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AFT&C news🗞️

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Read more about the article Technical Bulletin Black Algae

Technical Bulletin Black Algae

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 12, 2025
  • Post category:Algae

This Technical Bulletin Black Algae is intended for professional pool service technicians. It assumes a workingknowledge of pool water chemistry, algae identification, and treatment practices.Introduction For decades, black algae has…

Continue ReadingTechnical Bulletin Black Algae
Read more about the article Reflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools

Reflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 11, 2025
  • Post category:Swimming Pool News

On a September morning nearly a generation ago, America’s soul was tested. Fire and smoke rose over Manhattan, heartbreak and loss reverberated across the nation, and nearly 3,000 lives—office workers,…

Continue ReadingReflect on Patriot Day: The 9/11 Memorial Pools
Read more about the article Technical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)

Technical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:September 6, 2025
  • Post category:Algae/Pool News

Mustard Algae (Diatoms) – Prevention and Cleanup Responding to the EPA Sodium Bromide Ban For Pool Pro Use Only: This guide is written specifically for professional pool service technicians. It…

Continue ReadingTechnical Field Guide: Mustard Algae (Diatoms)
Read more about the article Laci Davis: The Art of Grit

Laci Davis: The Art of Grit

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 31, 2025
  • Post category:Pool News

On the west coast of Florida, in the small community of Hudson, there’s a business with a name that sounds more like a mantra than a company: The Grit Game.…

Continue ReadingLaci Davis: The Art of Grit
Read more about the article Que Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship

Que Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 24, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

Tucson, Arizona isn’t just cactus and sunsets—it’s also home to one of the sharpest and most stubbornly curious minds in swimming pool chemistry. Que Hales, co-founder of OnBalance and longtime…

Continue ReadingQue Hales and the Ripple Effect of Mentorship
Read more about the article Greg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher

Greg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 17, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

In the chlorine-scented world of pool service, where long days blur into hot afternoons and precision matters down to the decimal, a few names carry real weight. One of them…

Continue ReadingGreg Beard – The Poolside Philosopher
Read more about the article Top 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award

Top 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:August 5, 2025
  • Post category:Talking Pools Podcast

Top 10 Finalists Named for Talking Pools Podcast 2025 Mentor of the Year Award 🔍 Behind the Process: How We Chose the Top 10 Mentors of the Year in the…

Continue ReadingTop 10 Finalists Named for 2025 Mentor of the Year Award
Read more about the article 2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup

2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:July 19, 2025
  • Post category:Pool News

Talking Pools Podcast Announces 2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup July 19, 2025 – Gainesville, Florida – The Talking Pools Podcast is proud to announce the 2025 Mentor of…

Continue Reading2025 Mentor Awards Finalists and Sponsorship Lineup
Read more about the article Peeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions

Peeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:April 13, 2025
  • Post category:Water Chemistry

When someone decides "Peeing in Pools" is ok and it's time to take a little "bathroom break" (because apparently, that's just fine), a chain of chemical reactions starts to unfold…

Continue ReadingPeeing in Pools: The Chemical Reactions
Read more about the article Preparing Your Pool for a Hurricane

Preparing Your Pool for a Hurricane

  • Post author:Rudy
  • Post published:October 16, 2024
  • Post category:Pool News/Home Owner Pool Care/Pool Operator Talk News/Pool Service Tips

Hurricane Damage courtesy of Hurricane Helene

Continue ReadingPreparing Your Pool for a Hurricane
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Read Rudy's Column in AQUA Magazine
Talking Pools Podcast
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. 

Pool Water Testing with LaMotte Down Under
byRudy Stankowitz

Send us Fan Mail

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:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Tik Tok

Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com

Pool Water Testing with LaMotte Down Under
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Si Solo Agregas Cloro, No Eres un Profesional
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Trump’s Reflecting Pool. Minnesota’s Supreme Court. The Pool Industry Just Got Interesting.
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Testing Water the Right Way, Hurricane Prep & Insurance Reality
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Chemistry Myths That Cost Pool Pros Money (Part 1) With Natalie Hood & Eric Wall
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Heat Pumps, Inverter Technology & Building a Smarter Equipment Pad with Madimack
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