Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

We started off the new year of 2012 with our Certified Pool/Spa Operator® Certification class in Anaheim this past Thursday and Friday, January 12-13.  When we rolled in on Wednesday afternoon to set-up  – we were  immediately greeted by Steve and Brian — our heroes!!  Thanks, guys!!  – it is such a great help to us when you carry our equipment and supplies up the stairs! [...]

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Flow Rate and Water Velocity

  We finished out the year of 2011 at PoolCorp’s Superior Pool Products building in Anaheim this past Thursday and Friday (December 8-9).  The CPO students were energetic and ready to learn about swimming  pool operation, and did quite well on the exam.  Thanks again, to PoolCorp and to the staff in Anaheim for all your hospitality and support throughout the year.  And a BIG “thanks” goes [...]

Flow Rate and Water Velocity

You Need to Know How Much Water is in the Pool !

When you maintain a swimming pool – residential or commercial - you MUST know how much water is in it.   If you know how much water is the the pool, you will understand if your pool equipment is performing correctly AND you will know the correct amount of chemicals to add to the pool water. The local health department requires that all the pool water  must [...]

You Need to Know How Much Water is in the Pool !

GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) vs. Circuit Breaker

When we are in Chapter 14 (Facility Safety) of the  Pool & Spa Operator Handbook, discussing  electrical safety during our  CPO® class, we talk about the difference between a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) and a Circuit Breaker.  We also define the difference between grounding and bonding, which you can read about here. The Circuit Breaker will interrupt (turn the circuit off) when there is a current overload.  This [...]

GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) vs. Circuit Breaker

TriChlor and DiChlor — What do they have in common?

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 [...]

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

Total Alkalinity – What is it exactly?

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 [...]

Total Alkalinity - What is it exactly?