Talking Pools Podcast

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This week on Talking Pools, Steve and Wayne deliver a brutally honest, real-world breakdown of what happens when subcontractors, miscommunication, and poor oversight collide on a job site. From a leak detection company altering valve positions and walking away, to costly chemical miscalculations by technicians, this episode dives into the operational chaos that pool professionals face—and how to protect your business from it.

The conversation also expands into liability, insurance strategy, and the hidden risks of stepping outside your normal scope of work, especially when dealing with commercial properties or unconventional client use cases like pool rentals and swim instruction.

🔧 Key Topics Covered

💥 Subcontractor Nightmares

•  Leak detection company alters system valves and leaves them incorrectly set 
•  Result: stagnant water, algae growth, and emergency return visits 
•  Lesson: Always supervise or verify subcontractor work before they leave 
•  The importance of being listed as additionally insured 

🧪 Chemical Mismanagement & Costly Mistakes

•  Technician adds 12 gallons of chlorine + 6 gallons of acid without testing 
•  Why “guess dosing” is financially reckless and chemically unsound 
•  Real-world example of saving $30,000 annually through precise dosing 
•  The overlooked value of acid demand testing (and why most pros ignore it) 

📊 The Business of Precision

•  Why “what worked last week” is not a strategy 
•  How small dosing errors scale into massive financial losses 
•  The discipline of testing before treating—every time 

⚖️ Insurance, Liability & Risk Exposure

•  When to call your insurance agent before taking on new work 
•  Commercial vs residential gray areas (multi-dwelling properties, Airbnb pools, etc.) 
•  The legal exposure of pools used for business purposes (e.g., swim lessons, rentals) 
•  “Hold harmless” agreements and their real-world limitations 

💼 Commercial Accounts: Bigger Money, Bigger Problems

•  Payment delays, “payment freezes,” and cash flow risks 
•  Understanding contract terms and insurance requirements before signing 
•  Evaluating whether the risk is worth the reward 

🧠 Key Takeaways

•  If you didn’t witness the work, assume it needs to be checked. 
•  Never add chemicals without testing—precision protects profit. 
•  Subcontractors can expose you to liability you didn’t create. 
•  Insurance isn’t optional—it’s your last line of defense. 
•  Every “small mistake” scales across a route—and drains your bottom line. 

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

Catch the full episode and stay ahead of the chaos:
 Listen now on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform.

📬 Have a Question or Topic Idea?

Email the show: [email protected]

Your topic might be featured—and earn you a shoutout and a thank-you gift.

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In this week’s Myth Busting Wednesday, Natalie Hood sits down with Don Douglas, President and Owner of Rev'd Up Apparel, to dismantle one of the most overlooked—and misunderstood—topics in the pool industry:

👉 What your team wears… and why it matters more than you think.

From first impressions and customer trust to team morale, durability, and built-in marketing, this episode breaks down the myths surrounding branded apparel and reveals how something as simple as a shirt can directly impact your bottom line.

🔥 What You’ll Learn

•  Why “a t-shirt is just a t-shirt” is completely wrong
•  How branded apparel builds instant trust in under 3 seconds
•  The hidden cost of not investing in professional uniforms
•  Why small pool companies benefit the MOST from branding
•  How apparel can function as a 24/7 marketing tool (QR codes, visibility, referrals) 
•  The truth about durability vs. cost in harsh pool environments 
•  Why team uniforms improve morale, unity, and professionalism
•  How to eliminate inventory headaches and wasted apparel spend
•  The real difference between “splash-and-dash” vs. professional service presentation

💥 Key Myth-Busting Moments

❌ Myth #1: Custom apparel is too expensive

👉 Reality: Traditional barriers (setup fees + minimums) are outdated. Modern solutions make branding accessible—even for solo operators.

❌ Myth #2: A t-shirt is just a t-shirt

👉 Reality: Your shirt is a walking billboard, trust signal, and first impression before you ever touch the water. 

❌ Myth #3: Branding doesn’t matter for small companies

👉 Reality: Small operators benefit the most—because you ARE the brand.

❌ Myth #4: Custom apparel takes too long

👉 Reality: With modern production methods, turnaround can be as fast as 3–4 weeks. 

❌ Myth #5: You need to be a designer

👉 Reality: Done-for-you design processes eliminate the need for creative skills.

❌ Myth #6: Uniforms don’t affect team morale

👉 Reality: Teams that look unified perform unified—and customers notice immediately.

🧪 Industry Insight

This episode goes deeper than apparel—it’s about perception economics:

•  Customers decide if they trust you in seconds
•  Your truck, uniform, and presence create instant credibility—or doubt
•  Branding consistency = repeat business + referrals

As discussed in the episode:

👉 A clean truck + branded uniform + professional presence
 = Higher close rates and stronger retention

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Andrea shows up soaked, slightly unhinged, and absolutely done with your circulation system’s bullsh*t. 

We’re talking pools so flooded they look like they’re trying to return to the ocean, equipment gasping for air, and homeowners acting like water movement is optional.

🫀 The Heart of the Pool (And Yours Is Probably Failing)

You’ve got:

•  filtration (kidneys) 
•  chemicals (liver) 

…but today?

👉 We’re talking about the heart

And if your circulation sucks…

your whole pool is basically a stagnant, lukewarm petri dish with commitment issues.

🌊 Circulation: The Thing Nobody Talks About (Because It’s Not Sexy… Until It Breaks)

Andrea breaks it down:

👉 Pumps move water
 👉 Water movement = EVERYTHING
 👉 No movement = congrats, you own a decorative swamp

You can dump all the chlorine you want in there…

If it’s not moving?

👉 It’s just sitting there like a drunk guy at a bar doing absolutely nothing useful.

🧠 Why Your Pool Keeps Looking Like Trash

Dead spots.

You know… those little areas where:

•  debris hangs out 
•  algae sets up a summer home 
•  and your dignity goes to die 

If you keep seeing the same pile of crap every week?

👉 That’s not coincidence
 👉 That’s your circulation system flipping you off

🤢 Let’s Talk About What’s Actually in Your Water

Surface water = the nastiest part of the pool

Andrea said it. Not me.

That’s where:

•  body oils 
•  sunscreen 
•  spit (yeah… spit) 
•  and whatever that kid just sneezed 

all hang out together like a disgusting little party.

And you’re swimming in it like:
 👉 “Ahh, refreshing.”

No.
 No it’s not.

⚠️ Then It Gets Dark… Like REAL Dark

We go from “dirty water” to:

👉 suction entrapment
 👉 hair getting wrapped up like a horror movie
 👉 limbs getting stuck
 👉 and yeah… evisceration

This episode goes from pool tech to:
 👉 “why this industry should come with therapy”

REAL fast.

🧰 Meanwhile, On Your Equipment Pad…

Your pump is over there:

👉 screaming
 👉 cavitating
 👉 sounding like it swallowed a bag of gravel

And you’re ignoring it like:

“Eh… it’s probably fine.”

It’s not fine.

That’s your pump begging for help before it dies a violent, expensive death.

🧪 The Math You Hate But Need

Turnover rates, flow rates, formulas…

Andrea hits you with the reality:

👉 One turnover doesn’t clean sh*t
 👉 You need multiple passes
 👉 This is a PROCESS, not a one-night stand

🤬 Pool Owner Reality Check

You don’t:

•  clean your baskets 
•  check your flow 
•  fix broken drain covers 

…but you DO:

👉 complain about cloudy water
 👉 question your pool tech
 👉 and act shocked when things go sideways

Pick a struggle.

💀 Final Thought

This episode is a wake-up call.

Your pool is not:
 👉 self-cleaning
 👉 self-circulating
 👉 or magically maintained by vibes

It’s a system.

And if the heart isn’t pumping?

👉 Everything else is just slowly dying.

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Welcome to the episode where three seasoned pool pros from opposite sides of the planet casually admit…

👉 nobody does floccing the same way
 👉 everyone thinks they’re right
 👉 and somehow… they all still get paid

Yes, this is the “we’ve been doing this for 60+ years combined and still argue like it’s day one” episode. 

🌏 What You’re Walking Into:

Lee is holding it down in New South Wales, Nick is on vacation but somehow still talking shop, and Shane is over in New Zealand ready to throw powdered alum at anything that looks remotely green, brown, black… or emotionally unstable.

There’s rugby rivalry. There’s mild political comparisons. There’s a toaster in a service truck.
 Yes… a toaster. Priorities.

🧪 Today’s Topic: FLOCCING POOLS

Or as this episode proves:

“Three techs. Three methods. Same result. Total chaos.”

🧨 What Gets Unleashed:

•  Shane goes full “dump it in the skimmer and let God sort it out”
•  Nick mixes it like he’s crafting a potion in a backyard cauldron 
•  Lee shows up with a watering can like she’s baptizing the pool into clarity

And somehow…

👉 All of it works
 👉 None of it matches the label
 👉 The label contradicts itself anyway

(Seriously… one product says pH 6.5–7… then immediately says 8.2. Pick a lane, chemicals.)

🧠 Key Takeaways (If You Can Call Them That):

•  Floc doesn’t care about your feelings… but it does care about pH, alkalinity, and whether your pump is garbage 
•  Dead spots in circulation will ruin your day faster than a customer saying “it was clear yesterday” 
•  You can underdose floc… or overdose it and create a science experiment that fights back 
•  Sometimes the best method is:
   👉 brute force
   👉 blind scooping
   👉 and emotional detachment 

🧟‍♂️ Real Field Horror:

One pool described as:

Another featuring:

Congratulations. You’re not a pool tech anymore.
 You’re a biological researcher with a net.

⚡ Rapid Fire Chaos:

•  Floc floating instead of sinking? Congrats, you broke physics. 
•  Cartridge filter + alum tablet? Enjoy your new brick. 
•  Customer vacuuming after floc? Say goodbye to all your hard work. 

🧬 The Unspoken Truth:

There is no single “right” way.

There is only:
 👉 what works
 👉 what you think works
👉 and what you’ll defend in a Facebook argument at 2AM

🏁 Final Thought:

This episode isn’t about floc.

It’s about the reality that in this industry:

Experience beats instructions.
 Results beat theory.
 And everyone secretly thinks their way is the best… even when it’s not.

📬 Got a better method?

Email it in.

Rudy will route it to the appropriate host…

…and they will absolutely argue about it on air.

🎧 Listen. Learn. Disagree aggressively.
Welcome to Talking Pools.

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In this episode, Rudy Stankowitz breaks down two industry staples—breakpoint chlorination and enzymes—and explains why what’s commonly taught doesn’t fully match the chemistry happening in your water.

This isn’t about being wrong.
 It’s about going one level deeper.

⚗️ Breakpoint Chlorination – The Reality

•  The 10x rule is not how breakpoint is defined in chemistry 
•  True breakpoint is based on ammonia (as nitrogen), not combined chlorine 
•  Pools measure combined chlorine (as chlorine) → not a direct match 

👉 Result:
 You’re applying a fixed rule to a variable system

💡 Key Insight

•  Oxidation starts immediately 
•  Breakpoint is not a moment—it’s a process
•  Real demand depends on: 
  •  Organics 
  •  Nitrogen compounds 
  •  pH 
  •  reaction conditions 

⚡ Salt Systems Reality Check

•  Salt cells produce chlorine slowly
•  They are built to maintain, not spike

👉 In high demand situations:
 External chlorine is often required 

🧬 Enzymes – What Actually Happens

•  Enzymes break down organics (true) 
•  But they are proteins in an oxidizing system

👉 Chlorine can chemically alter and deactivate them

⏱️ Why Enzymes Still Work

It’s a competition for reaction:

•  Chlorine reacts with everything in the water 
•  Enzymes survive temporarily because chlorine is “busy” 

👉 They work within a limited time window

•  Higher chlorine = shorter window 
•  Less time = less impact 

🧱 Enzymes & Biofilms

•  Enzymes do not remove biofilms
•  They weaken the protective matrix

👉 This allows chlorine to penetrate more effectively 

Best results require:

•  Proper chemistry 
•  Physical disruption (brushing) 

✅ Best Conditions for Enzymes

• Free Chlorine: ~1 ppm 
• pH: 7.2–7.5 

👉 These conditions maximize enzyme lifespan and effectiveness 

🧠 Final Thought

Stop asking:

👉 “How much chlorine do I add?”

Start asking:

👉 “What is actually happening in this water?”

That’s the difference between following rules and understanding systems.

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What looks like algae… isn’t always algae.
 And what looks like “clear but weird” water? That’s where things get expensive.

In this episode of Talking Pools Thursdays, Steve and Wayne break down one of the most misunderstood issues in pool service: metals in the water—how to identify them, where they come from, and what actually works when you’re dealing with them in the field.

It starts with a simple truth:
 👉 Water has no color.
So when it turns green, blue, brown, or something that just feels “off,” something else is driving that change—and metals are often the culprit.

They walk through the key differences between algae vs. metals, including:

•  Why algae presents as cloudy, opaque, or “carpeted” 
•  Why metals (like copper) often show up as clear, tinted water 
•  A simple field test using your brush to tell the difference instantly 

From there, the conversation goes deeper into where metals actually come from, including:

•  Source water (especially wells) 
•  Heater corrosion and heat exchanger failure 
•  Overuse of copper-based algaecides 
•  Aging infrastructure and legacy municipal systems 

They also cover the thresholds where metals become a real problem:

•  Copper above ~0.2 ppm 
•  Iron above ~0.3 ppm 
•  And how rising pH (above ~7.6) triggers precipitation, staining, and discoloration 

Then comes the part most techs get wrong—treatment strategy.

This episode breaks down the difference between:

• Sequestering agents (hide the metals, prevent staining) 
• Chelating agents (bind metals into larger particles for filtration/removal) 
•  Why most modern products attempt to do both 
•  And why you’re still often vacuuming to waste or cleaning filters after treatment 

They also get real about the operational side:

•  Why chelation jobs can take multiple visits 
•  Why sequestering requires ongoing maintenance dosing 
•  And why metals are “not a problem… until they’re a problem” 

There’s also a candid discussion on:

•  The risks and realities of acid washing 
•  Why vinyl and fiberglass pools present different limitations 
•  How improper dosing in small bodies of water (like spas) can trigger metal precipitation instantly 
•  And why no two metal situations ever behave exactly the same 

The episode wraps with a broader industry conversation on rising costs—fuel, materials, and equipment—and how those pressures are forcing service companies to rethink pricing, efficiency, and long-term profitability.

Because whether it’s metals in the water or money in your business…
 👉 Ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away.

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This Myth-busting episode reveals how pool pros can maximize their relationships with manufacturer reps to grow their business, increase margins, and avoid costly mistakes. Laci Davis (Grit Game) shares practical tips on finding, evaluating, and leveraging reps effectively.

Keywords

pool industry, manufacturer reps, business growth, sales strategies, industry relationships

Key Topics

• Types of industry reps and their roles
• How to identify a good manufacturer rep
• The importance of follow-up and relationship-building
• Strategies for leveraging reps to increase sales and margins
• Practical steps to find and connect with reputable reps

Sound Bites

• "Good reps have real industry experience"
• "Follow-up shows a rep's diligence"
• "Don't treat reps like transactions"

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to the Grit Game and Pool Pros

03:50
Understanding the Role of Reps in the Pool Industry

06:37
The Importance of Building Relationships with Reps

08:50
Identifying Quality Reps and Their Impact

11:32
Maximizing the Value of Reps for Business Growth

13:41
Finding and Connecting with Reps

15:07
Conclusion and Call to Action

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In this episode of Talking Pools Podcast, Andrea wraps up her multi-part deep dive into pool chemistry with a no-BS breakdown of what actually matters when it comes to testing, dosing, and not screwing it all up.

And yes… she’s cooking chicken while recording.

🔍 What This Episode Covers

This isn’t textbook chemistry.
 This is real-world, boots-on-the-ground pool service knowledge—the stuff that actually saves you from making expensive mistakes.

📊 Testing Frequency (What You Should Actually Be Doing)

Andrea breaks down what needs to be tested—and how often:

• Weekly: Free chlorine, combined chlorine, pH, total alkalinity 
• Bi-weekly (max): Total alkalinity (don’t push it further) 
• Monthly: Cyanuric acid, calcium hardness, salt 
• As needed: Phosphates, metals, TDS 

And one big reminder:

⚠️ Test Kit Lies (Yes, They Lie)

Ever get a reading that makes zero sense?

It might not be you.

This episode dives into:

• DPD bleaching → false zero chlorine readings 
• MPS interference → false high readings 
• High chlorine messing with pH tests
• Metals affecting calcium hardness results

👉 Translation:
 Your test results can absolutely betray you if you don’t know what you’re looking at.

🧠 The Dilution Trick (That Most Techs Don’t Use)

When your test maxes out…

You don’t guess.

You dilute.

Andrea explains:

•  How to properly dilute samples 
•  When to multiply results 
•  Why guessing high readings is a mistake 

Including real-world examples of CYA levels hitting 300+ ppm in Florida.

💣 Chemical Dosing (Where People Go Off the Rails)

This is where things get dangerous—and expensive.

Andrea walks through:

•  Proper dosing based on 10,000 gallons 
•  Why dumping “a gallon of acid” is a terrible idea 
•  How to actually adjust pH and alkalinity correctly 

And the reality:

⚙️ Feeders, Automation & Salt Systems

From manual dosing to full automation, this episode covers:

•  Stenner pumps & peristaltic systems 
•  Tab feeders vs erosion feeders 
•  Ozone, UV, and gas systems 
•  Salt cells and how they actually generate chlorine 

Including a key reminder:

👉 Salt is not the sanitizer
 👉 The cell produces chlorine gas → which becomes hypochlorous acid 

🔥 The Real Problem with the Industry

Andrea calls out a growing issue:

Conflicting information between:

•  CPO materials 
•  Manufacturers 
•  Field experience 

And the result?

👉 Confused techs
 👉 Bad chemistry decisions
 👉 Arguments in comment sections

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In this episode of Talking Pools Podcast, the Mondays Down Under crew takes on a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough honest discussion: building a swimming pool from the perspective of the people who actually have to service it later.

Because here’s the truth…

👉 Builders don’t always think like service techs
 👉 And homeowners don’t always know what to ask

That’s where things go sideways.

🔍 Inside This Episode

Lee and Nick pull back the curtain on what really happens during pool construction—sharing real-world stories, mistakes they’ve seen firsthand, and the kind of advice that only comes from years in the field.

From backward installations to impossible-to-service equipment setups, this episode highlights a simple but critical concept:

⚠️ The Biggest Problems They See

•  Equipment installed with zero service access
•  Pumps and filters placed where maintenance becomes impossible 
•  Chlorinators and plumbing configured so they can’t even be removed
•  Builders choosing products based on convenience—not performance 

And the worst part?

👉 Many of these issues are completely avoidable.

🧠 Advice for Homeowners (and the Pros Guiding Them)

If you’re building a pool—or advising someone who is—this episode delivers some of the most practical guidance you’ll hear:

💡 What matters most:

• Shape, size, and color → You can’t easily change these later 
•  Equipment? You can upgrade that anytime 

💡 What to question:

•  Filter type (cartridge vs media) 
•  Plumbing size and flow design 
•  Future upgrades (heater, automation, sanitation systems) 

💡 What to avoid:

•  Choosing the cheapest builder without due diligence
•  Overcomplicated designs that create long-term headaches 

🌊 Real Stories from the Field

This episode isn’t theory—it’s reality.

•  A deck built directly over a filter… with no access 
•  A pool with no skimmer and constant circulation issues 
•  An infinity edge pool that drained a homeowner’s water supply—twice 
•  A brand-new pool left untouched for weeks… resulting in severe scaling 

These aren’t rare cases.

They’re happening every day.

🔥 The Big Takeaway

Building a pool is easy.

👉 Building one that works long-term? That’s the challenge.

And if you don’t think about:

•  Maintenance 
•  Hydraulics 
•  Access 
•  Water chemistry startup 

You’re not building a pool…

You’re building a future problem.

📩 Got a topic?

Send it in: [email protected]

Rudy will route it to the right host 👀

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🔥 Episode Breakdown

This episode cuts through one of the biggest misconceptions in pool chemistry—and then zooms out to what’s really happening across the industry right now.

🧪 180 ppm CYA – What Actually Happened

No—nobody said to run pools at 180 ppm.

That number came from ratio-based chemistry, not a recommendation.

•  CYA doesn’t sanitize 
• HOCl does
•  Higher CYA can work if chlorine is increased proportionally

Problem?

👉 Most people won’t maintain the ratio correctly 

That’s why the industry stayed conservative.

🧠 Chlorine Misunderstood (Again)

• Available Chlorine ≠ % chlorine in the bucket
• Active strength ≠ oxidizing power
• Free chlorine ≠ active sanitizer

👉 HOCl is all that matters
Controlled by pH and CYA equilibrium—not guesswork.

⚠️ March Reality Check

•  Drownings labeled “accidents” 
•  Safety barriers missing 
•  Suction injuries still happening despite the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act

Nothing shocking—just constant failure.

⚖️ Lawsuits & Industry Pressure

• Hayward Holdings facing reported legal pressure 
•  Market slowdown hitting Fluidra and Pentair
•  Shift to repairs and service

👉 Pressure rolls downhill—to you.

🧯 BioLab – Still Not Over

The situation in Conyers, Georgia isn’t resolved.

It just stopped making headlines.

🏆 Mentor of the Year

Someone helped you in this industry.

Nominate them:
 👉 Talking Pools Podcast Mentor Award

🎯 Final Thought

Nothing changed…

Except expectations, liability, and attention.

And if you’re still operating like it’s 2019—

You’re already behind.

Support the show

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