AFT&C news🗞️ - Page 17 of 18 - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Duke University Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:August 27, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

Duke University Aquatics There is a lot more to consider when maintaining these colossal giants of competition and wellness than one might think. Pool Operators face a myriad of challenges…

pH Rise in Swimming Pools

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

Spas, Splash pads, and Waterpark rides... Why Aeration Causes pH Rise in Swimming Pools Ever wonder why the pH in certain pools always seems to run high, no matter how…

Swimming Bugs In My Swimming Pool

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

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…

Pool Girl Power 👉💪

Post author:Contributor
Post published:August 7, 2018
Post category:Pool News

Working in a Male-Dominated Field by Andrea Lynne Nannini Wikipedia: A swimming pool service technician (known colloquially as a pool man) is a tradesperson who cleans swimming pools and services major pool equipment such as pumps, motors, and…

Solar pool skimmer

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

Does this Solar-Powered Pool Cleaner Really Work? Every so often, a product enters the swimming pool industry promising to revolutionize the way pools are maintained. The Solar-Breeze NX2, a solar-powered…

Buying or Selling a Home with a Pool: Why a Professional Pool Inspection Matters

Post author:Contributor
Post published:July 11, 2018
Post category:Misc.

Buying or Selling a Home with a Pool: Why a Professional Pool Inspection Matters For many homebuyers, a swimming pool is one of the most exciting features a property can…

Liquid Chlorine pH

Post author:Contributor
Post published:June 27, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

Does Liquid Chlorine Raise pH? The Chemistry of Sodium Hypochlorite in Swimming Pools Rudy Stankowitz is a Certified Pool Operator (CPO) instructor, columnist for AQUA Magazine, and host of the…

Is It OK For My Dog to Swim in the Pool?

Post author:Contributor
Post published:June 12, 2018
Post category:Misc.Pets & Pools

Is It OK For My Dog to Swim in the Pool? Separating Myth from Water Chemistry Reality Among pool professionals, there is a story that seems to grow larger every…

Swimming Pool Black Algae

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

Swimming Pool “Black Algae”: Why the Name Is Wrong and the Science Matters Few problems frustrate swimming pool professionals more than so-called black algae. The name alone suggests something mysterious…

Does Chlorine Lock Exist?

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

Cyanuric Acid, Chlorine Lock, and Why the CDC Now Requires Lower Stabilizer Levels During Diarrheal Incidents For decades, pool professionals have heard the phrase “chlorine lock.” The claim is simple…

Talking Pools Podcast

If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.

Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact.

Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day. And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities.

Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster. That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.

If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird.

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Magnesium, Salt & the Truth About Water Testing with LaMotte – Part 1

Is your salt test really measuring salt?

What happens when magnesium enters the equation?

And why do two different salt tests sometimes give two completely different answers?

This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee and Nick welcome Hieron from LaMotte for a fascinating deep dive into modern water testing, magnesium pools, calcium hardness, Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), and why understanding your test results is just as important as performing the test itself.

Whether you're servicing pools every day or managing a retail water testing lab, this episode explains why blindly trusting numbers without understanding the chemistry behind them can cost your customers money—and shorten the life of their equipment.

In This Episode

Why total hardness is no longer the same as calcium hardness
How magnesium changes water chemistry
Why magnesium hardness must be separated from calcium hardness
The relationship between hardness and the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)
Why pH remains the single biggest factor affecting water balance
Does magnesium actually affect scaling?
Understanding the difference between conductivity salt meters and reagent-based salt testing
Why two salt tests can produce dramatically different readings
The hidden problem of ”dead” salt and elevated TDS
When water replacement becomes the only practical solution
Protecting expensive salt chlorinator cells through accurate testing
Why experienced technicians ask questions instead of simply printing reports
The psychology of educating customers and building long-term trust
A preview of LaMotte's upcoming professional training course for the pool industry

Key Takeaways

One of the biggest myths discussed is that all salt readings are equal.

Traditional conductivity meters measure the electrical conductivity of dissolved solids, while LaMotte's Spin system chemically measures usable chloride ions—the portion of salt that can actually produce chlorine. Understanding that distinction can dramatically improve troubleshooting and help explain why older pools often experience chlorination issues despite appearing to have sufficient salt.

The conversation also explores why magnesium pools require technicians to think differently about hardness testing. Magnesium contributes to total hardness but should not simply be substituted for calcium when calculating water balance or the LSI. Accurate testing allows professionals to properly determine true calcium hardness instead of relying on outdated rules of thumb.

Beyond chemistry, the discussion focuses on customer communication. The best technicians don't simply hand customers a printout—they ask better questions, interpret the results, educate pool owners, and build relationships that last for years.

Featured Guest

Hieron – LaMotte

Water chemistry specialist
Professional water testing educator
Expert in Spin water analysis technology
Developer of LaMotte's upcoming online professional training program

Coming Next Week

Part Two continues the conversation with even more practical discussions on professional water analysis, advanced chemistry, and improving customer outcomes through better testing and education.

Listen, subscribe, and join the conversation wherever you get your podcasts.

Support the show

Thank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:

Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com