swimming pool thoughts Archives - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

Florida Southern College Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:November 25, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

We are fortunate at Florida Southern College Aquatics that the school sees the pool and swim team as a priority, and we are able to maintain our pump room and ensure we are up to code at all times.

Successfully Marketing a Pool Service Business

Post author:Rudy
Post published:November 12, 2018
Post category:Marketing

Marketing a Pool Service Business: Evidence-Based Strategies for Finding Your First Customers Starting a swimming pool service company is often appealing for one simple reason: compared with many other trades,…

Understanding Indoor Pool Smells

Post author:Contributor
Post published:November 5, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

Understanding Indoor Pool Smells Understanding Chloramines, Combined Chlorine, and Breakpoint Chlorination Have you ever walked into an indoor swimming pool facility and immediately noticed a sharp “chlorine smell” in the…

University of Georgia Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:September 23, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

University of Georgia 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…

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…

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…

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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In the conclusion of our conversation with Lee Moore and Blake, Technical Director at AIS Water, we examine what it takes to make saltwater chlorination work reliably in demanding commercial environments.

Commercial pools cannot be managed by reacting to every change with another drum of chemicals. Like steering a cruise ship, water chemistry requires calculated adjustments, accurate information, and equipment sized for the facility’s actual operating conditions.

The conversation covers the difference between ORP and direct free-available-chlorine measurement, on/off versus proportional chlorinator control, and how properly sized systems respond to sudden increases in bather load. Lee and Blake also explain why some facilities retain liquid or granular chlorine as backup sanitation—even when onsite chlorine generation handles nearly the entire demand.

We also challenge some persistent assumptions about saltwater pools. Modern commercial systems can operate at salt concentrations as low as approximately 950 ppm, opening the door for indoor pools, facilities with natural stone, and other applications where corrosion concerns have discouraged saltwater chlorination.

Finally, we look behind the marketing of “mineral pools.” Magnesium and potassium salts may change how the water feels, but the sanitation still comes from chlorine produced through electrolysis. Minerals do not replace the sanitizer.

Topics discussed include:

Why commercial chlorination begins with accurate system sizing
Accounting for sunlight, bather load, turnover, and unusual applications
Why water stability is more important than constant chemical correction
Direct free-chlorine probes versus traditional ORP control
On/off and proportional 4–20 mA chlorinator control
Responding automatically to sudden increases in bather load
Cell operation, reversing cycles, and expected service life
Using liquid or granular chlorine as secondary sanitation
Reducing chemical handling without removing backup infrastructure
Liquid chlorine degradation, declining strength, and chlorate concerns
Commercial chlorination at approximately 950 ppm salt
Saltwater systems for indoor pools and natural-stone environments
What “mineral pool” marketing gets right—and what it leaves out
The roles of magnesium and potassium in swimmer comfort and water appearance
Why mineral pools are still chlorine pools

If you operate, specify, design, or service commercial aquatic facilities, this episode offers a practical look at building a chlorination system around stability, predictable demand, and intelligent control—not chemical firefighting.

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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com