AFT&C news🗞️ - Page 6 of 18 - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Muriatic Acid Alternatives

Post author:Rudy
Post published:July 30, 2021
Post category:Water Chemistry

I guess we can add muriatic acid to the list of pool products that are becoming impossible to find this year. The truth is it's been kind of scarce for…

Coronavirus vaccination record card. Protective mask divided into two parts.Concept of defeating Covid-19. High quality photo

Can your customer require proof of Vaccine?

Post author:Rudy
Post published:July 22, 2021
Post category:Pool News

This came up the other day because a peer was asked, so I thought I would snoop around. As we go through this, I am not a HIPAA Lawyer; I…

BIG POOLS IMMUNE TO CHLORINE CRISIS

Post author:Rudy
Post published:May 28, 2021
Post category:Pool News Pool Operator Talk News

Memorial Day weekend is here, and many pool owners continue to investigate alternative means of disinfecting water in hopes of salvaging what could have been the swimming pool season that…

CALCULATE POOL GALLONS CHEMICALLY

Post author:Rudy
Post published:May 8, 2021
Post category:Pool Service Tips

That's it! One method for calculating gallons will work in every pool, no matter what the shape or size. Rectangle, oval, or amoeba-shaped, you'll have greater accuracy if you calculate…

CMAHC’s Dewey Case Discusses Importance of Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 27, 2021
Post category:Pool Safety

Pool Pro Podcast and Ask the Masters' Podcast Spotlight Critical Requirements and Expiration Dates for Pool Service Professionals and Builders RALEIGH, N.C. – Dewey Case, technical director for the Council…

Public Pool Code Inspections

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 19, 2021
Post category:Pool News

[responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Male" buttontext="Listen to Post"] Health Department Public Pool Code Inspections. If you have a pool at a property that you maintain I am certain you have realized…

What To Do When Pool Water Freezes

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 15, 2021
Post category:Pool Service Tips

If you own a swimming pool and have winterized it because you are in an area where that is the common practice - This is NOT for you! You have…

How to Get Rid of Swimming Pool Algae

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 12, 2021
Post category:Pool News Author Rudy Stankowitz

On the Verge of a More Active Algae Season than Ever Before Due to a Nation Wide Chlorine Shortage - There Are Steps That You Can Take to Prevent a…

2021 U.S. Chlorine Shortage

Post author:Rudy
Post published:February 9, 2021
Post category:Pool News

Chlorine Shortage Expected to Plague Nation into 2022 A follow up to our September 2020 article Biolab Fire Expected to Cause Pool Chlorine Price Increase U.S. Chlorine Shortage What Caused…

Badly Decomposed Body Found in Swimming Pool

Post author:Rudy
Post published:January 28, 2021
Post category:Pool News

Lewisville PD has Not Ruled Out Foul Play. A swimming pool service company uncovered the badly decomposed body of an unknown male early Thursday morning. Nemo's pool service had been…

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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This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury, Shane Melrose, and Nick discuss one of the more unusual sides of the pool industry: pools built for animals. What starts as a conversation about winter swimming temperatures quickly turns into a fascinating look at dog splash parks, crocodile enclosures, equestrian facilities, koi ponds, and the unique water quality challenges that come with maintaining aquatic environments that weren't designed for humans.

Nick shares his experience servicing a commercial dog splash pad attached to a boarding kennel and dog daycare facility. Complete with water features, filtration systems, UV sanitation, ORP control, and large hair-catching pre-filters, the installation demonstrates just how much engineering can go into keeping canine swimmers safe while maintaining water quality. The hosts discuss the realities of servicing these facilities, from dealing with dog hair and elevated sanitizer demand to understanding what pathogens and contaminants may be introduced by animal bathers.

The conversation expands into public aquatic facilities that host special dog-swimming events after the regular swimming season ends. Lee describes a commercial pool that transforms into a dog-friendly attraction before winter closure, complete with dog treats, pup cups, and scheduled swimming sessions. The hosts explore why these events have become popular while also examining the additional maintenance and sanitation concerns that come with allowing animals into traditionally human-focused aquatic environments.

Along the way, the team shares stories from the field, including crocodile enclosure maintenance, pools converted into fish ponds, koi installations, dogs trapped under pool covers, kangaroos damaging vinyl liners, and other unexpected encounters that remind listeners that pool service often extends far beyond residential backyards.

The discussion also dives into commercial pool design and operations, including Australia's practice of color-coding commercial plumbing systems to identify filtered water, unfiltered water, waste lines, and chemical treatment circuits. The hosts explain how these visual systems help technicians navigate complex plant rooms and improve troubleshooting efficiency.

Finally, the group reviews sanitation considerations for splash pads and interactive water features, including secondary sanitation requirements, UV systems, ozone treatment, pathogen control, chlorine contact times, and the challenges of maintaining safe water quality in facilities with high bather loads and small water volumes. The episode concludes with practical advice for service professionals managing pools where pets are frequent swimmers and why proper filtration, sanitation, and maintenance become even more important when four-legged bathers are involved.

In This Episode

Commercial dog splash pads and daycare aquatic facilities
Filtration and sanitation challenges created by animal bathers
Public pools that host dog swimming events
Crocodile enclosures, equestrian pools, and koi pond conversions
Commercial plant room plumbing color-coding systems
UV, ozone, ORP, and splash pad sanitation requirements
Microbiological concerns associated with animal swimming
Practical maintenance recommendations for pools used by pets
Real-world field stories from Australia and New Zealand
Why dog hair may be one of a technician's biggest challenges

Connect With Talking Pools

Listen to new episodes every week across the Talking Pools Podcast Network featuring industry professionals from around the world discussing pool service, water chemistry, commercial aquatics, equipment, operations, and the challenges technicians face every day.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere podcasts are found.

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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com