Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

 The Aiper Scuba S1 Pro is a solid entry into the top-tier robotic pool cleaner category by Aiper. Some notable improvements are that the cleaner is not stuck on main drains like their previous model, the Seagull Pro I previously reviewed. It also has a sealed charging port, so there are no more worries about water getting into the motor and shortening out the cleaner.   Currently, the cleaner is most suited for a rectangle or square pool with this Firmware version, which comes with V 1.0.0. I think a Free-Form pool still needs some work on the programmed cleaning pattern.   This cleaner comes in five modes .  Auto: Floors & Walls Floors Only Waterline Only Eco will run for 45 minutes on the floors only, turn off for two days, then run again for 45 minutes, and turn off for two more days until the battery is exhausted in about a week. Wall Only: This is only accessible in the App.    I am not a big fan of the "Auto" cleaning pattern for the floors and walls. The cleaner w

Salt Systems are great, and I like selling them to my service customers. The main issue is that the salt cell only lasts 4-5 years, and depending on the system, you have to explain why the customer needs to shell out $600-$1,2000 for a new salt cell.  I like to prep the customer on a purchase that 4-5 years down the road, they will more than likely need a new cell at the cost of... and if they know in advance, they are more likely to be okay with it at the time of replacement.  Other times, you inherit a client who might refuse to pay for a new salt cell. This is very common, and there isn't much you can do about it except convert the pool back into a chlorine pool. You may need to drain the pool entirely and refill it since the TDS (Tota dissolved Solids) will be around 4,500, which is way over the accepted limit due to all of the salt in the water.  Some of the most common issues are a dirty salt cell, not producing enough chlorine, and, of course, when it gets old, it stops func

The first option would be to replace the motor with a Century V-Green stands-alone VS motor. They are compatible with most pumps and have a round or square flange. It is the most affordable option, and if the existing pump is less than five years old, I suggest going that route. But if you need to replace the entire pump, here are some brands to look at.  The pool pump can be the highest energy hog in your house, passing your Air Conditioner and Refrigerator just by the sheer number 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 your Electric Company charges you each month, imagine it as having 20-100 watt light bulbs on every hour. That is a lot of electricity each day, and if your bill is tiered by usage, the more you use, the more you are charged, and your account can get very high very quickly. On average, a pool pump in the Summer will be about 40% of your t

Important: Algae must be treated before testing and lowering phosphates. Chlorine must be under 5ppm before testing phosphates. Directions for the use of PHOSfree: This product is designed for use in properly balanced pool water. 1. Clean or backwash filter. 2. Determine the appropriate dose. * See chart below. 3. Shake the bottle well before application. With the circulation pump running, add a dose to the skimmer. 4. filter for 48 hours continuously without backwashing or cleaning. 5. After 48 hours of filtering, clean/backwash filter. Retest phosphate levels, and if necessary, repeat steps 1-5. Note: If DE filter pressure rises to 10psi above start-up pressure, turn the pump off for 1 minute and then turn it back on. If the pressure remains high, backwash or rinse for 30 seconds. Dosage Chart: Dose per 10,000 gallons (38,000L) Phosphate Level PHOSfree Dosage 300ppb or less 0.5L or 16oz 600ppb 1L or 32oz 900ppb 1.5L or 48oz 1200ppb 2L or 67.6oz For DE & Cartridge Filters: Do not

Borates: The Borate in the water at 50 ppm helps reduce chlorine usage by eliminating Carbon Dioxide and keeping the pH stable. Chlorine lasts longer when the pH is right at 7.6-7.8. When the chlorine is in the ideal range, the killing element in chlorine, the HOCI, is at the most balanced percentage, so the chlorine in a pool with a pH of 7.4 is 30% more effective than in a pool with a pH of 8.0. This is a significant factor in creating the safest swim environment, and the borates will keep the pH much more stable and, in turn, make the chlorine much more effective. The pH won't change much in a pool with Borate in it. So, this is a must if you have a Salt Water Pool since the pH tends to rise dramatically. In fact, the pH can rise to over 8.4 in a Salt Water Pool very rapidly. You will find yourself putting tons of acid in each week to keep the pH below 7.8. Borates in the pool will make the pH stable and easy to control.  A pool with a saltwater generator is a must. It also will

Shallow Water Adapter: Introducing the revolutionary Shallow Water Adapter by VacDaddy – the ultimate solution for a sparkling clean fountain and/or shallow bodies of water such as tanning ledges, stairs and benches! This innovative attachment is designed to seamlessly connect to the VacDaddy pool vacuum, transforming it into a powerful fountain-cleaning marvel. With the Shallow Water Adapter, maintaining pristine water features has never been easier! To order the VacDaddy: https://thevacdaddy.com/product/the-vacdaddy-pro-bundle-powerful-portable-pool-vac-v2w-kit-and-more/ Shallow Water Adapter: https://thevacdaddy.com/product/fountain-adapter/ Here is more about the VacDaddy unit from the manufacturer: The primary benefit of The VacDaddy is EASE-OF-USE. Lightweight and compact. At only 10 pounds, The VacDaddy is easy to operate and maneuver. The minimal assembly is easy and intuitive. No special training is required to use it. Plug in and Just Vac It. Fast pool cleaning with more vacu

 It has been one year since HASA, Inc. acquired Orenda Technologies, and I sat down with Terry Arko of HASA to see how the deal is going at the present time. Terry Arko was recently inducted into the “Pool Nation Hall of Fame” for his contributions to the pool service industry.  The merger means that two industry education powerhouses have now joined forces. Bob Lowry’s teachings and the Orenda Academy are an unusual mix. Bob Lowry has his target ranges, and Orenda teaches exacting math based on the LSI numbers. But they have made things work and Orenda has even added a new Commercial Pool Service course to their Orenda academy.  SAUGUS, Calif., March 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hasa, Inc. ("Hasa"), supported by Wind Point Partners ("Wind Point"), is pleased to announce its recent acquisition of Orenda Technologies ("Orenda"), a leader in the production and distribution of eco-friendly, professional-grade pool chemicals. This acquisition broadened Hasa's

No matter how long you run your swimming pool pump, you will not get all the water from the pool through the filter and back out again. So does run time matter? Yes and no. Technically speaking you should try to get at least one cycle of water through the pool, 2-3 cycles all the better as you can see from the study I am referencing below. You usually need a flow meter attached to your pool equipment to calculate a water cycle. As a rule of thumb, 50 GPM is the average, with a single-speed pump running at 3450 RPM. You can get a ballpark and use this formula if you do not have a flow meter on your equipment.  Pool size/ 50 Gallons Per Minute/ 60 minutes. Here is an example with a 20,000-gallon pool: 20,000 Gal / 50 GPM /60 minutes = 6 hours and 30 minutes So, a water cycle will go through the pool once every 6.5 hours. But how much pool water will go through the filter and back into the pool? Here is the study abstract for you. "The primary objective of this study was to conduct a

Any pool surface type can be easily stained to any product containing acid, like a battery-operated toy (when the batteries explode from being on the pool bottom) or a 3” trichlor tablet, which includes a type of acid in cyanuric acid and has a pH under 3. Roof nails, staples holding up Christmas lights, and fertilizer pellets can also cause rust stains in your pool.  Fiberglass and vinyl pool surface chemicals can sometimes burn or bleach the surface. Don’t use granular Trichlor and cal hypo should not be added directly to the vinyl pool; I prefer adding cal hypo through the skimmer to avoid bleaching out the vinyl liner; in some cases, manufacturers will void your warranty on your fiberglass or vinyl pool if you use trichlor tablets in these pools. The pH is relatively low in a fiberglass and vinyl pool since it is plastic, and using any pool chemical with a low pH, like Trichlor, can lead to metal staining from the equipment as the low pH reacts with metal components. Dichlor has a

Chlorine Enhancers: The high price of chlorine these pay for themselves. Three categories that are in active use Phosphate Remover and Enzyme Combo Product: Natural Chemistry Perfect Weekly & Pool Perfect & Phosfree are two such products. Allows chlorine to be more effective. Removes one food source for algae. Phosphate reducers are specialty chemicals used to remove phosphates from pool water. They are typically salts of aluminum or lanthanum, which, when added to water, produce insoluble phosphate compounds, which are removed through filtration, vacuuming, or both. It creates an ION exchange, causing the phosphates to drop, and they can be vacuumed and filtered out of the pool. Phosphates are food for algae, and by eliminating them from the water, you eliminate at least one major food source for algae. This will prevent algae growth, so chlorine levels drop rapidly in some pools.  SMARTZyme™ technology breaks down suntan, cosmetics, body oils, and other non-living organic was

Green Pool Clean-Up Step-by-Step: Ensure the pool can be cleared up vs. draining and refilling it. A rule of thumb is that draining may be better if there are more than 4 inches of sediment on the bottom. There would be a lot of algae and dirt on the pool bottom, which would be more like a pool sitting unattended for over a year or more. Generally, a pool that has only been green for a few months can be cleared with chemicals and algaecide. Also, make sure the equipment is in good working order. Step One: Scoop out all leaves and debris from the bottom and surface. Don't worry about stirring everything up; you will vacuum at the end of the treatment. Step Two: Brush the pool as best as you can. Some of the algae might be tough to brush off. If you have a plaster or Pebble Tec Pool, a Steel Algae Brush will help. However, much of the algae will be loosened once the chemicals are added to the pool.  Step Three: If you have a D.E. Or Cartridge filter, clean it apart. The filter type i

Everything we use has a byproduct. A gasoline engine puts out Carbon dioxide & Carbon monoxide as the fuel is consumed. We all like our steaks and hamburgers, and cows produce byproducts like methane and manure. Did you know that every chlorine product also produces a byproduct? Liquid chlorine's byproduct is salt. Cal Hypo's is calcium, and Trichlor and Dichlor are cyanuric acid. One way to offset these byproducts is to use a combination approach to your chlorine usage. Doing this ensures that one single byproduct does not dominate your pool water. A partial drain and refill each month also helps reduce these byproducts as you add fresh water and drain the different byproducts - salt, calcium, and cyanuric acid. A partial drain is needed because these byproducts naturally leave the pool water through evaporation but stay behind in the water as the pure water evaporates.  How to Effectively Use Chlorine to Sanitize a Pool Outline: Most pool pros use a combination of chlorin

 If you are getting into the pool service industry, you may notice that the pool equipment in a backyard is either tan, black, or grey. These are the primary colors of Pentair, Hayward, and Fluidra, or as I call them, "The Big Three." Pentair, Hayward, and Fluidra are three central pool and spa equipment companies. They all provide a wide range of products, including filters, pumps, heaters, cleaners, and automation systems, to residential and commercial markets worldwide.  Pentair is the leader in innovation and was first in the market with its IntelliFlo VS Pump. Pentair is well-regarded for its innovative solutions in water treatment and sustainable practices, often leading the market with new technologies. Product Range: Offers a broad range of products for pool maintenance, water treatment, and filtration systems, catering to various market segments. They own Rainbow and Sta-Rite, and their products are regarded as being at the top of the industry, especially their VS pu

Perfect Weekly is a blended formula with 3-active products; of course, the argument is that more is better when it comes to blended formulas. I agree that you now have a chance to add a product, COVERfree, which helps reduce water evaporation. Perfect Weekly: Cleans water, Removes phosphates, Conserves water & energy noPHOS traps phosphates (food for algae) in the pool filter which are eliminated from the water after a filter clean or backwash. SMARTzyme broad spectrum formula breaks down oils and non-living organic contaminants, reducing water sanitizer demand. COVERfree water evaporation reducer lowers heat loss and reduces chemical use, saving money on pool maintenance. It helps prevent algae by maintaining phosphate levels below 100 ppb Lowers costs on chemical use and water consumption Safe for use in all types of pool filters, including cartridge, D.E., and sand filters Improves overall water quality and efficiency for healthier pool water Easily added to pool skimmer while m

Filtration: Your pool filter is often overlooked, but it is the key to the entire equation. If your filter is undersized, dirty, or in poor working order, circulation and sanitizer are affected negatively. You can run your pool for 24 hours with a dirty filter and have plenty of chlorine (sanitizer) in the water, and you will have cloudy water or water that is not safe to swim in. To correct this, ensure your filter elements – grids or cartridges are in good working order. The grids and the cartridges wear out and need to be replaced, as does the sand in your sand filter. Also, keeping your filter clean goes a long way in infiltration. A filthy filter won't move the water well, nor will it make the chlorine in the water effective. Circulation: You can have a brand new filter, and you can add 2 gallons of chlorine to your 20,000-gallon pool, but if you run your pump only 2 hours a day, chances are the chlorine will not hold, and the water will become cloudy or algae-filled. It is li

Cal Hypo Shock Vs. Other Shocks Power Powder Plus 73% Calcium Hypochlorite 70% Minimum Available Chlorine   Cal Hypo Easy to use Strong No CYA Go with a trusted brand for the best results Other Shocks Not all Cal Hypo is created equal Some are not fine powder Non-chlorine (potassium monopersulfate) does not kill bacteria and viruses Cal Hypo's strength is weaker than other brands at 54% 3” Tablets dissolve too slowly to shock a pool Cal Hypo tablets dissolve too slowly to shock a pool Liquid chlorine is a good choice but has a short shelf lifespan Not as convient as cal hypo Granular Trichlor can stain pool surface Dichlor shock is good but adds CYA to the water   Cal Hypo is very popular, and there are several reasons why it is widely used in the industry. It is easy to carry and has different strengths of 54-73% with active chlorine up to 70%. However, Cal Hypo contains no Cyanuric Acid (CYA) and is ideal to use as a shock if you are using 3” Trichlor tablets in your pool. One of

PoolRx+ is a simple way to keep your pool algae-free all season long. It is also effective in cleaning a green pool, and a side benefit of the product is that you will use less chlorine in the pool all season long. It is a great way to save on chlorine, which has become very expensive, making the PoolRx+ significantly lower if you factor in the savings benefits.   PoolRx is a Mineral Technology that does two straightforward things when used in your pool or spa: it eliminates all algae and allows you to use less chlorine during the pool season. Copper Sulphate, Pentahydrate, and silver (chelated) are active ingredients.   Chelated means that the PoolRx metals have been bonded to form two coordinated bonds similar to what Metal Sequestering Agents do. This means the metal ions will remain in the PoolRx unit, and no metal ions will be introduced into the pool or spa water. This prevents any metal staining on the pool surface   Make sure that you choose the correct size PoolRx+ unit to mak

 Photometer Vs. Reagent Tester Photometers: The photometer works by shining a specific wavelength of light through the colored water sample. The light source is typically an LED or laser that can emit light at the precise wavelength needed for the test. As the light passes through the sample, some of it is absorbed by the colored solution, while the rest passes through to a light sensor on the other side. The most accurate and precise reading Digital reading to decimal points Can document the reading Easy to use It takes the guesswork out of testing Does more test factors than reagent testing  NSF approved   User error More time consuming Tablets for certain reagents Reagents are more expensive The device is more expensive Replacement cost If you do Commercial Accounts – Photometer Start-up - good Reagent Testing:  Fast Affordable Easy to use Some are NSF-approved Affordable Reagents are affordable   Readings are subjective   User error Need aptitude to tell the color difference so not

There is no perfect pool sanitizer. Take a Saltwater Generator for example. It produces chlorine but at a pretty high upfront cost, and then there is monthly maintenance to keep the salt cell producing chlorine.  Liquid Chlorine (Sodium hypochlorite) – by-product is salt (Sodium) 17 ppm per 10,000 gallons of water with 1 gallon of liquid chlorine. Liquid Chlorine or Bleach is the tried and true standard chemical for most pool service professionals. It is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and has the most minor side effects of any chlorine you can choose from. It is usually sold in 12.5% active chlorine per gallon, with Bleach coming in at about half that strength at 6.5%. It will raise the pH slightly but does not contain any Stabilizer or Conditioner, making it ideal for all pool types. This means that when you add a gallon of liquid chlorine, and your Conditioner level (CYA) is 50 ppm, it will stay at 50 ppm even if you add 20 gallons of liquid chlorine. Pros: Fastest-acting of al

Since the Bio-Lab factory fire in 2020 caused by Hurricane Laura caused Trichlor prices to spike 150% and stay there, you want to ensure you are getting your money's worth. Store Brand Vs. Unbranded Store Brand: EPA Certified Consistent in size and weight Stock is rotated 99% Trichlor Water sealed lid  Child proof lid Dissolves constantly Chlorox tablets are good, but I wouldn't say I like the bucket – it is hard to open and has a poor seal from the elements. Other Brands: Not EPA certified No way to know if it is 99% Trichlor Inconsistent tablets and a lot of broken tabs Inconsistent dissolving By-products can clog  Trichlor Feeders Once the feeder is clogged, it can produce dangerous fumes Blended Trichlor: Adds copper to the water Staining possible Only 90% Trichlor Not getting your money's worth Cal Hypo Tabs: Not compatible with Trichlor feeders or floater It can cause an explosion if mixed Not all trichlor tablets are the same, although they might appear to be very si

Many things can go right with a saltwater system; having all green lights on your system display is golden. But, like any electronic product, things can go wrong at times.  Some of the most common issues are a dirty salt cell, not producing enough chlorine, and, of course, when the cell gets old, it stops functioning or generating chlorine. None of these are deal breakers, and each has an easy solution.  One drawback is the constantly rising pH. It's partly due to the process itself and the chemical reaction and partly due to the turbulence of the salt cell. So, although you save on chlorine, you may spend more on muriatic acid to keep the pH in check. Some maintenance is required, like cleaning the salt cell, ensuring the salt level is good, and setting the output to the correct setting to chlorinate your pool. Still, 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. Knowing some things