Rudy, Author at Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Raising pH with Air

Post author:Rudy
Post published:August 21, 2018
Post category:Science Fair Project Water Chemistry

Spas, Splash pads, and Waterpark rides... Ever wonder why the pH tends to run high in certain bodies of water no matter what you do? Always adding acid? Spas, Splash…

Swimming Bugs In My Swimming Pool

Post author:Rudy
Post published:August 13, 2018
Post category:Misc.Pool Service Tips

What are these Swimming Bugs, and how do I make them go away? The Fishing Spider is not a swimming bug, it is an arachnid. Due to appearance, is often…

Shark Pool – The Movie

Post author:Rudy
Post published:August 1, 2018
Post category:Horror Movie Reviews Misc.

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the…..pool? Shark Pool, from Woodhead Entertainment, is a brilliant independent short that starts out with the same grossly over-done concept…

Solar Breeze NX2 – Product Review

Post author:Rudy
Post published:July 18, 2018
Post category:Product Review

[responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Male" buttontext="Listen to Post"] Does this Solar-Powered Pool Cleaner Really Work? The Solar-Breeze NX2 is advertised as "The Roomba for your pool" and is accompanied by…

ForPoolProsOnly: Online dating

Post author:Rudy
Post published:July 8, 2018
Post category:Misc.

? Where the Dating Pool Meets the Swimming Pool ? ForPoolProsOnly Online Dating! Are you a Pool Pro? Single? Looking for someone who knows what the ideal range for pH…

Death Pool: Movie Review

Post author:Rudy
Post published:July 5, 2018
Post category:Horror Movie Reviews Misc.

Swimming pool tech turned Serial Killer… Does this “Pool Boy Gone Mad” psychological thriller tread water? When the sight of water fills you with an urge to kill, it only…

Rudy Stankowitz collecting Black Algae specimens

Black Algae Myth BUSTED!

Post author:Rudy
Post published:May 22, 2018
Post category:Algae Subscription Content

Actual algae, or a case of mistaken identity? Swimming Pool Black Algae Myths BUSTED! If we are of the belief that black algae are actually an alga as the name…

Photo Credit: Rudyard Harold

Cyanuric Acid, Chlorine Lock, and the CDC

Post author:Rudy
Post published:April 21, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

Lowering Your CYA to < 15ppm is Now the 1st Step in Treating a Diarrheal Incident in a Public Pool - CDC The Myth: If your Cyanuric acid level is high…

Lose Weight Quick

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 20, 2018
Post category:Pool Service Tips

Workout Like a Pool Girl, Work it Like a Pool Boy Why are pool technicians always in such great shape? It is more than just a coincidence. These Backyard Water…

Keeping Employees Engaged

Post author:Rudy
Post published:January 7, 2018
Post category:Employees

Zombies vs. Pool Techs The evaporation fog hovers thickly in an eerie mist above the swimming pool. The morning sun begins to destroy the night. The clouds become bludgeoned with…

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Pool Pros text questions here

Rudy does something different this week: he takes the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) out of the pool industry echo chamber and walks it through the lens of academics, civil engineers, groundwater chemists, and industrial water experts who don’t care about plaster warranties, brand marketing, or trade show politics.

If you’ve ever argued about “which LSI is right” in a Facebook group, this one is for you.

Episode Overview

Rudy kicks off with a news analogy:
How the same event looks completely different on U.S. news versus international coverage. Same facts, different framing.

He uses that setup to shift how we look at LSI:

We already know the pool industry story about LSI: PHTA charts, app calculators, Orenda talks, trade folklore.
But this episode asks:
“What does the scientific community think about LSI when they’re not talking to pool people at all?”

Rudy dives into how universities and researchers actually use and define LSI in research on:

Groundwater
Drinking water stability
Industrial cooling systems
Desalination plants
Boiler operations
Cement leaching
Environmental engineering

Key Concepts Covered

1. LSI as the Outside World Sees It

Academics consistently define LSI = pH − pHs, where pHs is the calculated saturation pH, not something you measure with a test kit.
pHs is derived from:
- Calcium hardness
- Carbonate alkalinity
- Ionic strength (modeled via TDS / activity coefficients)
- Temperature
LSI is treated as a thermodynamic index:
- It shows which direction water wants to move with respect to calcium carbonate.
- It does not tell you how fast scale forms, how thick it gets, or how quickly surfaces dissolve.

2. What Negative, Zero, and Positive LSI Actually Mean (Academically)

Negative LSI
- Water is under-saturated in calcium carbonate.
- It is capable of dissolving calcium carbonate if given the chance.
- Researchers call it “aggressive” or “decalcifying” water—but they do not say it guarantees corrosion.
LSI ≈ 0
- Theoretical equilibrium with calcium carbonate.
- In the real world, systems almost never sit at perfect equilibrium because of flow, aeration, dosing, and turbulence.
Positive LSI
- Water is supersaturat

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