Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Pool fill water is one of the most overlooked reasons a new pool startup goes sideways. When a fresh plaster, pebble, fiberglass, or vinyl pool gets filled, whatever is in that source water becomes part of the project, including metals, tannins, and fine particulates. For pool service professionals, the risk is real: staining, discoloration, and customer complaints often show up after the surface is already exposed. The fix starts before the hose goes in. Testing fill water for inorganics and organics helps you predict problems, choose the right filtration, and avoid chasing issues with costly chemicals after the pool is full.   A key point is that metals show up in different forms depending on the source. Municipal water is often treated with an oxidizer like chlorine, which can turn dissolved metals into extremely fine particulate iron that still comes out of the tap. Well water can deliver both particulates and dissolved metals at the same time, which is why a simple “pore ...

Green, brown, or oddly tinted pool water can look like algae, but the giveaway is often what you do right before it happens. Many pool service pros see the tint appear right after balancing water or adding shock, especially before a weekend party. When chlorine oxidizes what’s already in the water, it can “wake up” metals or organics and create a sudden color cast even when the walls are clean. The key pool chemistry skill is separating stained water from a stained surface, then proving whether you’re dealing with metals like copper or iron versus organic material like tannins, humic acid, and other natural compounds from a fresh fill.   A simple diagnostic step can save hours of brushing and wasted chemicals: add ascorbic acid. If a green or tea-brown tint turns crystal clear after about a pound (scaled to the pool size), that strongly suggests oxidized metal in the water, not algae. In that case, treat it like metal staining even though the color is floating in the water: us...

Balanced pool water is not just a “nice to have” for clear water. It is the core defense against corrosion, staining, and surface damage that shortens the life of plaster, heaters, and fittings. Water is naturally aggressive, meaning it will try to reach chemical balance by dissolving what it needs from whatever is available. When calcium hardness and carbonate alkalinity are too low, the water can pull calcium and carbonate right out of a plaster surface, slowly etching and weakening it. With vinyl liners, low alkalinity can even draw out plasticizers, leading to wrinkles and premature liner problems. For pool service professionals and homeowners, using water balance targets and the LSI (Langelier Saturation Index) is a practical way to avoid “hungry water” that quietly destroys expensive surfaces.    A big part of pool water balance is controlling pH and total alkalinity as a buffering system. Keeping pH in the 7.2 to 7.8 range supports effective chlorine sanitation while re...

Pool service pros feel the squeeze when chemical costs jump, but the fastest way to protect margin is not “working harder”, it is selling smarter. In this conversation we lay out a clear strategy for positioning PoolRx as a once-a-year pool maintenance upgrade that supports cleaner water, fewer algae outbreaks, and lower chlorine demand. For many routes, the mistake is absorbing product cost even when the customer is the one receiving the benefit. If you already include chemicals in your weekly pool service pricing, adding a simple annual line item can stabilize your cash flow while giving homeowners a concrete, easy-to-understand reason your service delivers clearer water and fewer emergency visits. A practical framework we share is the Good Better Best approach for selling PoolRx minerals. “Good” is buying during spring promotions and simply using the product to reduce your backend chemical spend. “Better” is passing the cost straight through as a one-time annual fee, framed as an al...

Pool algae problems often get blamed on the newest product added to the water, but the root cause is usually basic pool water chemistry and setup. In our conversation with Fred Square from PoolRx, we dig into why a mineral-based chlorine enhancer can underperform when it is undersized, installed poorly, or paired with a dirty filter. The big takeaway for pool owners and pool service pros is simple: start with the fundamentals. Confirm gallons so the PoolRx size matches the pool, keep a free chlorine residual, and make sure filtration is working. If a pool is already struggling, adding minerals without addressing circulation, cleaning, and balanced ranges sets you up for disappointment.   Installation details matter more than most people expect, especially when different filter types change how fast minerals dissolve. With DE filters, Fred recommends breaking down and recharging grids correctly, and placing the unit in the skimmer farthest from the pump to improve dissolution, ...

Black stains after adding calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) can feel like a disaster, especially if you’re a pool service tech worried about a drain and acid wash. The key idea: the stain often existed before the shock went in, but it was invisible. Copper sulfate can sit on the floor or walls with a faint blue-green tint that blends into blue water, especially at depth. When strong chlorine hits that copper compound, it changes the chemistry by oxidizing it, converting copper sulfate into copper oxide. Copper oxide is black, so the “new” stain is frequently a hidden metal deposit revealed by oxidation, not a brand-new surface failure. Understanding pool staining chemistry helps you respond calmly and fix the actual cause.   Many pros reach for ascorbic acid for stain removal, and it can work well to lift metal stains quickly. The catch is that ascorbic acid does not remove copper from the pool water. It can reduce and loosen the stain, but the metal remains in circulation, wait...

Borates have a long history in professional pool care, but they’re still widely misunderstood. Pool pros often hear that adding borates is a “set it and forget it” upgrade, yet the chemistry doesn’t work that way. Borates can improve swimming pool water chemistry by helping slow pH rise and supporting algae prevention, but they do not replace proper sanitation or balanced water. If your free chlorine is low, your cyanuric acid (CYA) is off target, or your LSI is out of range, borates will not rescue the pool. The real value is stability and predictability, not a magic fix. A key takeaway is that chlorine and CYA rules still apply even with borates in the water. The conversation stresses keeping free chlorine at roughly 5% of CYA, with a hard minimum of about 2 ppm, instead of trying to “cheat” with very low CYA and tiny chlorine targets. Low CYA can also expose the limits of testing accuracy and leave chlorine unprotected in sunlight. For many outdoor pools, 20 to 30 ppm CYA is a pract...

Trichlor chlorine tablets are popular in pool maintenance because they are convenient, slow-dissolving, and easy to use in a floater or inline chlorinator. The problem is not that trichlor “doesn’t work” as a sanitizer, but that it changes water chemistry in ways that compound over time. As trichlor becomes the primary or only sanitizer, cyanuric acid (CYA) steadily rises, pH steadily falls, and the pool becomes harder to keep stable from week to week. For pool service pros and homeowners alike, the hidden cost is chasing readings and fighting algae even when test results seem normal. The core chemistry issue is cyanuric acid buildup. Trichlor adds stabilizer every time it adds chlorine, so the more you rely on tablets to meet a pool’s daily chlorine demand, the more CYA accumulates. As CYA climbs, it slows chlorine’s killing power, which means the same free chlorine reading becomes less effective at preventing algae and keeping water safe. A practical way to think about this is the ch...

Pool chemistry myths spread fast because the labels look simple and the numbers feel definitive. One of the most common claims in pool maintenance is that trichlor tablets are “the strongest chlorine” because the bucket says 99% trichlor and often lists 90% or so available chlorine. The key detail most pool service pros and homeowners miss is that the big percentage is typically about product purity, not the percent of elemental chlorine that ends up doing sanitizing work. When we treat pool water balance like a shortcut, we end up overdosing, underdosing, or ignoring side effects like stabilizer buildup, rising TDS, and long-term water quality issues. The episode breaks down why “available chlorine” exists as a comparison tool, not a straightforward statement of how much chlorine is inside the product. Historically, chlorine gas became the reference point and got treated as 100% even though, in water, one part forms hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and the other forms hydrochloric acid (HCl)....

Copper shows up in pool conversations the same way every season: as “mineral technology,” “mineral systems,” or a copper ionizer that promises less chlorine and fewer problems. Products like PoolRx, Nature2, Frog systems, and even solar ionizers all revolve around adding copper to pool water chemistry. Copper can be a real algae prevention tool, and at higher levels it can suppress some bacteria, which is why it sounds like a shortcut for pool owners and pool service professionals. The catch is that clear water is not just about killing living organisms. A swimming pool is full of bather waste like sweat, urine, body oils, and sunscreen, and those contaminants must be oxidized, filtered, and managed with a stable sanitizer residual. That is where copper gets over-credited. Copper does not oxidize contaminants, so even if it slows algae growth, it does nothing to break down sunscreen and organics that drive combined chlorine, odor, and dull water. Chlorine does two jobs at once: sanitat...

Pool Blaster 200E Cordless Pool Vacuum Review: A Powerful Upgrade for Above-Ground Pool Owners Keeping your swimming pool clean doesn't have to involve dragging hoses across the deck or connecting a vacuum to your filtration system. The Pool Blaster 200E Cordless Pool Vacuum is designed to make pool cleaning faster, easier, and more convenient for both above-ground and inground pool owners. With an upgraded design, larger debris chamber, and improved suction, the 200E is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a reliable cordless pool vacuum. Cordless Convenience One of the biggest advantages of the Pool Blaster 200E is that it operates completely independently of your pool's circulation system. There are no hoses to connect and no booster pumps required. Simply charge the unit, attach it to a standard telescopic pole (sold separately if needed), and you're ready to clean. This makes it ideal for quick cleanups after storms, parties, or heavy swimmer use. Large 10.5-Inc...

Running a pool service business can feel like carrying every customer’s backyard on your shoulders, especially when you’re new and you care a lot. I look back at starting in 1988 at 16 years old and the first lesson is surprisingly calming: most homeowners do not obsess over pool maintenance the way a pool technician does. That does not excuse sloppy work, but it changes your mindset. When you understand that many clients barely notice plaster mottling, light reflections, or small cosmetic issues, you stop burning mental energy on problems they may never see. This shift helps prevent burnout, improves decision-making, and keeps you focused on what truly protects water quality, equipment health, and long-term customer satisfaction. The second lesson is the flip side: do not let that reality become an excuse to cut corners. Skipping a proper vacuum, brushing debris into the main drain, under-treating algae, or assuming an automatic pool cleaner will “handle it” often comes back as a gree...

Hasa’s acquisition of Biodex matters to pool service pros because it preserves a long-standing chemical line and puts it under a larger manufacturer with broader distribution. Biodex has been making pool chemicals since the 1960s, and the big win here is consistency: you get proven formulations that many technicians have relied on for decades, plus the likelihood of better availability through suppliers. For anyone searching for “best pool chemicals for service routes,” “pool stain remover,” or “acid wash additive,” this conversation highlights a practical, field-tested approach: pick a few products that reliably solve common problems, then learn the exact handling, dosing, and water-balance conditions that make them work.   A key tool discussed is Biodex Plaster White and Bright, an acid wash additive designed to improve how the acid solution behaves on plaster. In a traditional acid wash, an acid and water mix can sheet off quickly, reducing contact time and making coverage ...

Rookie mistakes in a pool service business usually show up on the business side first, not the chemistry side. The biggest one is underbidding pool service and then getting stuck with a price that does not match the work. Pool size, heavy bather load, trees, and weekly debris all change how long a stop takes, which changes your real hourly earnings. If you quote a 14,000 gallon pool the same as a 30,000 gallon pool, your profit margin shrinks fast. Strong pool service pricing starts with noticing the hidden workload during the bid, then charging accordingly so your pool route stays sustainable and you can actually enjoy the work. Underbidding is especially painful because raising the price later feels awkward, even when it is completely justified. A clean way to handle it is to own the mistake, explain the specific reason time went up, and give the customer a choice to accept the new rate or cancel. That honesty can work better than trying to silently suffer through a bad rate. The goa...

Variable speed pool pumps are one of the best upgrades you can make for energy savings, quieter operation, and better control of water flow, but the big mistake is buying the wrong size. A practical starting point is to match the total horsepower of your current single speed pump within a reasonable range, because that usually reflects what the pool was designed to need. If you have a 1 HP single speed pump, a 1.5 HP to 1.65 HP VS pump is typically plenty. If you have a 1.5 HP single speed, stepping into the 1.65 HP to 2.2 HP class can work, while jumping straight to a 2.7 HP or 3 HP VS pump may be overkill unless the system truly demands it. With a VS pump you can always dial RPM down, but you cannot undo the upfront cost of buying more pump than the pool can use. Small pools and older pools often share the same limiting factors: 1.5 inch plumbing, simpler hydraulics, and sometimes 115V electrical supply. Those details matter because a dual voltage variable speed pump wired on 115V ca...

Pool water testing is the backbone of reliable pool service, yet most problems start with bad data, not bad chemicals. This podcast breaks down the most common pool water testing methods used by pool service pros and homeowners: test strips, reagent test kits, photometer testing, and digital water testing. The key takeaway is simple: the “best” test is the one that matches the job, your accuracy needs, and your budget. If you manage a busy pool route, you need speed and consistency. If you handle commercial pools, new plaster startups, or problem pools, you need precision and documentation. Understanding what each method does well helps you avoid chasing readings, overdosing chemicals, and wasting time.   Reagent testing remains the best value for most pool routes, especially with widely used Taylor test kits like the K-2005 and K-2006. Reagents are affordable, refills are easy to stock, and the workflow is fast. The main limitation is also obvious: your eyes become the instru...

Cheap variable speed pool pumps are everywhere right now, especially on Amazon and big box sites, and the price tag can be hard to ignore. When you see a $300 to $700 variable speed pool pump advertised as 1.5 HP or 2 HP, it feels like an easy win compared to a Pentair WhisperFlo VS, Hayward VS pump, or Jandy VS pump that can cost well over $1,300 to $2,000. The catch is that “works” and “works well for your pool” are not the same thing. A variable speed pump swap is a system decision: plumbing layout, flow needs, head pressure, automation compatibility, and long term reliability all matter if you want energy savings without constant headaches. One of the first real world issues is physical fit on the equipment pad. Pool pros think about inlet and outlet alignment because a “simple replacement” can become a replumbing project fast. If your current pump is a Pentair WhisperFlo, matching it with a WhisperFlo variable speed replacement is close to plug and play. The same is true when you ...

Algae in a swimming pool is not always a “bad chlorine” story, and treating it that way can waste time and money. Some pools rarely see a bloom, while others fight green dust or mustard algae all season. The first step in effective pool algae prevention is figuring out the source: is it being introduced constantly by the environment, or is it taking hold because water care fundamentals are failing? Wind-prone yards, heavy pollen seasons, and nearby trees can load a pool with organics that feed growth. Shady surfaces and wall seams also give algae a place to settle, especially when brushing is skipped. A big clue is where the algae appears. If it keeps returning on steps, in a spa, along a deep-end corner, or behind ladders, you are likely dealing with low circulation “dead spots.” Those areas may not receive enough measurable free chlorine, even when the test at the surface looks fine. Poor mixing means sanitizer is not reaching the exact surfaces where algae attaches and grows. Return...

New pool service pros often inherit “rules” like keeping free chlorine at 2–4 ppm and calling it good, then wonder why algae keeps coming back. A core mistake is not understanding how cyanuric acid (CYA) changes chlorine strength. With CYA in the water, most chlorine becomes bound and only a small fraction is immediately active as sanitizing hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Add in the way pH shifts HOCl versus OCl-, and the effective killing power can drop fast. That is why a pool can test “high chlorine” and still grow algae. If you run a pool service business, this is one of the most important pool chemistry concepts for consistent, algae-free results and fewer emergency cleanups. Once you accept that the active sanitizer is what matters, the free chlorine target has to scale with CYA. The practical field rule discussed is simple: keep free chlorine at about 7.5% of the cyanuric acid level to prevent algae. So if CYA is 100 ppm, free chlorine needs to be about 7.5 ppm, not 3 ppm. This refra...

Pools that “won’t hold chlorine” are one of the most common and expensive headaches in pool maintenance, especially for pool service pros trying to stabilize water fast. When someone says they’re adding two or three gallons of liquid chlorine a day to an 8,000 to 10,000 gallon pool and still reading near zero free chlorine, the first move is not panic dosing. It’s investigation. Chlorine demand usually has a cause: organics, contaminants, or active growth. Start by looking beyond the water test and into the yard, the deck, and the daily habits around the pool. Grass clippings, fertilizer drift, landscaping debris, and rain runoff dripping from dense vegetation all add organic load that chlorine must oxidize. Even well-meaning actions like washing the deck so dirty rinse water flows into the pool can wipe out chlorine overnight.   Once you suspect contamination, think like a detective and list every source of oxidizer demand. Heavy bather load can create big swings, especially ...

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is one of the most ignored numbers in pool water chemistry, even though it quietly influences how water behaves. TDS simply means the total amount of dissolved material in the water, measured in parts per million, and it is not the same as visible debris or suspended solids. Modern pool service pros usually measure TDS with a digital meter that reads conductivity and converts that to a ppm estimate. That convenience is why it exists, because the old-school “total dissolved residue” method required evaporating a carefully measured sample and weighing what was left. The key takeaway for pool maintenance is that TDS rises as you add chemicals over time, and that rising baseline changes the way your test results and balance calculations perform. A practical way to think about TDS is the “kettle scale” analogy: keep boiling water away and you eventually see what was dissolved all along. In pools, the biggest contributors are often chloride and sodium. Every time...

Cyanuric acid (CYA), often called pool stabilizer or pool conditioner, is usually introduced as a simple shield that protects chlorine from sunlight. But the deeper story is what makes or breaks clear water: CYA changes chlorine effectiveness by binding most of the chlorine in the water and controlling how much active sanitizer is available at any moment. In this conversation, Bob Lowry explains why “normal” chlorine readings can be misleading, how CYA acts like a buffer in pool water, and why understanding the stabilizer to chlorine relationship is a cornerstone of reliable pool maintenance for service pros and homeowners alike.   The key insight is the equilibrium between free chlorine and chlorine bound to cyanuric acid. Once CYA rises above about 30 ppm, a very large percentage of chlorine becomes bound, leaving only a small fraction immediately active. That does not mean the chlorine disappears, it means it releases more slowly as the active portion gets consumed. The pra...

Constant high pool pH is one of the most common pool water chemistry problems, and it usually is not “mystery water” at all. A persistent pH rise is often driven by carbon dioxide off gassing, which is controlled largely by total alkalinity (TA). When TA is high, the water is effectively overcarbonated, so CO2 wants to escape until it reaches equilibrium with the air above the pool. As CO2 leaves, the pH rises, which leads to the familiar cycle of adding acid, watching pH drop, then seeing it climb again. If you want stable pH, the strategy is less about chasing numbers and more about reducing the conditions that accelerate CO2 loss. The practical takeaway is to rethink alkalinity targets when you are dealing with chronic high pH. Many “standard ranges” for total alkalinity are too broad to solve real-world pH drift, especially in modern pools with lots of aeration. A target around 90 ppm TA can be a starting point, but if pH still climbs, lowering TA to 80 ppm or even near 70 ppm can ...

Metals in pool water are one of the most common reasons otherwise clean pools end up with ugly stains, tinted water, and frustrated customers. The key idea from this conversation is simple: sequestering agents help manage metals, but they do not remove them. Dissolved metal ions can stay in circulation and later oxidize from chlorine or oxygen, turning into solids that “plate out” on plaster, steps, and fittings. That is why a true pool metal removal approach matters, especially when draining is expensive or impossible. Joe Loreno explains how the Culator polymer works differently by binding metal ions while the polymer itself does not dissolve, letting you physically take metals out of the system.   To solve a problem, you also have to know where it starts. Common sources of pool metals include fill water and source water, pool equipment, certain pool chemicals, filter media, plaster and masonry materials, and metal parts in water features. Outside the pool, runoff can bring ...

Summer pool maintenance gets harder for one simple reason: the pool finally gets used. When swim season hits, water chemistry shifts from “stable and quiet” to “high demand and unpredictable.” In many regions, the season timing has changed too, with milder spring weather and a longer warm stretch into fall, which can fool homeowners into thinking the pool will behave like it does in April. For pool service pros and hands-on homeowners, the real lesson is to plan for summer conditions early, not after the first algae bloom or the first frantic call before a weekend party. Better summer pool care starts with expecting higher chlorine demand, faster pH movement, and more scrutiny from customers who suddenly notice every detail in the backyard.   The biggest summer variable is bather load. More swimmers means more organics, more sunscreen, more sweat, and more debris in circulation, all of which consume free chlorine and can cloud water quickly. A pool can look fine on a Monday se...

The Bottom Feeder Adjustable Thrust Ring The new Adjustable Thrust Ring gives pool pros greater control over thrust and maneuverability, allowing you to fine-tune performance for different pool conditions and cleaning environments. It's a simple upgrade designed to help you work smarter, move more efficiently, and get the most out of your vacuum. Increases thrust to propeller in shallow water. Removable. https://thebottomfeeder.com/products/adjustable-thrust-ring The Science Behind the Bottom Feeder Adjustable Thrust Ring: Mastering the Kort Effect For professional pool technicians, efficiency isn't just about saving time—it is about maximizing the performance of every tool in your truck. Portable pool vacuums have revolutionized route speeds, but regional variables like shallow water steps, heavy debris loads, and fluctuating water depths often challenge conventional propeller setups. The introduction of the Bottom Feeder Adjustable Thrust Ring ($24.95) addresses these exa...

Pool pop-ups are one of those pool industry fears that get repeated so often they start to sound inevitable, especially when a customer asks for a full drain to lower cyanuric acid, do an acid wash, or start over with fresh water. The truth is more practical and more technical: most concrete, plaster, or pebble pools are heavy enough that a pop-up is rare, but the risk rises when groundwater and saturated soil create upward buoyant force under an empty shell. If you’re a pool service professional, understanding the real mechanics behind “pool popping out of the ground” helps you make better calls, protect your customer’s property, and protect yourself from avoidable liability. The physics is simple but easy to underestimate. A typical 15,000-gallon pool holds well over 120,000 pounds of water, and that weight acts like an anchor. Once you drain it, you’re left with the shell weight alone, which might be closer to 10,000 to 15,000 pounds for a plaster pool. After heavy rain, especially ...