can easily clog your skimmer and pump basket causing your pump to work very poorly. If left unchecked your pump can even burn out due to a lack of water flow. So be ready to scoop out the leaves and empty the skimmer and pump baskets.

Any dirt that gets in the pool from the wind or rain should be vacuumed out quickly to avoid any staining. If you leave dirt in the pool for long periods, metal in the soil could cause stains on the pool surface. I recommend getting a good automatic cleaner or being ready to manually vacuum your pool when needed. The bottom line is that even though it is the middle of Winter and no one is using the pool, you still need to clean it regularly. Your pool may be dirtier in the Winter than in the Summer in most cases.

If your area gets excessive rain you may notice that the pool may overflow with water. In most cases, the pool water is safe and won’t do any damage if you have sufficient drains around the pool deck. If the water overflows and it looks like it will enter your house or do other types of property damage you will need to get a Sump Pump and have it ready to drain some of the water from the pool.

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Riptide SL Quart Bottle Holders are Here!

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 once they are mounted as it will provide good resistance and you push the bottle in. Some bottles will fit in better than others and some may not go all the way down leaving you an inch or so, but believe me, they will not come out on the road. 

You may also be interested in the Handle Bar organizer as well. 

HANDLEBAR ORGANIZER $ 80.00

https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/handlebar-organizer

The Handlebar Organizer can hold a leaf rake, brush, Taylor test kit, test strips, tools, and whatever else you wish to add to it. This will leave the bins open for chemicals and other pool tools. The organizer has opened up the possibilities with the Riptide SL cart and you can bring some much need supplies back with you now to every stop. 

 

More about the Riptide SL:

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 magnets making it the most powerful vacuum on the market

The cord -the new protective external layer –just feels so solid and durable

Cord Clip – secures the cord to the cart so no more worries of it falling off and dragging on the ground

Stainless steel end plates on the vacuum head

The cart is now e-coated before powder coating & the Transport Rack Is e-coated now too - Electrostatic Coating- All of our powder-coated parts are now electrostatic coated (ecoating) and then powder coated over. This makes the finish of our components much more durable.

Extremely high-quality integrated steering knuckle -Integrated Stainless Steel Steering Knuckle. This allows you to hook any pole directly up to the Riptide vacuum without the need for any adaptors while being effortless to maneuver in the water.

The SL model Riptides now include a Diagnostic/Tool Kit with a battery load tester, the load tester is essential for quickly determining battery condition.

The bags now have a different ring color to differentiate different microns.

The bags (100 Micron and below) are double layers now this feature is making the bags last much longer.

25 Micron Bag available (specialty dust bag) this bag can eliminate the need to system vac a pool with a dust problem.

The updated Riptide SL is the most durable vacuum system on the market today. The shell is backed by a 10-year warranty, the added steel plates to the vacuum head sides, the stainless steel knuckle, and the new beefed-up cord make it designed to last! The cart and transport rack has been given a stronger paint job thanks to the new Electrostatic coating!

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Is Their a Price Ceiling in the Pool Service Industry?

 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 service for my business. I’ve called electricians and asked for a bid for a job and more or less I expect some low bids, some high bids, and some bids in between those. So which bid do I accept? I toss out the low bid as being too cheap and maybe there is a good reason for that but maybe not. I look at the top bid and see why it is so high over the others. If there is no reasonable explanation I toss that one out as well. Then I am left with two or three middle bids. These are the ones I look at closely to see which I will accept. And I think this is how most people do things as well.

So what is too high for weekly pool service? It all depends again on if you are perceived as essential to the homeowner. Can they do the pool themselves? This requires time and a level of skill. They will also be faced with inflated chemical costs at the local pool store as pool chemicals are no longer dirt cheap. Gone are the days of $85.00 buckets of 3” Tri-Chlor Tablets, $2.50 liquid chlorine, and cheap Cal-Hypo. T

Most pool owners will want to protect their investment with a pool service professional taking care of their pool. It cost on average $60,000 to $80,000 in my area to put an average-size pool in (In-Ground pool). With that much invested in your pool, most people do not want to mess that up by trying to do things themselves. If you had a $90,000 Porche you probably are not changing your oil. Same with the cost of a backyard pool, now pool service is worth it.

 

In that same vein, pool service is still lower priced than the inflation rate. If you look at the average rate 3 years ago in my area it was right around $100.00. Gas was about $3.00 a gallon. The average car payment in 2019 was $500. Now that is pushing $700. The typical mortgage payment is up 40% from just one year ago. Raising your service rates from $100 to $150 over that same 3-year period is a 30% increase. Gas has gone up 50%, the cost of a new car is up 30%, and as stated your monthly mortgage payment has gone up a whopping 40%! A 30% increase is more than acceptable over 3 years in this day and age of runaway inflation.

But there may be a ceiling like with the $19.00 burger special. Some sign that your pricing has reached the ceiling is that you are no longer landing as many bids. Maybe half the bids or less that you landed last year. Customers may cancel service for no reason but I suspect a lower-priced company has moved into your area. It’s kind of a hard place to be in when you can’t control the cost of your business and you can’t keep prices at a point where you are not making a profit. It is a fine line that has gotten much finer due to the crazy inflation inside the pool industry.

 

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Riptide SL Overview by Riptide President Dave Sargent

 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 magnets making it the most powerful vacuum on the market

The cord -the new protective external layer –just feels so solid and durable

Cord Clip – secures the cord to the cart so no more worries of it falling off and dragging on the ground

Stainless steel end plates on the vacuum head

The cart is now e-coated before powder coating & the Transport Rack Is e-coated now too - Electrostatic Coating- All of our powder-coated parts are now electrostatic coated (ecoating) and then powder coated over. This makes the finish of our components much more durable.

Extremely high-quality integrated steering knuckle -Integrated Stainless Steel Steering Knuckle. This allows you to hook any pole directly up to the Riptide vacuum without the need for any adaptors while being effortless to maneuver in the water.

The SL model Riptides now include a Diagnostic/Tool Kit with a battery load tester, the load tester is essential for quickly determining battery condition.

The bags now have a different ring color to differentiate different microns.

The bags (100 Micron and below) are double layers now this feature is making the bags last much longer.

25 Micron Bag available (specialty dust bag) this bag can eliminate the need to system vac a pool with a dust problem.

The updated Riptide SL is the most durable vacuum system on the market today. The shell is backed by a 10-year warranty, the added steel plates to the vacuum head sides, the stainless steel knuckle, and the new beefed-up cord make it designed to last! The cart and transport rack has been given a stronger paint job thanks to the new Electrostatic coating!

Let me touch on the cord length choices. I was always a 40 ft cord user and didn’t consider a 60 ft cord much at all. Until of course, I tried a Riptide with a 60 ft cord. The difference is pretty amazing. You can vacuum just about any residential pool from one end. Why is that so good? It just is very convenient. No need to park the cart in the center of a pool.  And never run out of slack on top of that. For commercial pools, it is a must. And it is only $60 more at checkout for the longer cord. I would suggest the 60 ft of cord if you are on the fence about it over the 40 ft cord. 

The new bag design is pretty cool. Each micron is color coded now by a different color rim. So if you carry multiple micron bags you know that the purple is 25 microns and the orange is 100 microns. They are a little harder to get off without the tabs now but it is a trade-off between better bags and the older style. They also are all double bagged making them extremely durable. 

To order a Riptide: https://www.riptidevac.com/

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Some Hidden Dangers at Your Swimming Pool Equipment

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 have experienced so that you can avoid getting injured and possibly killed out there. The most dangerous thing you will run into is when the pool return line is compromised and pressure builds up to dangerous levels in the filter. 

There are a few different ways I have experienced this out on my route. The first time this ever happened to me was due to the customer turning off the pool return by deadheading the line. This usually can’t happen unless there are two failures. One is a poorly designed pool where the return line can be shut off, in my case the water feature and pool return were controlled by one Jandy valve. This can also happen with a pool that has a spa and pool return with one valve controlling both but is less common because a mistake can be seen right away. The second fail point is that the safety tab on the back of the Jandy valve must be broken allowing for the valve to be overturned and deadheading the plumbing. 

In my case, the customer’s son went to turn off the water feature. He turned the valve with some violence and snapped off the safety tab on the back and continued to turn the valve until the “off” portion faced the actual pool return. Thus deadheading the plumbing. Fortunately, I was there the day after the party before the pool turned on. Right, when I turned the pool on I saw the pressure gauge jump to 40 PSI and quickly turned off the system. 

The skyrocketing PSI on the pressure gauge is your only warning in most cases. It goes up from 0 to 30-40 in a matter of 1 second. Like the old WW2 submarine movies where the gauges go crazy when a depth charge hits the sub and water starts flooding a chamber. It’s pretty scary and you only have mere seconds to respond. After that, the filter will likely explode. This can severely injure or kill you. 

Two other occasions were when a heater part broke off and got jammed in the check valve on the return line. Another time debris clogged up the return line at the salt cell after a routine filter cleaning. 

Anytime the return line gets compromised a potentially deadly situation arises. If you can’t safely turn off the timer quickly enough, get far away from the filter and try to find the main circuit breaker, and turn off the pump from there. Never try to turn off the timer if more than 10 seconds have gone by. At that point, the filter could explode at any moment. 

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Pool Water Purification without Draining!

 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 levels. Creating healthy pool water thru Pool Water Purification will assist in the conservation of water, which is good for the environment.  We can enthusiastically say we will save you money on your water bill.

Here is more about the system from the manufacturer.

Get the most bang for your buck by utilizing our new 18’ water purification trailer. This trailer offers a 40-horsepower pump running from 150 to 180 gallons of water per minute at pressures from 425 PSI to 490 PSI, which makes this water filtration system deliver optimum performance, at all times. Our new deep bed sand filter ensures higher volume and flow and the new lightweight hoses are easier to handle. The hose reels are larger and have been moved to the rear of the trailer for easy access. Each hose reel handles a 50’ and 66’ length of hose for a total of 116’ on each real. Using cam locks to attach the hose-to-hose reel makes it much easier to connect, load, and unload the hoses.

This 22’ trailer uses #316 stainless steel plumbing that is designed to withstand 300 psi pressures and up to 200-400 GPM flow rates. With proper use, this is a quality product that will provide years of service.

By studying the environmental aspects that affect pool owners’ pool longevity and the actual pool water makeup, this process extends the life expectancy of pools and enhances the swimming environment to provide a healthier experience.

The processed water is cleaned, disinfected, and softened to make the swimming experience more enjoyable.  This resulting recycled pool water eliminates acid washes, hours of scrubbing tile, and the need to drain pools.

Our system is a scientifically based water processing configuration that also conserves the water it is treating. Our recycling process has been designed to remove excessive levels of Calcium Hardness, TDS, CYA, and other impurities that contribute to the hard scale on pool tile and interior surfaces, harm expensive pool equipment, the deck, and tile grout.

The system is AVAILABLE in three specific gallons per minute (GPM) sizes tailored for residential or commercially rated pools.

Unit sizes are as follows: 

#1) 15 Horse Power - 60-80 Gallons Per Minute (GPM) (9 membranes)

#2) 25 Horse Power - 90-130 GPM (13 membrane)

#3) 40 Horse Power - 185-225+ GPM

#4) 60 Horse Power - Soon to come

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Pool Guy Podcast Show Episode 1,000 - How to Avoid Burn Out

 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 try to cover a balance of business topics in the industry as well as pool chemistry, how-to, product reviews, and just about anything related to the swimming pool industry. It has been an amazing journey to 1,000 podcast episodes. 

How do I keep doing what I am doing without getting burned out? The answer is multi-layered and it all starts with setting a tangible and reachable goal or goals. For us, it was becoming debt free and paying off our mortgage. For you, it may start with paying off your service vehicle. Or it may be expanding and bringing on an employee. Or saving a down payment for your first house. Whatever it may be setting a goal that you chase each day is a key element in preventing burnout.

You may also want to look at some things that you might not have on your radar. Your diet is a key factor that many don’t think about. Eating healthy and not eating late at night all help give you that early morning energy boost to get you going. Eating poorly can drain your energy and give you a feeling of being down and feeling the blues. 

Volunteering in your community and at your church is another way to stay mentally healthy. Taking the focus off of yourself and putting it onto others is another way to prevent feeling burned out. Being too self-focused on your problems and issues can harm your thinking and bring you down. It is refreshing to focus on others and it tends to make your problems less important. This refocusing can lead to new ideas and new energy, something I have experienced in my volunteering service time.

There are other factors of course that can contribute to burning out but I found that these are the key elements that I have experienced and these are the things I have put into place to reset myself mentally and continue to strive towards the goals I have set for myself. 

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Swimming Pool Cartridge Filters 101

 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 about what a micron is for you:

A "micron" is an abbreviated term for "micrometer", or a millionth of a meter (1/1,000,000 meters). This is about .00004 inches. For Size comparison, a human red blood cell is about 5 microns across. A human hair is about 75 microns across (depending on the person). A micron is very small measurement and a D.E. Filter will give you the best water quality of the three filter types.

Cartridge Filters the Good

Filter down to 10-20 microns

Easy to clean – simply take the lid off, remove the cartridges and hose them off

Offer the largest filtration area in square feet of any of the filter types

Cartridge filter the Bad

No way to backwash them in between cleaning

Often the builder will install an undersized cartridge filter at the time of the build

Cartridge filter the Ugly

Does poorly in areas with very, very high dirt loads 

Nevertheless, a Cartridge Filter is an excellent choice for any size pool and in fact, they make cartridge filters as small as 20 sq ft up to 500+ sq ft. They are excellent at filtering the water and will filter down to as low as 10-20 microns. Cartridge filters are a cloth-like material and the dirt, algae, and particles will stick to the cartridge and allow clean water to flow through. Much like any cartridge filter that you use for water purification in your home. The larger sq ft. of filtration area increases the flow of water to your pool and you will notice a big difference if you are upgrading your D.E. or sand filter. The pool return jets will have significantly increased power as the larger filter allows better flow.

The benefit of a cartridge filters is that they are easy to clean. Simply remove the cartridge and hose it off. The downside of this is that you cannot backwash a Cartridge Filter so when it gets dirty you need to take it apart and clean it. So figure that depending on the size of the Cartridge Filter you will be taking it apart and cleaning it every month for the single cartridge filter type to every 4-6 months for the larger 4-quad filter type.

I suggest going with a larger Cartridge Filter on your pool to save time in between cleaning and to provide the best water quality.  So for a 15,000-gallon pool, I suggest a 300 sq ft filter, for a 20,000-gallon pool a 400 sq ft filter, and for a 30,000-gallon pool a 500 sq ft filter. You can use a smaller filter if you choose, just note that you will be cleaning it often and the water flow may not be as efficient as going with a larger filter.

I think the benefit of the ease of cleaning, the large square feet filter sizes, and the increased flow to your pool all make a cartridge filter the better choice. 

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

SmarterSpa+ App Controlled Chlorine Generator for your Spa or Hot Tub

 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+ is great for spas and hot tubs under 1,000 gallons of water which is the majority out there. Just make sure you have a plug nearby as it comes with only 15 ft of cable. Also, make sure you have a place to mount the controller outside of direct sunlight. It is water resistant but I would keep it out of the rain if possible. The only real drawback is that the electrode will be in the spa but you will get used to it pretty quickly. Since there is no plumbing to make it an in-line system I would say these drawbacks are minor. There is no easier way to add a salt system (SWG – Salt Water Generator) to your spa. 

Here is more about the product:

SmarterSpa+ is the only saltwater chlorine generator with chlorine detection built into the electrode. It produces chlorine in its pure form using electrolysis — a small amount of ordinary salt dissolved in the water. SmarterSpa eliminates the guesswork by knowing when it's time to power on or off. It will not over-chlorinate your spa.

EASIER ON YOUR EYES AND SKIN - Salt is the same ingredient used in water softening systems today and has a natural effect on softening the water in your pool or spa.

SMART AUTOMATIC CHLORINATION - Using its built-in chlorine detection system, the SmarterSpa will generate only what it needs to when it needs to. The onboard self-cleaning reverse polarity system reduces the time you spend worrying about maintenance.

EASY TO INSTALL AND USE - The plug-and-play chlorinator system does not require plumbing or mechanical alternations. Just attach the panel to the outside of your pool and lower the electrode into the water.

THRICE THE AMOUNT OF CHLORINE COMPARED TO ITS COMPETITORS - Other brands make between 8g-11g of chlorine per day in 5 gallons of water, while SmarterSpa+ makes 30g of pure chlorine per day. ControlOMatic can handle larger spas and is most likely to run at a lower power level. This will increase the life span of the titanium plates.

SmarterSpa+ Features:

App control via WiFi or Bluetooth

Built-In Chlorine Detection Technology: will not over-chlorinate your spa

Easy-To-Use Control Box: 3 buttons and 4 lights for operation; conveniently mounts to the spa’s skirt

Low 1,500 to 2,000 PPM salt concentration

Salt Level Indicator Technology: lets you know when to add salt to maintain or boost chlorine production

Boost Mode allows for manual control

Automatic Cleaning: polarity reverses periodically to clean and help reduce calcium buildup

Pure chlorination of up to 30 grams per day

10 Time-Based Power Levels of chlorine production

Electrode Life Span: 7,000 hours of chlorine production

Easy-To-Clean Electrode

No spa modifications are required, and the spa does not need to be turned on

Electrode simply drapes over the side of the spa into the water

Supports both 110 and 220 VAC supply voltages

High Current Shutdown to protect the power supply and titanium plates if there is too much salt

For spas up to 1,000 gallons

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

Swimming Pool Equipment Upgrade Ideas

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% of your total electricity bill each month.

The best way to save money is to cut into your monthly electricity bill and that is exactly what a VS pump does. Simply put, your standard pump runs at 3450 RPM (Rotations Per Minute) which is about 1800-2000 watts. A VS Pump can be set to different RPMs and at every lower RPM, the total wattage used is lowered. So just lowering the VS Pump down to 2100 RPM, cuts the watts down to 685 watts. At 2100 RPM the water will appear to flow just as strong as a standard pump running at 3450 RPM. Cut it down even lower to 1200 RPM and you are down to 165 watts. So instead of having twenty 100-watt light bulbs running you only have a little over one light bulb running each hour. This is the reason your electric bill can be cut almost in half by simply installing a VS Pump.

If your pool filter has been struggling all season it is time to look at upgrading it. By struggling I mean the water had issues with being cloudy or you had more algae blooms than normal this season. Poor filtration is the cause behind 80% of your pool problems so if you have an undersized or poorly running pool filter it is time to upgrade.

I am a big believer in bigger is better so I suggest going with the largest filter your system can handle. If you have a 15,000-gallon pool I wouldn’t go with anything smaller than a 300 sq ft Cartridge Filter, a 60 sq ft DE filter, or a 350 lbs Sand Filter. That is a lot of filters for that size pool but you will notice right away an increase in flow as well as water clarity. The cartridge has more square footage of filtration area so I always suggest a Cartridge Filter over DE and Sand and the larger the Cartridge Filter the better. 

I will be honest with you here and state that the true benefit of a saltwater system is the fact that it adds chlorine to the pool without you having to do anything. This means no more trips to the pool store for shock or liquid chlorine. It is a great time saver for sure. But for me, that is the only benefit.

You don't save any money when you convert to a salt pool. It cost a lot more than using Chlorine or Bleach in your pool. Factor in the cost of the unit plus installation, say $1,000, and then a new salt cell every 3-5 years at $500, and the salt to start at $150 and you’re looking at over $1,600 for the first 5 years. So, you would have to spend over $320 a year on chlorine to match that number. Typically, you are not spending over $100 a season for your chlorine.

Nevertheless, I do like Salt Water Generators because of the pure convenience factor. 

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Clear Pool Bag Vacuum System After-Market Bags!

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 universal design utilizing a bungee cord that can be sized for each vacuum system currently on the market. They will easily fit your Power Vac, Hammer-Head, Riptide, and Bottom Feeder. Simply fit the bag over your vacuum system and adjust the bungee cord to size and then zip tie it down. The bungee cord makes it easy to put the bag on and take it off and if it was sized correctly these bags will not blow off the top of the cleaner.

Use the 90 microns for sand and silt, leaves, and some dirt. The 200-micron is great for sand and silt, large leaf debris, rocks, and glass. The 400-micron is their heavy-duty bag and is great for everything, although it won’t pick up the finer sand and dirt. But the 400-micron bag is very long-lasting and great for those heavy debris pools. 

Also available from Clear Pool Products is the Quart Bottle Holder. If you have a Riptide, Power Vac or Hammer-Head this quart bottle holder would be the perfect accessory for you. 

https://clearpoolproducts.com/product/clear-pool-bottle-caddy?v=f24485ae434a

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Black Algae in Your Swimming Pool

 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 A&B brand but any 6” SS brush will do. This is time-consuming and requires lots of manual labor.

Next, you want to raise the chlorine level to very high levels. The go-to chemical in the past was HASA Algi-ban but this has been in short supply. It is also a bit dangerous to use as you can burn the plaster. You have to just sprinkle it lightly over the black algae and make sure it does not pile up anywhere on the plaster. You may want to just use a 20 lb bucket of Cal-Hypo and broadcast that in the pool over the spots (make sure the pool pump is off). Let the chlorine settle over the black algae for a few hours and then run the pool pump as long as possible after. Raising the chlorine to 50 ppm for 3-5 days is an effective treatment method. 

Black algae are also killed by copper. So a good copper algaecide will be effective, slower than the chlorine bombing but effective. A PoolRx unit works great because the copper in there will eventually eliminate the black algae. Algatec is Synergy Algaecide for Green, Yellow and Black Algae by Easy Care and it is also effective against black algae. Just note that the treatment is very slow and it will take 3-4 weeks before you start to see the black algae disappear. 

A combination of both methods works best. Raise the chlorine to 50 ppm for 3-5 days and then when the level drops back down to 5-10 ppm use the copper algaecide, Algatec by Easy Care, or the PoolRx to eliminate the black algae. 

In the case where the pool has more black algae than white plaster showing, a full drain and chlorine wash is the best solution. Note that you should observe the following cautions:

Don’t drain the pool water into the street or gutter as the city may find you

Don’t leave it empty for more than 24 hours-48 hrs

Never drain a pool when the air temperature is over 100 degrees

If the plaster has chips and cracks note that after refilling the chips and cracks may become larger

After draining use a chlorine and water mix of 50/50 and pour it or spray it over the black algae. This is called a Chlorine Wash. Sometimes you will need to power sand the spots out or use a pressure washer to remove the black algae from the surface after the Chlorine Wash. 

Black algae is treatable and a great resource is this book:

How to Get Rid of Swimming Pool Algae by Rudy Stankowitz

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W7SH8PJ/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=swimmingpooll-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=af0c5091232433ab3079b9da506c3549&creativeASIN=B08W7SH8PJ

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