Bob Lowry’s Legacy In Every Backyard with Terry Arko

 Bob Lowry’s name still carries weight on pool routes for a simple reason: his chemistry lessons work the very next day. This conversation with Terry Arco traces how those lessons are being condensed, modernized, and delivered to pool pros across the country in 2026. The core idea is practical education for residential service techs who face tight schedules and shifting water conditions. Rather than asking pros to sit through a six-hour seminar, Terry explains how the essentials of water balance, cyanuric acid management, and free chlorine control can be taught in focused sessions that respect the realities of field work while preserving scientific rigor.

At the center of this push is an abridged course derived from Bob’s 252-page Pool Chemistry for Residential Pools and its concise 26-page companion, Pool Chemistry for Service Pros. The shorter format keeps the vital principles intact: understanding Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) to prevent scale and corrosion, managing CYA to protect chlorine without neutering it, and dialing in free chlorine to stop algae before it blooms. Demonstrations remain a pillar of the class, with practical aeration examples that make pH and CO2 behavior visible. The outcome is not theory for theory’s sake, but a toolkit that helps techs stabilize water faster and avoid callbacks.

Terry also details how HASA assumed the copyrights to Bob’s works, including the IPSA training manuals, and began a careful update to align them with current standards and field realities. That means clarifying test methods, modernizing examples, and offering Spanish-language versions so teams can train consistently. The revisions preserve Bob’s authorship and voice while improving clarity and usability. For many pros, those manuals were the first time chemistry felt approachable, with glossary-driven navigation and sections that translate directly to route decisions like how to adjust alkalinity, when to shock, and how to interpret combined chlorine.

The episode takes time to honor Bob’s unique style: approachable, generous, and relentlessly practical. He was the rare chemist who asked for a ride-along, worked routes for free, and picked up the phone when a tech was stuck. That mindset shaped products like liquid pool conditioner, addressing the real-world headache of slow-dissolving CYA in cool spring water. By liquefying the conditioner, he removed friction in a high-stakes seasonal moment, helping pros hit target stabilizer levels without clouds of undissolved granules or filter blow-through. It’s a perfect example of field-first innovation that saves time and reduces uncertainty.

The condensed course is built for the residential pro who might not hold a CPO but still needs clean, safe water every week. The content zeroes in on three stubborn problems: unstable water balance, misunderstood CYA effects on chlorine, and the persistent mystery of algae despite “right” free chlorine levels. Terry challenges the fixed 3 ppm mindset and reframes chlorine targets relative to CYA, sunlight, and bather load. He emphasizes using LSI as a guide, not a guess, showing how temperature swings and aeration can swing pH and calcium behavior. The result is a smarter approach to chlorination and balance that reduces algae risk and material damage.

Finally, listeners get a clear route to action. The 2026 schedule brings the abridged Lowry course and other Arenda Academy and HASA classes to major shows and regional events nationwide, with 90-minute to two-hour sessions where possible. Pros can expect hands-on demonstrations, updated materials, and a focus on everyday decisions: measuring accurately, preventing scale, protecting chlorine, and knowing when to raise, hold, or dilute CYA. The message is simple and powerful: you don’t need more hours in the day, you need better steps. Bob’s legacy lives in those steps, delivered in a format that respects the craft and the clock.