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. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riptide SL Handlebar Organizer

The Riptide Handlebar Organizer is a great add-on to stay organized out there on your pool route. Yes, the Riptide does have two trays but you will find that the back try fills up quickly with a jug of chlorine and acid. The tray on top while large is just not large enough for everything you need. 

Granted not everyone takes back so much stuff, but you will find that if the SL cart is your primary tote you will more than likely fill it up to the brim with everything you need for each service account. Going back to your truck is a huge waste of time and this will allow you to bring everything back to each stop. 

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. 

You will see in the video that it is easy to install and holds just about every small product you need as well as a brush and leaf rake. If you have an older Riptide you will simply need to drill 4 holes in the handlebar and the drill guide is included. The installation process is really easy. Take it to the next level with the Quart Bottle Holders.

 

QUART BOTTLE/TAB HOLDER $30.00 each

https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/quart-bottle-tab-holder

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. 

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