Pool School Archives - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

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…

How Strong is Pool Chlorine?

Post author:Rudy
Post published:September 17, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

How Strong is Pool Chlorine? Understanding Available Chlorine Content (ACC) in Pool Chemistry A Key Concept in Certified Pool Operator (CPO) Training One of the most misunderstood concepts in swimming…

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.

Ask a question here

This week on Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury—the Pool Shop Coach—and Nick tackle a question every pool business owner should ask: Are you actually running your business, or are you simply reacting to whichever fire is burning hottest today?

Lee introduces her new Business Balance Check, a free assessment designed specifically to identify the areas of your business that need attention most. It examines ten critical areas—including branding, communication, team culture, safety, policies and procedures, and employee autonomy—before revealing whether you’re currently operating as the Firefighter, the Glue, the Foreman, or the Owner.

Lee and Nick also discuss:

Why procedures sitting unread in a binder are nothing more than expensive pieces of paper
The importance of teaching employees the what, how, and why
How small, one-percent improvements can transform a business
Why great ideas collected at conferences rarely survive the trip home
How a coach or mentor creates accountability and turns intention into action
Using AI to streamline spreadsheets, emails, administration, and repetitive tasks
Why obviously AI-generated advertising can destroy customer trust
The danger of letting software replace genuine technical knowledge and judgment
Why pool professionals must understand the story behind the water-test results
Customers who create a chemical catastrophe—and conveniently forget to mention what they added
The importance of consistent branding and customer experiences across every touchpoint

The episode also includes coverage from SPLASH 2026, featuring new chlorination and pool-control technology from Fluidra, along with commercial salt chlorination, ozone, UV, and advanced oxidation systems from Brauer.

And, because no pool-industry episode would be complete without a customer turning a manageable problem into a full-blown aquatic crime scene, Nick shares what happened when someone accidentally dumped approximately eight kilograms of chlorine remover into a 70,000-liter indoor pool—and then attempted to fix it with liquid chlorine and stabilized chlorine.

Take the Free Business Balance Check

Find out whether you’re operating as the Firefighter, the Glue, the Foreman, or the Owner:

The Pool Shop Coach’s Business Balance Check

Have a question or topic suggestion for Mondays Down Under? Email talkingpools@gmail.com and mark it for Lee and Nick.

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

Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com