TriChlor and DiChlor — What do they have in common?

September 27th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

Chlorine is an element of nature – it is number 17 in group 17 (Halogens) on the Periodic Chart of the Elements.   It is a gas in its elemental form.  Using various processes,  different chlorine compounds are manufactured which we use in the swimming pool industry: Sodium Hypochlorite (Liquid Chlorine) Calcium Hypochlorite (Cal Hypo) Lithium Hypochlorite TriChlor (trichloro-s-triazinetrione) DiChlor (sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione) To protect chlorine [...]

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TriChlor and DiChlor -- What do they have in common?

Lights Out In San Diego

September 13th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

We had a little surprise occur during our CPO class this past Thursday and Friday, September 8-9, at PoolCorp’s SCP store! At 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, the lights went out – literally.  The whole power grid went down in all of San Diego County and parts of Mexico and southern Orange County.   When the power went down in our classroom, there was no more projector, [...]

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Lights Out In San Diego

Total Alkalinity – What is it exactly?

August 31st, 2011 by Steve 6 Comments

There are several phrases and terms used to describe Total Alkalinity (TA): The buffering capacity of water Water’s ability to neutralize acid The pH stabilizer The ability of water to resist a change in pH A measure of the total of hydroxide ions (OH-), carbonate ions (CO3-) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) in water The pH anchor These are all correct.  As you know, TA is [...]

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Total Alkalinity - What is it exactly?

What changes the pH of pool water?

July 24th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

Just about everything that is added to the pool water will change the pH.  And anything that exits or is carried out of the water changes the pH.  Even the type of pool wall surface will affect the pH. Our Pool & Spa Operator Handbook lists a few things that affect the pH: the bathers the disinfectants we use the source water air-borne debris the water balance [...]

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What changes the pH of pool water?

Know Your Test Kit (AND It’s Limitations)!

July 17th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

The main “tool of the trade” that we use as pool operators is our test kit and testing instruments. In our CPO certification class, we talk about and thoroughly explain, the four different methods of chemical testing that we perform in the field:  colorimetric, titrimetric, turbidimetric, and electronic.   There are many different brands, models, and combinations of test kits and instruments available to us.  And every [...]

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Know Your Test Kit (AND It's Limitations)!

Total Dynamic Head and the Pump Curve

July 10th, 2011 by Steve 1 Comment

It’s already July, 2011 — and this year is more than half over.  Time is just FLYING by as we have fun teaching CPO classes! Last Monday was July 4, and we celebrated our country’s Independence Day with family and friends with picnics and fireworks.  As a nation, we have declared ourselves to be independent and sovereign now for 235 years…..but that freedom has not [...]

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Total Dynamic Head and the Pump Curve
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