Bob Lowry Archives - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Alum-CyA ‘Tech Bulletin’ Response

Post author:Rudy
Post published:November 16, 2020
Post category:Pool News

In mid-October of 2020, Robert W Lowry released an Alum-CyA 'Tech Bulletin' titled 'Does Alum Remove CyA?' This appeared again in the Service Industry News publication several weeks later. His…

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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 episode is intentionally and unapologetically Gen X, slightly abrasive and definitely not safe for the easily rattled. Beneath the profanity and sarcasm is a serious discussion about accountability, professional communication and knowing the difference between telling an uncomfortable truth and simply acting like an asshole.

Rudy takes on cancel culture, trigger warnings, political correctness and the challenge of communicating like an actual human being in a customer-facing industry.

Pool professionals should never be afraid to correct dangerous work, challenge technical bullshit or tell a customer an uncomfortable truth. Facts do not stop existing because somebody dislikes the delivery. At the same time, “that’s just how I am” is not a free pass to say whatever launches out of your mouth while wearing the company logo.

This episode explores the increasingly narrow space between sanitized corporate nonsense and uncontrolled verbal chaos. Rudy discusses context, intent, accountability, social media outrage, abusive customers, generational differences and why being offended does not automatically make someone correct.

The answer is not silence. It is judgment.

Say what you mean. Know why you are saying it. Read the room. Stand behind the facts. Correct yourself when warranted. Refuse dishonest outrage. And occasionally, learn when to shut the fuck up.

Also featured: an update on the 2026 Talking Pools Podcast Top Ten Pool Industry Mentor awards and the championship belt.

Listener advisory: Explicit language, blunt opinions and enough 1980s Gen X references to make your Trapper Keeper nervous.

In This Episode

Cancel culture versus legitimate accountability
Why intent matters but does not erase impact
The difference between discomfort, offense and actual trauma
Protecting technical truth without becoming an inconsiderate jackass
How social media eliminated the boundary between personal and professional speech
Responding to complaints without performing a corporate hostage video
Setting boundaries with abusive customers
Leading younger employees without dismissing or indulging every complaint
Why communication is another tool on the service truck
Maintaining humor, honesty and personality while protecting your business

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