Talking Pools Podcast

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In this episode of the Talking Pools podcast, Rudy Stankowitz dives deep into the essential aspects of pool water chemistry, focusing primarily on pH. He emphasizes the importance of understanding pH as the core of water chemistry, explaining how it influences chlorine effectiveness, the role of alkalinity, and the buffering systems that stabilize pH levels. Rudy discusses the impact of electrolysis, CO2 behavior, and the Langelier Saturation Index on pH management. He also highlights the challenges of accurate measurement and the biological influences on pH. The episode concludes with practical takeaways for pool professionals to master pH control and maintain balanced water.

takeaways

• pH is the most influential factor in pool water stability.
• Understanding pH requires knowledge of its dynamic nature.
• Alkalinity acts as a buffer to stabilize pH.
• Cyanuric acid and borates play crucial roles in pH management.
• Electrolysis in saltwater pools consistently raises pH levels.
• CO2 behavior is central to controlling pH fluctuations.
• The Langelier Saturation Index is heavily influenced by pH.
• Accurate measurement of pH is essential for effective pool management.
• Biological factors can cause local pH variations in pools.
• Maintaining balanced water reduces the need for constant chemical adjustments.

Sound Bites

• "Your job is to conduct, not to fight."
• "Balanced water is calm water."
• "pH is the heartbeat of the pool."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Flock It Friday and Industry Talent

01:43
Back to Basics: Understanding Water Chemistry

02:53
The Importance of pH in Pool Water

08:01
Understanding pH Measurement and Its Implications

09:20
The Carbonate System and Its Role in pH Stability

17:47
The Role of Cyanuric Acid and Borates in pH Management

23:48
The Interplay of pH, Chlorine, and Water Chemistry

28:33
Electrolysis and Its Impact on pH Levels

30:36
Equilibrium and the Dynamics of CO2 in Water

31:56
Biological Influences on pH and Algae Management

39:54
Advanced Oxidation Processes and pH Dynamics

40:49
The Langelier Saturation Index and Its Relationship with pH

41:50
Understanding pH and Water Chemistry

45:20
The Role of Carbon Dioxide in pH Control

49:11
The Impact of pH on Scaling and LSI

50:05
Total Dissolved Solids and pH Readings

51:42
Buffer Systems: Bicarbonate, Cyanuric Acid, and Borate

54:06
Turbulence and Gas Transfer Dynamics

55:08
Salt Systems and pH Drift

56:13
Biological Influences on pH

58:12
Radical Reactions and pH

59:23
The Relationship Between pH and Metals

01:03:11
Practical pH Management Strategies

01:07:02
Mastering pH Control in Pool Chemistry

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Sometimes, to master the science of pool care, you’ve got to rewind all the way to the fundamentals — and that’s exactly what Wayne does in this nostalgic, knowledge-packed Throwback Thursday episode of the Talking Pools Podcast.

This week, Wayne strips away the marketing fluff, the industry noise, and the high-tech gadgets to return to where it all began: Chlorine 101. He breaks down the true difference between oxidation and sanitation, revealing why so many pros get it wrong — and how that mix-up can mean the difference between crystal-clear water and chaos in a bottle.

From sodium hypochlorite to trichlor, from cal hypo to chlorine gas, Wayne dives into all six types of chlorine, explaining how each one behaves, reacts, and—let’s face it—sometimes misbehaves in a pool. You’ll walk away reminded that this simple element is anything but simple.

Whether you’re a seasoned pool tech who’s been around since chlorine came in glass bottles, or a rookie trying to wrap your head around free vs. combined chlorine, this episode will reignite your respect for the basics that keep every pool sparkling and every customer safe.

💧 Because even the pros need to go back to where it all started sometimes — the chlorine.

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🎙️ Talking Pools Podcast – Part 1

Dewey Case of CMAHC to Aquatic Directors: Clear Water Can Still Kill

Guest: Dewey Case — Technical Director, Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC); Assistant Aquatic Superintendent, Williamson County Parks & Rec, Tennessee
Host: Natalie Hood (The Grit Game)
Episode Length: Part 1 of 2

Episode Overview

It’s Halloween on the Talking Pools Podcast, and between vegan pumpkin chili, light-up unicorn costumes, and a T-Rex suit, host Natalie Hood sits down with Dewey Case, one of the most respected names in the aquatics industry.

Dewey, who serves as Technical Director for CMAHC and helps oversee operations for Williamson County Parks & Rec, joins Natalie to bust some of the most persistent and dangerous myths in aquatics — from “saltwater pools don’t use chlorine” to “if it’s clear, it must be clean.”

This conversation is as entertaining as it is eye-opening, reminding Aquatic Directors, Operators, and Lifeguards that public health and safety depend on knowing the science behind the sparkle.

What You’ll Learn in Part 1

💧 Myth #1: Saltwater pools don’t use chlorine.
Wrong. Dewey explains why salt systems are chlorine generators — and why undersized or misapplied units can cost facilities thousands.

💧 Residential vs. Commercial Realities.
Not all chlorine generation systems are equal. Dewey shares the hard lessons from pools that went green — and what every HOA and facility manager needs to understand before upgrading.

💧 The Education Equation.
You can’t go to college for aquatics management, so training and curiosity are everything. Dewey outlines where to go — CPO, AFO, AquaTech, Genesis, WaterShape University, and industry conferences — and why Google Scholar might be your new best friend.

💧 Myth #2: Clear water means clean water.
Not even close. Dewey breaks down the unseen dangers of crystal-clear water — from Crypto and Naegleria fowleri (the brain-eating amoeba) to Shigella, E. coli, and Pseudomonas lurking in low-sanitizer environments.

💧 Testing Habits That Save Lives.
Whether you manage a commercial facility, HOA, or residential route, Dewey and Natalie stress one truth: testing frequency is everything. Regulations are minimums, not goals.

💧 The Operator’s Mindset.
Dewey and Natalie share real-world stories — from misinformed HOA technicians to hot tubs that double as Legionella incubators — and challenge every aquatic professional to dig deeper than the surface.

Quotable Moments

• “A salt water pool is a chlorine pool.” – Dewey Case
• “You can’t go to college for this — your best educational tool is your desire to know more.”
• “Clear water doesn’t always mean clean water. Sometimes, it just means invisible danger.”
• “Be curious. Test often. Protect the people who trust you with their swim.”

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Being the boss sounds great — until payday hits and you realize your new hire just cost you more in pool shock than they’ve made you in revenue. In this episode, we strip away the Instagram gloss and talk about what it really means to grow your team. Spoiler: it’s not all high-fives and financial freedom. Sometimes it’s long days, lost profits, and teaching someone not to vacuum with the backwash line open.

Shane and Lee break down the raw truth of employment — the pain before the gain, the cost before the comeback. Because hiring isn’t just about finding help; it’s about building the future of your business one chlorine-stained rookie at a time.

If you think adding staff means instant profits, buckle up. This episode’s a reality check dipped in muriatic acid.

Takeaways:

• Being an employer isn’t for the faint-hearted (or the impatient).
• Training time hits harder than an Aussie magpie in spring.
• There’s no fast-forward button on ROI.
• You’ve got to bleed a little cash before you build something that lasts.

Sound Bites:

• “There’s pain before there’s gain.”
• “We have to spend money to make money.”
• “You’re taking extra time on a job — and that’s okay.”

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & Personal Updates
00:47 – The Art (and Agony) of Training New Employees

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Swimming Pool Leak Suspection refers to the initial stage of identifying and investigating potential water loss in a swimming pool system when there is reason to believe a leak may exist.

In practical terms, it means a pool owner or service technician has observed indicators suggesting abnormal water loss—such as a consistently dropping water level, air bubbles in the return lines, excessive chemical use, soggy areas around the pool, or unexplained increases in water bills—but has not yet confirmed the presence or location of a leak.

Leak suspection triggers diagnostic testing, including visual inspections, the bucket test (to distinguish between evaporation and leakage), pressure testing, dye testing, or electronic leak detection. It’s essentially the diagnostic hypothesis phase of leak detection—where symptoms point toward a problem, but confirmation requires controlled testing and data verification.

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Welcome to a special edition of the Talking Pools Podcast. I’m your host, Rudy Stankowitz, and today we’re doing something a little different. My cohost, Andrea, doesn’t know it yet, but this episode is being recorded live with an audience. We’re opening the door to real-time interaction, bringing our listeners into the conversation as it happens.

This episode isn’t just about surprises—it’s about resilience and change. Recently, I suffered a back injury while cleaning pools. It’s a tough reminder of how physically demanding this work can be. Recovery has forced me to slow down, reassess, and make a few lifestyle adjustments. One of those changes is shifting to a pescatarian diet—trading land-based meals for a diet centered on fish and seafood.

Andrea is also making a change, focusing on balance and mindfulness both in and out of the studio. It’s a good reminder that mental and physical health are just as important as technical skill in this business.

Today’s discussion covers more than just pool care—it’s about the people behind the service, the adjustments we make, and how we adapt when life doesn’t go as planned.

Join us for this live episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, where we’ll talk honestly about challenges, changes, and finding new depth in the work we do every day.

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 Welcome back to the Talking Pools Podcast — where the water’s clear, but the talk can get rough. I’m Kelli, here with the man who can smell bad plumbing from a mile away, Dan.

This one’s from the vault, a throwback episode that still hits hard because, let’s be real — some things never change.

We’re revisiting one of the biggest frustrations for pool techs everywhere: having to replumb equipment pads on brand-new builds just to make them serviceable. You’d think “new” means “done right,” but too often it means twisted pipes, impossible fittings, and a layout that looks more like a maze than a mechanical system.

Kelli and Dan dig into why it happens, how it can be prevented, and what builders and service pros can do to stop this expensive, time-wasting headache before it starts.

So grab your coffee, toss the wrenches in the truck, and tune in — because this episode proves that bad plumbing never really goes out of style.

CMAHC
The Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code promotes health & safety at public swimming pools

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In this bone-chilling Halloween episode, host Rudy Stankowitz dives headfirst into the haunted side of the pool world—where the ripples in the water might not be from your circulation pump. Beneath the calm shimmer of moonlit pools lies a darker current: ghost stories soaked in chlorine and mystery.

Rudy takes listeners on a guided ghost tour through some of the most notoriously haunted swimming pools on Earth—the Queen Mary’s first-class plunge, McCarren Park Pool’s eerie echoes, The Rave’s waterlogged concert hall in Milwaukee, and the Baker Hotel’s decaying spa in Mineral Wells, Texas. Each haunted tale blends the supernatural with the mechanical—the hiss of an old centrifugal pump, the slow groan of a corroded valve, and the whisper of gravity-fed drains that might still be pulling something from the other side.

But before the goosebumps get too deep, Rudy grounds the chills in cold, hard chemistry. He pulls back the cover on one of the pool world’s biggest myths—the “10x rule” for breakpoint chlorination—and exposes why the dosing instructions printed on your calcium hypochlorite bucket might be dead wrong. You’ll learn the truth about shocking a pool: when it’s needed, when it’s not, and how misreading combined chlorine levels can turn your wallet into the real victim.

Then, things get even stranger. A listener calls in with a question about Jack’s Magic products that takes an unexpected turn. Rudy shares his latest paranormal investigation findings—because of course he’s the only guy who can go from breakpoint chlorination to EVP recordings without missing a beat. Add in the PHTA’s latest initiative to help member businesses, and wrap it all up with a ghost story that’ll have every pool pro double-checking their filter room after dark.

From haunted hydraulics to myth-busting chemistry, this episode proves one thing: in the pool world, even the dead don’t always rest at the bottom.

Highlights:

• 🧙‍♂️ “Do you ever notice how every swimming pool has its own kind of hum?” Rudy opens with a haunting reflection on water’s memory.
• 🧴 The real reason you don’t need to shock your pool every 7–10 days (and how to test before you dose).
• 💀 The ghostly pool at 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville — long buried, but locals still hear splashing.
• 🚢 Inside the Queen Mary’s art deco pool: a masterpiece of copper piping and Atlantic crossings… now echoing with phantom laughter.
• 🧰 Haunted Equipment Porn: centrifugal pumps, sand separators, gravity-fed loops, and the eerie silence they left behind.
• 🏚️ Rudy’s firsthand paranormal investigation at the Old Newberry Jail — site of the tragic “Newberry Six” lynching of 1916. He records overnight EVPs, interacts with EMF spikes, and captures strange responses through a spirit box.
• 💡 Listener Q&A: “Greasy Ass Bathtub Ring” from Rockville, MD asks about scum lines and Jack’s Magic enzyme packs (yes, they work).

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In this Halloween classic from the Talking Pools Podcast vault, Andrea and Paulette return to the mic with goosebump-worthy stories from the field — the kind that make your skin crawl and your test kit hand tremble. From murky green pools that seemed to breathe on their own, to mysterious ripples that moved when no wind blew, these two share the moments that made even veteran techs question what lurks beneath the surface.

Andrea and Paulette take listeners through 85% pure spine-tingling storytelling, recounting real-life service route scares that start as routine calls and end in eerie encounters. You’ll laugh, you’ll squirm, and you might just start double-checking those backyard shadows after dark.

Then—like the ghost of chlorine past—Rudy drops in for a cameo to share his infamous “green-to-clean” gone wrong. It’s a story where science meets the supernatural, proving that sometimes the scariest thing in pool care isn’t the ghost… it’s the chemistry.

Perfect for Halloween, this episode blends fright with insight—reminding every pool pro that sometimes, the water remembers. 💀💧

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This is the one where Wayne and Steve discuss the secrets behind the booths, the untold tales of Pool Industry Tradeshows. Also, What insurance do you need to conduct a pool inspection?

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