Chairman’s Award Winner Named Commercial Sales Director APi Water, Inc. (FL), a specialty manufacturer of stable oxidizer treatment products, announces Jody O’Grady, B.S. Chem, CPO™, has accepted the Director of Commercial Sales position with the company. Ms. O’Grady stated she started in the pool & spa industry in the last century. Her multiple decades of experience include large account & product management, sales representative management, technical solutions, and customer experience, skills she learned from numerous jobs held with water testing supplies manufacturer, Taylor. Tasked with managing and growing the EZPRO Lineup of Commercial Water Care Products: RevivePRO^®, EZPoolPRO^®, ENZymePRO, and PepperPRO^®, the new Director will be working closely with their manufacturer sales representatives group, The Grit Game, to promote these NSF/ANSI Standard 50 listed products to recreational water facilities and institutions throughout the country. “Jody’s impeccable resume and engaging personality made her the best choice for this position,” says Brandon Overall, COO of APi. Jim Overwyk, the organization’s President added, “After a few conversations with Jody, I was wowed with her presenting skills and impressed with her technical prowess.” In her greater than 10 years of volunteer leadership, Jody is now Chair of the Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee for the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and was recently elected Vice-Chair of their Technical Advisory Council. In 2022, she received the Chairman’s Award. Ms. O’Grady resides in Maryland and will start with the company in May.

Cleaning up after a fun July 4th pool party can be a rather unpleasant chore.  How do you clean what you can't see?!  

Of course, we are talking about CC or Combined Chlorine...they don't call us Chemical Geeks for nothin'! 

When caring for a pool or spa, keep in mind there are three forms of chlorine for which you will be testing...

An easier way to think about it is FREE (FC) is good chlorine and COMBINED (CC) is bad chlorine.  CC is formed when FC hooks up with wastes that are introduced to the pool via swimmers or from the environment around the pool.  Ideally, CC levels should be maintained as low as possible (ideally at 0ppm).  When CC is too high, it reduces the efficiency of the FC.  This can lead to A  LOT of water quality issues.  So, after your "major rager" of a July 4th party with half the neighborhood in the pool, you will most likely have a  CC level that needs addressed.  

There are two ways to chemically remove or reduce COMBINED CHLORINE:

Breakpoint Chlorination

This consists of adding massive amounts of FC (10x the amount of CC) to overwhelm and break down the CC.  Several factors that should be looked at prior to breakpoint chlorination are; pH, stabilizer level, and time of day FC are added.  These factors influence the killing power of the FC and may require additional chlorine be added to overcome them.  You may have to obliterate the pool with FC if your CC is too high.  If you don't add enough FC to overwhelm the CC you can be adding to the level of CC making the problem even worse!  

Chlorine Free Shock

These products work in a slightly different manner.  They oxidize contaminants allowing the CC to break down.  Using chlorine free shock can't add to the creation of CC, in turn, it cannot make the problem worse.  If your pool still has a CC reading after treatment, simply add more to remove it.  With most products of this genre, the great news is, you can typically swim within 15 minutes of dosing.  The bonus?  You aren't increasing your FC levels high enough to void warranties on your pool equipment and surfaces. 

There is a lot more information on this topic, but a good rule of thumb is after periods of high use, pools should test and ensure that COMBINED (CC) levels aren't high, treat promptly to keep the pool looking and operating great.  APi products such as:

all contain a chlorine free shock to prevent COMBINED CHLORINE formation and greatly reduce the amount of time spent troubleshooting! 

For more information on these or any of our products, visit us at our YouTube channel or call/text us at (877) 274-7261.  

Buckle Up! 

This is a longer article than the others, BUT...we have PICTURES!  

Problem solving costs a lot more than problem preventing.  Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't a true friend. 

Let's look at a pool that has metals, causing stains & discoloration, as our example of a "simple problem".

Now that we have the stats on the problem, let's troubleshoot! Follow the four steps outlined below to do so.  

1. Drop the chlorine level- $15* chlorine reducer
   1. This stops the oxidization of the copper that is producing the color & staining
2. Apply stain remover (typically acid based, often ascorbic acid)- $30* stain remover 
   1. This can pull the metals from the affected pool surfaces and temporarily clear the discoloration present in the water
3. Apply a stain & scale/metal remover product- $30* stain & scale/metal remover product
   1. Most of these products do not remove the metals, they simply hold them in the water to prevent staining and discoloration
   2. Most are not compatible with high levels of chlorine
   3. Some are phosphate based 
4. Gradually, bring the free chlorine level back up to properly sanitize the pool- $25* chlorine shock

Okay, so four steps doesn't seem so bad, right?! 

We promised you pictures and we are BIG on keeping promises, so check out what happens to your pool after completing Step 3 from the above list...

This is a realistic example of what happens when you add a couple gallons (or pounds) of shock to the pool all at once! 

SHOCKING, huh?!  Yes, that pun was intended! 

What happened? Well, the addition of the shock all at once causes the stain & scale or metal remover product to break down.  The high chlorine (shock) releases its hold on the metals and they end up back in the water, reacting with the chlorine.  The green discoloration, often referred to as Mountain Dew Green for its neon coloration.  With this discoloring of the water, the likelihood of staining on the pools surfaces is high as well.  In addition, the water is also dealing with an increased phosphate level because of the composition of most stain & scale and metal removal products.  At this point, the pool is even more of a problem that it was when cleanup started.  Metals are STILL present...discoloration is STILL present...the potential for staining is STILL present...phosphate levels have SPIKED...you have lost TIME, MONEY, and ENJOYMENT in your SIMPLE pool problem.  

The worst part is, the next step to resolve the problem is the EXACT same process previously outlined.  But this time, you will not need a phosphate removed to bring those levels down. ($130+* on top of the $100* you've already spent) And, technically, you haven't done anything to prevent the problem from reoccurring!  SIGH! 

How to Prevent the Problem?  Use Smarter Chemicals!

Use chemicals that are multi-faceted and remove the causes of problems BEFORE they build up enough to cause issues.  Revive!^® WEEKLY ($45*) is one such chemical.  This product is a weekly clarifier that physically attaches to contaminants and uses your pools filtration system to REMOVE them!  

As always, it is entirely up to you, BUT, hundreds of dollars all at once with NO REASSURANCE that the problem won't return,

compared to a few bucks a week to REMOVE the cause of problems, for me, it's a no-brainer! 

I'm going with Revive!^®  

If you have questions on Revive!^® or ANY our products, call or text us!

(877) 274-7261

Thus far in this season of Ricks’ Remedies, we have covered pH-The Ruler, Alkalinity-The Soother, Calcium-The Guardian, and Stabilizer- The Protector. Now comes the biggie… wait for it….Chlorine- The Cleanser!

There are several misconceptions about chlorine. The most common being, the smell of chlorine coming from your pool means you have too much. The reality is you don’t have enough! What you are actually smelling is something called CHLORAMINES. Chloramines occur when chlorine bonds with contaminates such as sweat, urine or body oils. (ewwww, gross!)

Chloramines, also referred to as Combined Chlorine (CC), have been known to cause issues such as smelly, cloudy water, burning eyes, etc. Because test strips don’t measure combined chlorine, it must be calculated. To calculate CC, we measure Total Chlorine (TC) and Free Chlorine (FC). TC is a measurement of all types of chlorine present in the water and FC is chlorine that has not bonded with contaminates and is available to do the work of sanitizing your pool and keeping it clear and smelling good! To calculate CC, use the formula TC-FC=CC. All measurements are in PPM (parts per million). The recommended level of FC is 1ppm to 3ppm.

EXAMPLE:

Test Strip Reads

• TC=4 ppm
• FC=1 ppm
• 4-1=CC of 3 ppm

So now you’re asking yourself, “what do I do??” You have 3ppm of CC in your pool and the water is smelly and your eyes are burning! The answer is, shock the pool!   To do it properly, you must reach BREAK POINT CHLORINATION, which means a chlorine level of ten times the calculated amount of CC is required to rid your pool of those nasty chloramines! In the example above, the industry standard and recommended number is  30ppm. When we achieve this, the pool will sparkle and smell good again!

Pool gallon calculations are not always accurate. With that being said, it is better to error on the high end when adding chlorine to be sure to reach break point.  When using calcium hypochlorite shock (CalHypo) 73%, you must use a minimum of 3lbs to raise the chlorine level to 30ppm.  Put it all in at once, this is no time to be shy!  If enough isn’t used, break point will not be reached, and the problem will be compounded.

Expected results 24hrs after shocking 

• TC=4 ppm
• FC=3.5 ppm
• CC=.5 ppm

Other sources of chlorine can be used as well.  For recommendations, and dosage instructions, consult your pool store.  Join us here again for the next installment of Rick’s Remedies and learn about the various types of chlorine and why we use them.  Until then, stay safe and Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Ricks Rule of Thumb:

1lb of calcium hypochlorite raises 10,000 gallons 10ppm

Next up: Chlorine types and why we use them!

Thus far in this season of Ricks’ Remedies, we have covered pH-The Ruler, Alkalinity-The Soother, and Calcium-The Guardian. In this installment we will introduce, Stabilizer-The Protector. Ready? Let’s go!

Stabilizer (also known as conditioner) is the last necessary component of our pool balance team. Think of it as sunscreen for your chlorine. Stabilizer protects chlorine from sunlight. Without it chlorine dissipates very quickly into the atmosphere.

Both trichlor and dichlor may contain stabilizer as high as 40% by weight. And although stabilizer is necessary, it can also be a deterrent to chlorine’s overall effectiveness causing what is commonly known as a “chlorine lock”. Should you need to reduce the amount of stabilizer in your pool, you would do that by adding more water. With that in mind, it is best to keep stabilizer above 30ppm (parts per million) but no greater that 55ppm. With your pH (The Ruler) at 7.2-7.6, alkalinity (The Soother) at 80-120ppm, calcium (The Guardian) at 250-400ppm and your Stabilizer (The Protector) at 30-55ppm, your pool is in good shape! Stay tuned for our next episode of Rick’s Remedies when we introduce you to Chlorine- “The Cleanser”. Until then, stay safe and enjoy your pool!

Rick’s Rule of thumb: 10oz of stabilizer raises 10,000 gallons of water 10ppm.

In our previous installment of Rick’s Remedies, we discussed the moody nature of pH (The Ruler) and how alkalinity (The Soother) helps to keep it in check. The third member of your pools water balance team is Calcium- The Guardian.

Water and calcium go together like peas and carrots. In nature, calcium is plentiful and can be found in limestone as well as many other underground sources. However, as with any element taken from nature, there are certain sustaining components of that element that are lacking due to its new environment. This is

the case with your pools water and calcium. If the calcium in your pool falls below the 250-400ppm industry standard range, the water in your pool will begin to aggressively seek what it is lacking. This puts your concrete finish, liner, pipes, and even your filter at risk. The calcium can also act as a buffer for pH, along with the alkalinity, so when your calcium is low the pH may fluctuate more often. If the pH is low, as the water seeks calcium it will attack the concrete in your pool leaving you with a pitted finish. If the pH is high, a scale will form which produces a white, chalky waterline or barnacle like formations on your pool walls.

This is why we refer to calcium as “The Guardian”. It works alongside pH (The Ruler) and alkalinity (The Soother) guarding your pools equipment and finish. It also gives the water a sparkle due to its reflective property. This is an important aspect of maintaining a well-balanced pool and cannot be overlooked in a weekly pool maintenance regimen. So, remember, keep your pH between 7.2-7.6, your alkalinity between 80-120ppm and your calcium at 250-400ppm. Stay tuned for our next installment of Rick’s Remedies where we will discuss Stabilizer- “The Protector”. Until then, stay safe and enjoy your pool!

Ricks Rule of Thumb:

1lb of calcium chloride (CaCl2) raises 10,000 gallons of water 10ppm.

The last time we met, we discussed pH (THE RULER). You learned that this component of water chemistry is important because it has a direct effect on swimmer comfort and chlorine activity. The pH of your water is crucial in providing a pleasant pool experience, however, from time to time it tends to be a bit moody. Changes to the environment, such as an increase in swimmers, rain, organics, other chemicals, or anything else that may enter the pool can trigger the pH to fluctuate.

This is where Alkalinity (THE SOOTHER) comes into play. Alkalinity is like a shock absorber for pH’s mood swings. It keeps pH more stable and helps to prevent radical changes. Alkalinity says, “Hey, pH there is no need to go to 8 or 6, why don’t you just hang out here with me in the 7 range and relax”. By keeping your alkalinity in the 80-120 ppm (parts per million) you can keep the pH from drifting. In doing so you create a better and safer swimming environment. Enjoy your pool!

Ricks Rule of Thumb:

1.5 pounds of alkalinity raises alkalinity 10 ppm in 10,000 gallons.

Stay tuned for Calcium-The Guardian in our next installation of Rick’s Remedies

Did you know that pH (potential of Hydrogen) is the most significant component of your pool’s balance? That is why we should think of it as “THE RULER”. pH ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 being very acidic and 14 being very alkaline. Most people are aware that acid is very caustic but don’t think of alkaline to be equally offensive. The ideal pH for pool water is generally between 7.2-7.8 to maintain a comfortable swimming environment!

In pool water the activity of chlorine (ratio of free chlorine to the hypochlorite ion) is directly linked to pH. If pH is too high chlorine will be underactive and not able to do its job, and pool surfaces tend to form a rough scale. On the other hand, if pH is too low the chlorine becomes overactive and burns itself out making it difficult to maintain a chlorine reading. Also, low pH water is corrosive and may cause your heater, pump, etc. to rust. So, keep ‘THE RULER” in the proper range so your pool looks good, smells good and feels good.

Stay tuned for Alkalinity “THE SOOTHER”

When you hear “water exercise,” chances are you picture a grandma in a pool with a hair cap doing water aerobics; there may or may not be flowers and floaties involved. But pool fitness isn’t just for Grandma anymore. Today, people of all ages are taking to the pool to help reach their fitness goals. Even professional athletes and collegiate sports teams are enjoying the benefits of aquatic-based exercise. They’re using pools and swim spas to not only rehab injured athletes but also diversify their everyday training programs both during and off season.

There are many forms of aquatic based exercise available including aqua yoga, water walking, water aerobics, and swimming. The techniques may vary, but they all take advantage of the buoyancy and resistance provided by the water to help you achieve your fitness goals.

Like most people, I’m not quite on the level of a professional athlete. Let’s just say that I’m more likely to tear my ACL walking my dog than I am being taken down by a linebacker. With reported benefits like increased circulation, flexibility, balance, and muscle tone, decreased joint stress and improved heart health, aquatic-based exercise is a great way to improve overall health for people of all ages and abilities. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Pro Tips:

• Regardless of which aquatic-based exercise you choose, be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Just because you’re in a pool, that doesn’t mean you’re not sweating.
• Remember that increased organic debris (in this case sweat) can throw off your pool’s chemistry. APi offers products that work to break down and rid water of unwanted organic debris. Revive!^®, EZymePRO^®, RevivePRO^®
• These products can be used in your own personal pool or spa and are also available for use in fitness facilities, community centers, hotels and the like. Ask about them the next time you’re headed to the pool!
• Consult your physician before starting any exercise program. Avoid swimming alone for safety reasons.

Links:

• 9 benefits of getting your exercise in the pool, lake, or ocean
  • https://www.chiropractic.ca/blog/9-benefits-of-getting-your-exercise-in-the-pool-lake-or-ocean/
• Exercising in water: Big heart benefits and little downside
  • https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/exercising-in-water-big-heart-benefits-and-little-downside
• Hate the Gym? Work Out in Water
  • https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/hate-gym-work-out-in-water#1
• HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATER AEROBICS AND EXERCISE
  • https://www.ymcacw.org/blog/health-benefits-water-aerobics-and-exercise
• Aquatic-Based Rehabilitation and Training for the Elite Athlete
  • https://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.1998.27.1.32
• I Tried a Water Yoga Class and Left Feeling Calmer Than Ever
  • https://www.health.com/fitness/water-yoga-class
• How to Get a Great Workout with Water Walking
  • https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/water-walking
• Try the Water Yoga Trend: 6 Aqua Yoga Poses
  • https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/try-water-yoga-trend-6-aqua-yoga-poses
• Water Aerobics
  • https://www.webmd.com/g00/fitness-exercise/a-z/water-aerobics
• 8 Different Swimming Styles and Strokes
  • https://swimjim.com/blog/8-different-swimming-styles-strokes/

‘Twas less than a month before Christmas and all through the house
People were worrying and getting stressed out.
No stockings were hung, no presents with bows.
The tree wasn’t purchased; you know how that goes.
What to buy for loved ones, was the number one worry.
Then, to make sure it’s delivered in time, you really must hurry.
We put together our Top 5 Pool Gift Ideas for this gift giving season.
So, you can sit back, relax, and remember the reason.

Catchy poem aside, trying to come up with new gift ideas each year can be a challenge. Most people have someone on their shopping list that they can’t think of gift ideas for. We’ve put together our Top 5 Pool Gift Ideas to help you narrow down the vast choices out there. Hopefully this will help you mark one or two people off your shopping list and help you enjoy a little more of this holiday season.

(Please note that we are not affiliated with these products or businesses.)

1. Whether you’re still swimming in your pool during the winter or need to wait until next pool season to use these, LED Ball Lights bring color and light to your pool. I think these would be a great addition to any evening poolside party even if the water is too cold to swim.
2. There always seems to be a shortage of hooks or chairs to hang wet towels on. The Pool and Spa Valet not only gives you more towel hanging space, but also offers you a place to put your sunscreen so it’s easily available. The best part is that you can place it front and center on the pool deck or move it out of the way. It’s freestanding.
3. These days everyone is monogramming just about everything: their purses, key chains, door mats, and more. Why not monogram your pool? The Monogrammed Pool Mat is an easy way to personalize your pool and is easily removable when you decide you need a change in style or a deep clean.
4. In case you needed a reason to never leave your pool again, the Floating Mesh Pool Chair might just be it.
5. The Froglog is a lily-pad-like float that helps frogs rescue themselves from your pool by offering them an escape route. Who doesn’t want to save the frogs?

Pro Tip: Have you ever noticed a ring of crud on the bottom of your pool floats and toys? Regardless of which pool gift you purchase, you should maintain your pool water chemistry to help your new items have a longer life and keep them from developing that gross ring on the bottom. The easiest way to care for your pool is to start with Revive!^® START UP / CLEAN UP and maintain it with E-Z POOL^®.

This time of year is filled with opportunities to sit back, count our blessings, and hopefully pay those blessings forward. At APi we are taking the 30 days of November to focus on some of the opportunities that we’ve been given to help our communities, whether they are local, national, or international. We’re looking at how our employees and our company give back with hope that it will inspire you to help your community, in whatever way you can.

Life can be hectic. There are days where I just can’t imagine adding one more thing to my to do list. I’ve found that making time to give back to others helps me appreciate my own blessings that much more. I read once that if you are in a state of gratitude, you can’t be anything else at the same time. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that the more I focus on being grateful for the people and things I have in my life, the more I want to pay those blessings forward and help others. The more that I help others, the more grateful I feel and the less overwhelmed I feel by my life.

We’ve compiled a list of ways that our company as a whole and our team of individuals give back to our communities. We’ll be sharing tips on our Facebook page each day of November, with ways we give back to our community including random acts of kindness, volunteer opportunities, and charities that are near and dear to us.

One such organization is Aquatics Empowered, an association to help rural towns and their citizens gain access to aquatics facilities for water therapy. Their first worldwide fundraising event, Hot Tubbing for Hope, is being held November 15^th and 16^th at a pool or spa near you. They are asking everyone to spend time in a hot tub or pool, share pictures of family, friends, and pets participating, and donate to their organization. Donations received will go towards helping individuals with disabilities, seniors, veterans, children, and other charities in need of aquatic therapy resources. Pro Tip: Our EZ SPA^® line of products can help make your hot tub picture-perfect in time for the Hot Tubbing for Hope fundraising event.

We hope that you will join the APi family and participate with your own 30 Days of Giving, but even 1 small act of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s life and in your community.

Guest Blogger: Laci from Royal Swimming Pools

While preparing to close your swimming pool at the end of Summer you may be wondering what chemicals you put in the pool? There's an easy way to close your pool for the Winter that even makes opening it back up the following Spring easier and faster!

When to Close (and Open) Your Swimming Pool

When should I close my swimming pool for the winter
Before discussing how to make closing your pool easier than you ever thought possible (just wait, it really is so easy), it's a good idea to understand WHEN to close your pool.

Algae is less active in colder water and more active in warmer water.

For this reason, it is always better to close your pool later in the season when it's already getting colder out, rather than earlier in warm weather.

Think of early-season closing as an invitation for algae having a late-season party in your pool just to trap it in there all winter. In case you didn't know, algae is a party animal; the-more-the-merrier type. So that party is just going to get bigger and bigger until it's time for Spring cleaning.

The earlier you close a pool the more likely the pool is to open up with algae issues, especially if there's a good bit of warm Autumn weather after your pool is closed.

This is important to be aware of in reverse as well. Open your pool early, not late, to help avoid having a closed pool during an early spring heatwave. A good guideline is: if you can plant your garden, your pool should be open.

Winterizing Chemicals: 3 Easy Steps

Okay, here it is! Are you excited?! Pool chemicals made easy!

1. Simply use 1lb (or 2 scoops) of E-Z POOL^® for every 5k gallons of water in your pool. Use our handy dandy Gallon Calculator to help out!
2. Circulate the pool for 30 minutes before to closing it.
3. Enjoy your winter and when Spring rolls around, open your pool! For best results, use Revive!^®, vacuum, and clean your pool.(See before and after Revive!^® images here).

Additional Winterizing Tips When Closing Your Pool

• Begin by testing your water and making sure that your pH, Total Alkalinity, and Calcium hardness is all balanced.
• Add a winterizing chemical kit to your pool. Make it easy!
• Make sure that you have drained all of your pipes and pool plumbing as water expands when it freezes and can cause your pipes to burst. You can blow the water out from these plumbing lines by using a shop vac or by back washing the pool filter.
• Lower the water level below the skimmer and plug the return lines.
• Make sure all pool equipment is removed from the pool and cleaned.
• Place a winter cover or safety cover over your pool. Here's more information on winter pool safety!
• Add air pillows to protect your pool walls as needed.
• Place a cover pump in the middle of the pool cover to drain any water that might accumulate on the cover.

For most of the country, the end of pool season is quickly approaching. Picture-perfect pool parties can take a lot of time to plan and execute. Not everyone has that kind of time. If you haven’t had time to host a pool party this season, it’s not too late. Create a simple and EZ party plan where spending time with your friends and family is the focus. There might be time to recreate those picture-perfect party ideas in the future, but in the meantime, start enjoying your family, friends, and one of your largest investments, your pool. Here are 5 tips for a simple and EZ Pool Party that will allow you to sit back and enjoy the party instead of being a slave to it. 1. Invitations Unless it’s a formal occasion like a graduation party or wedding, the days of sending invitations in the mail are pretty much over. That doesn’t mean that you have to take the time to call each person on your guest list and personally invite them. There are tools available to help save you time getting the word out to everyone. If you are part of the Facebook community, you can create an event page and invite your Facebook friends to attend. Evite is an app that helps you send and manage invites via text and email. You can also track RSVPs and even share photos with guests after the event. 2. Food Who doesn’t love the idea of slow smoked pork sandwiches and homemade macaroni and cheese at a pool party? I’m hungry just thinking about it. If you don’t have the time to spend on buying, prepping, and cooking a BBQ masterpiece or even pool party mainstays like hamburgers and hot dogs, consider these alternatives to slaving over a hot grill. Sub sandwiches cut up in individual servings can be an EZ and refreshing option in the heat of the day. Guests can eat them as they want and don’t have to try to squeeze into limited seating at the same time. When in doubt, order pizzas. It’s a simple solution that gives you more time to enjoy during the party, and cleanup is a breeze. Don’t forget to keep your guests hydrated. Have an array of cold drinks on hand including water to help balance out any caffeinated or alcoholic drinks you may be serving. 3. Decorations There’s no need to waste time and money buying disposable decorations for your pool party. Pool essentials like colorful towels, pool floats, water toys, and even sunscreen can be your party decor. Chances are you have most if not all of these items on hand already. Place smaller items in colorful buckets, pails or bins and scatter them around your pool area. Pro Tip: Air compressors or hand pumps make blowing up all of those toys and floats a breeze. 4. Safety If you plan on serving alcoholic beverages at your party, designate a sober adult to watch over the kids (and intoxicated adults) in the pool. There is nothing fun about a loved one be injured or worse while everyone else is busy getting their party on. Sunburn isn’t fun either, so make sure to have plenty of sunblock on hand for the guests who forgot to bring their own. Pro tip: Beach front hotels often store their sunscreen on ice so that it cools you off when you reapply. It sounds like a refreshing idea for a pool party too. If your pool area doesn’t have a covered patio nearby, consider setting up a pop-up tent so that your guests can have a break from the sun and still be a part of the festivities. Shade and staying hydrated help keep heat stroke away. 5. Pool Don’t think that because this is the last tip on our list that it’s the least important. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. It is a pool party after all. The best food and decorations won’t mean a thing if your pool is smelly, cloudy, or even green, because no one will want to go in it. Make sure you leave yourself enough time before the big day to get your pool party-ready. For solutions to your pool water problems, click on the following video links. Green to Clean Pool Cloudy Murky Water Foul Smelling Water

june is synonymous with summer fun! Unfortunately, if you live in a coastal state, so are hurricanes. A hurricane means something different for everyone.  For some, it’s a reason to throw a party, because there ain’t no party like a hurricane party. (Sorry- got carried away there) Others take a more serious approach (not to mention, less lyrical) by doing research and creating a checklist. Whatever your take on hurricane preparedness is, we know your pool and spa is an investment.  An investment you want to protect. If you prepare in advance of the storm, you may even have time to enjoy a hurricane party, too. To help, we have collected a list of tips from our colleagues in the industry of the do’s and don’ts for preparing your pool and/or spa for a storm.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Before you begin your pool and spa preparations, be sure your family and home are as ready for a storm as they can be.  For information on preparing your family and home for hurricane season, visit Red Cross, FEMA, or National Hurricane Center.

Remember, it is always best to get started early!  The idea is to prepare as much as you can now and then finish the remaining tasks PRIOR to the arrival of the storm. For your safety, do not attempt to “prepare” during the storm. 

Click on the link below for a printable version.

Download

This list is not meant to be all inclusive.  It is a list of tips, collected by us and presented to you, as a tool and resource to help you prepare for hurricane season.

What do you do to get your pool and spa ready for hurricane season?  We’d love to hear from you.  Send your checklist and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In addition to our own pool and spa experts, Matt Ribar and Rick Hamilton, we used the following resources to create this post: Florida Swimming Pool Association, Aqua Rest Spas, Master Spa Parts, Leslie’s Pool, Hot Tub Works, America’s Swimming Pool Co., Pinch a Penny, PoolCenter.com, Pool and Hot Tub Alliance

Drowning is the cause of approximately 10 deaths a day in the United States, with 2 of those 10 deaths being children under the age of 14. Of the leading causes of unintentional injury death, drowning ranks 5th. Read these 5 Tips on Water Safety and learn how you can prevent drowning deaths.

1. Adult Supervision: If you own a pool, supervision both indoors and outside is crucial to preventing water related tragedies. No level of water safety training is a substitute for adult supervision. If you are unable to locate your child in your home, the first place you need to look is the pool. Time is of the essence.
2. Pool Fences: Some areas are requiring pool fences by law, sometimes it just lowers your home owners insurance, but regardless of why, fences are always a key to drowning prevention. Make sure the fence comes equipped with a self-locking gate.
3. Home Alarms: Alarm systems are for more than just keeping intruders out. A properly configured alarm system can alert a parent if a child exits through a door leading to the pool area, providing extra life-saving minutes of time to prevent drowning.
4. Infant Swimming Resources(ISR)-Self Rescue: Training your child for what to do if they end up in the water is a last line of defense in drowning prevention. Floaties, inner tubes, and the like only serve to inhibit a child’s ability to survive in the water on their own. Avoid using these and instead teach your child survival skills in a safe environment. You can find ISR-Self Rescue Training Programs here.
5. CPR: In the event of an emergency, parents need to be prepared for how to react and administer CPR. Local CPR classes are available to teach life-saving skills for both adults and children and these classes should be updated regularly.

APi supports a local charity called the Live Like Jake Foundation. LLJ was founded after a family experienced a drowning tragedy. They’ve dedicated their child’s memory to preventing other such tragedies. This year marks the 5^th Annual Live Like Jake 5k which will be held on May 11^th in Jupiter, Florida. Participants raise money for ISR swim lesson scholarships, as well as providing financial assistance for families who have lost a loved one to drowning or have a child with critical care needs due to a drowning related accident.  

The start of pool season is like our Christmas here at APi and there is nothing we love more than hearing our customer pool opening success stories! Randy Watson of Neosho, Missouri helped Christmas come early for us by sharing these amazing photos of his pool opening using Revive!^®

Before Revive!^®

During Application

After Revive!^®

Here is what Randy has to say about his experience with Revive!^®

I would like to say that your Revive!^® is everything it lives up to be. Used it yesterday and here’s a before during and after. Finished my pool today. I was skeptical at first but your product made a believer out of me. Made it so easy to use and the next day the water was crystal clear and easy to vacuum.

 

Randy went on to tell us that at almost 70 years old, he values products that make pool maintenance as easy as possible and was so glad that he tried Revive!^® for the first time this year.

Randy has owned his beautiful pool for 7 years and said he wishes he knew about Revive!^® in years past for opening. Haven’t tried Revive!^® for yourself yet, read more about how it can help you here. 

Do you have awesome photos of your pool opening? We want to see them! Share them on our Facebook Page or email them to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fall is officially here, and although pool season is over for most areas, spa and hot tub season is just getting started. Here at APi we provide products to help you maintain your spa throughout the colder months so that you can spend more time enjoying your hot tub and less time cleaning it! A nice spa after a long day of skiing or even working is a wonderful way to unwind. What's not a nice way to unwind is spending hours maintaining and cleaning your spa.  Here at APi, we want to make sure you spend more time enjoying your hot tub and less time maintaining it. Our EZ3^® Spa Care Kit makes spa care a breeze with 3 simple steps. The kit includes:

• START to prepare the water by removing phosphates, metal, and debris
• E-Z BOOST to sanitize and disinfect
• TOTAL CARE does the rest with a clarifier, stable oxidizer, stain and scale inhibitor, water conditioner and balancers (pH, TA and CH) to keep spa water clean, clear and trouble free.

The kit also includes test strips and a measuring scoop. These products only need to be used once a week, minimizing time and cost compared to some other spa care products. APi's EZ3^® Spa Care Kit is superior to other care products because our products are based on the idea of prevention, rather than the idea of reaction. Don't wait until you have a problem with your spa, use our spa products regularly to avoid problems altogether. Not only will you save yourself peace of mind, you will also be able to spend more time relaxing in your spa and less time at pool supply stores trying to diagnose the issue. Here are some great testimonials from satisfied EZ3^® Customers!

“I have used the EZ Spa^® now for four years. It is the best spa treatment I have ever used. It makes the water feel really soft and refreshing. I use it once a week and forget it. My spa stays crystal clear. I love this stuff. Not to mention when you use EZ Spa^® you don’t have to buy so many other chemicals. I also noticed that EZ Spa^® is extremely gentle on the skin. I can’t say enough about how good this stuff is. Try it, you’ll love it!” – Terri G., NJ “We are very happy with this product…We were using Baqua spa and anticipated some problems because of the chemical change but now the water is as fresh and clear as the day we first filled our tub!”– Lori K., Kentucky “We run our spa year-round and EZ Spa^® has worked for us. Works great to keep the spa clean!”– Barbara S., Minnesota “I am using EZ Spa^® and I love it!”– Cathy, Florida

To find an APi distributor near you, Click Here. 

1. Putting chlorinated shock in too soon after algaecide or stain & scale products lowers the effectiveness of all three products.
2. Algae is less active in colder water, more active in warmer water. It is always better to close your pool later in the season rather than earlier. The earlier you close a pool the more likely the pool may open up with algae issues.
3. Be mindful of Autumn warm weather. The longer an autumn heat wave goes, the more your pool will heat up and the more issues you will have during a spring opening.
4. Open early, not late. A good rule of thumb is that if you can plant your garden your pool should be open. Besides, a clear beautiful pool is more aesthetically pleasing than a big ugly tarp. You paid for the pool, enjoy it longer.
5. Non-Chlorine Shock is included in newer style Winterizing kits, it is not effective against algae but it is effective against bacteria. If your pool has algae in it, take care of it before you close, this will make your opening easier.
6. There are new 'long life' algaecides available. These algaecides work better and longer for closing your pool, and they do not foam!
7. There are multi-use products available now that have everything a traditional closing kit has but blended to last longer and work better also providing for an easier closing and opening, ask your local dealer about chemical alternatives to traditional closing kits rather than enduring the traditional opening issues again next year.

PEPPER^® is the answer for maintaining your salt water pools this summer. It is specially formulated for the unique needs of a salt water pool.

Use PEPPER^® regularly to:

• Increase the life and performance of the salt water generator
• Improve sanitizer effectiveness
• Greatly enhance water clarity
• Limit troublesome pH fluctuations
• Prevent scale buildup on the generator cell, pool equipment and surfaces
• Help maintain low phosphate levels

What PEPPER^® does for your pool:

• Greatly enhances water clarity – oxidizes debris and enhances filter performance
• Provides extended protection for pool equipment and the generator cell
• Significantly reduces pool maintenance – fewer chemical balance adjustments and less cleaning

Start-up: New pool construction or renovation (unfilled pool) Remove spray applicator and pour Revive!^® into the deep end of the pool as filling begins (32oz per 24,000 gallons). As the water level rises, Revive!^® will treat the pool surfaces and source water. When filling is complete, brush/vacuum any settled debris and begin regular water care program.  

Clean Up: Phosphate build-up, severe algae, metals, or scaling (filled pool) If algae is present, brush walls and shock pool prior to application (for best results, circulate for 60 minutes). Turn off pump/filter system. Attach a garden hose to Revive!^® bottle and spray entire contents over pool surface (5-7 minutes). Wait 24-48 hours for debris to settle to pool bottom then slowly vacuum to waste. After vacuuming, run filter for 24 hours.

TIPS: Highly contaminated pools typically require two or more bottles. Allow additional time for Revive!^® to work in cold water. Revive!^® cannot be overdosed – the more it’s used, the more contaminants are removed. Rarely, particles may collect on the surface – just spray with a garden hose to break them up. Spraying REVIVE^® on green pool Green to Blue Vacuuming Evolution Pool Service

  Maintain: Routine problem-solving and preventative maintenance With filtration system running, attach a garden hose to the Revive!^® bottle and spray over the pool surface twice. Revive!^® will work with the pool filtration system to remove clouding particles, phosphates, metals, and other debris. Reapply weekly for best results.

Proper pool care requires an equal amount of science and routine. The problem is that some people rely too much on one, but not the other. In order to keep your pool in perfect shape all summer long, you will want to balance the two and avoid these 5 key mistakes that people make in caring for their pools.

1. Not brushing your pool: Most pool owners are pretty vigilant about vacuuming their pool, but vacuuming your pool is only half the battle. Pool brushing is crucial to reach hard to get to areas like corners and behind ladders. Proper brushing eliminates the possibility of things like algae creeping up in your pool.
2. Not properly handling algae problems: Make sure you are dealing with algae issues properly. Don't make the mistake of attempting to use your automatic pool cleaners to vacuum algae. Automatic cleaners will end up being counterproductive in the algae removal process because they will recycle the algae back through your pool. If you have to use a manual vacuum to remove algae, make sure your filter is set to waste so that the water doesn't come back into the pool. While you will lose more water this way, it will ensure the algae is indeed leaving your pool.
3. Not running your filter enough: Make sure you are running your filter for no less than 8 hours a day. This is a critical step to avoiding water problems within your pool. Avoid the tendency to skimp on the full 8 hours, or you will end up costing yourself more time, in the long run, having to fix the problem.
4. Not testing the water regularly: Remember that we said routine and science are key ingredients to maintaining a beautiful pool. This mistake is the confluence of both of those keys. Ensure that you are testing your water on a weekly basis as part of your routine checkup on the scientific health of your pool.
5. Adding chemicals at the wrong time of day: Whatever combination of chemicals you are using, make sure to follow the usage instructions on the packaging. Don't be tempted to add chemicals at a time that fits best into your schedule if it isn't what is recommended on the packaging.

If you avoid these 5 common mistakes in pool care, you will be well on your way to enjoying a beautiful, sparkling pool all summer long!

On May 12, the 4th Annual Live Like Jake 5k will kick off from Abacoa's Town Center. For the second year in a row, APi has partnered with Live Like Jake to support their efforts for drowning prevention. This event offers both a walk and a run, as well as a fun run for kids and lots of family friendly activities throughout the day.  Live Like Jake was founded by Keri & Roarke Morrison after the passing of their son Jake in November of 2013. Over the last 4 years, LLJ has worked to raise both money and awareness on drowning prevention. Live Like Jake encourages children to learn Infant Swim Resource (ISR) Self-Rescue and has provided scholarships assisting hundreds of children to take lessons in ISR.  If you are interested in participating in the 4th Annual Live Like Jake 5k, click here. Don't forget to stop by and say HI to our APi Team during the event!

With so many challenges in maintaining commercial pools and spas, APi found the need to help revolutionize the commercial water care industry. Hence, the development of EZPRO Commercial Water Care. We have truly simplified the way to maintain commercial pool and spa water while providing the highest water and air quality ever seen in the commercial arena. All 5 EZPro products have received NSF 50/ANSI 50 certification. This technology is designed to remove TDS in pools and spas thru filtration while infusing the water with stabilized oxygen in order to provide the best water quality the industry has ever experienced. Our technology requires no conversion and is compatible with all commercial equipment systems. This oxygen based technology is ORP detectable and will allow up to a 25% reduction/savings in chlorine and acid usage.

Our goal when developing the EZPRO commercial water care program was to design a simple and cost-effective way to eliminate all of the issues associated with indoor and outdoor commercial pools and spas. We are looking for commercial water care management and service companies who want to become part of the newest revolution for cleaning up commercial water care in your community.  If you are interested please reach out to APi HERE and we will be happy to forward you the 8 minute EZPRO Commercial Water Care video so you can learn more about joining our team of EZPRO Champions.  Make this summer the best year of your career!

Hurricane season begins on June 1^st and ends on November 30^th, peaking in late August or early September. With much of the country either feel the aftereffects of a Hurricane Harvey or preparing for the impending Hurricane Irma, we at APi wanted to take some time to discuss some helpful tips for how to prepare your pools for hazardous weather conditions. Many people fallaciously believe that you should drain your pool to prepare for an incoming hurricane. It is important to keep sufficient water levels in your pool so that the weight of the sides and bottom is kept in place by the water. Empty pools are more susceptible to being lifted from their foundation during heavy storms when there is not a full load of water holding them in place. So, what is the proper water level for your pool during hurricane conditions? Well, if your pool has adequate drainage systems and the surrounding property is drained appropriately, you can leave your water levels as is, without adjusting them. However, in the circumstance where the area directly around your pool could be damaged by water, it is suggested that you lower your water level by one to two feet. Experts also suggest that you super chlorinate your pool water in preparation. Special attention should be given to electrical equipment surrounding your pool. Ensure that all electrical power is turned off at the circuit breakers well in advance of the storm. If you have exposed electrical equipment, consider covering these areas with plastic wrap. In the event of flooding, pumps and motors may be disconnected and removed in preparation. Tending to the areas surrounding your pool, like decking and screening is something to consider as well. You may consider having a vent for wind to travel through, while some choose to remove panels from screens on either side of the pool area. Many experts also suggest removing any doors to screened in areas, which are typically more susceptible to damage from high winds. Ideally, pool furniture such as tables, chairs, and pool cleaning equipment should be stored in a secured building. If you do not have such a structure, you can place them in your pool to help shield them from high winds. When placing the items in your pool, ensure that you do so gently as to not damage the finish of your pool. Pool toys should also be removed, as even these can be dangerous with high wind speeds. We hope these recommendations help you to secure your pool area, ride out any potential storms in safety, and minimize damage to your property after the storm clears.

APi loves to hear how happy our consumers are with their pool and spa products.  Share your PEPPER^® story with us for a chance to win a prize package. Entries will be accepted through the month of June with one winner to be selected at the end of the contest.  If your entry is chosen, we will highlight your story on our social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube), as well as our website.  As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a Chef Specialties Burnished Copper Pepper Mill and Salt Shaker gift set for your kitchen and a 2 lb bottle of PEPPER^®. To submit your PEPPER^® story, simply CLICK HERE. 

ATTENTION SALT WATER POOL OWNERS! We are giving away an Omaha Steak Package valued at $234. To win, simply purchasePEPPER^®, the perfect product for managing your salt water pools, from your local authorized dealer and you will be entered into our raffle! Make sure to purchase by May 31st! HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE DRAWING: Bring this flyer into your Authorized Pool Retailer Purchase any size PEPPER^® Your Authorized Retailer will Register you for the drawing of the Omaha Steak Package valued at $234 Winner will be announced on June 1, 2017 via email and Facebook A valid phone number and email address must be submitted in order to be entered *Your information will not be used for solicitation purposes, nor will it be sold for such purposes.

APi is proud to announce that we are sponsoring the 3rd Annual Live Like Jake 5k Walk/Run on May 13th, 2017. The Live Like Jake Foundation has a goal to bring awareness to drowning prevention through providing information and scholarships for infant swim rescue classes. Here at APi, we have a strong commitment to charitable giving, especially for a cause that hits so close to home, both geographically and topically. Here at APi, we have a strong commitment to charitable giving, especially for a cause that hits so close to home, both geographically and topically. The APi family wants your pool to be a fun place for the whole family to enjoy, but safety must always come first. The Live Like Jake Foundation puts a spotlight on the importance of swim safety and drowning prevention by providing community awareness around the benefits of Infant Swim Rescue (ISR).  ISR is an amazing resource for those with young children who are looking to teach their children the necessary skills to protect themselves around the water. If you are interested in donating to the Live Like Jake Foundation, please click here.  If you are interested in participating in the Live Like Jake Foundation 5k Walk/Run, please click here.   

    Your hot tub is a place of relaxation where you can forget about the cares of the world. If you’re using APi products to maintain your spa, you have even more time to enjoy it. But how often are you changing the water in your hot tub?  Is it enough, too much, or have you just flat out never done it? In this article, we will discuss some ways to determine how often you need to drain and refill your hot tub. The process of changing the water in your hot tub is quite simple as the formula to determine how often you need to change it. Many people believe that the frequency for changing the water in your hot tub is most directly related to the frequency of usage. While it is true that if you use your hot tub less, you should change the water less, this is not the end of the discussion. It does play a part in determining how often you change the water, but there is another important formula to consider. The general rule of thumb when it comes to calculating how often to change the water in your hot tub is to divide the total number of gallons of your hot tub by 3, and then divide it again by the number of daily users. This formula will give you an approximation of the number of days that you can go between changing the water in your hot tub. For example, if you have a 480-gallon hot tub and have 3 average daily users, you should be changing the water in your hot tub approximately every 53 days. This formula is not a hard and fast, set in stone rule when it comes to changing your hot tub water. There are some other things that you should look out for to keep your spa in optimal operating order throughout the year. If you notice that the water in your spa is cloudy and shocking it doesn’t seem to clear it, it’s time to drain and refill. If you are developing a lot of foam and the defoamer isn’t having an effect, it is also likely time to change the water. The most noticeable sign that it is time to change the water in your hot tub is if the water begins to smell. A foul smell is a sure sign that you are overdue for changing out the water. We hope that these guidelines help you to keep your hot tub clean, clear, and inviting all year. Another great way to do that is by using the EZ Spa^® Care Kit line of products to maintain your hot tub. You can learn more about how these products can save you time and money here.

One of our favorite ways to kick off the new year in the PoolCorp Retail Summit. PoolCorp is a wholesale distributor providing pool equipment and other backyard related products to it’s more than 100,000 customers worldwide.  The company boasts over 300 locations and employs nearly 4,000 people. The Annual Retail Summit is a chance for Pool Supply Retailers to check out the latest and greatest products from around the Pool & Spa Industry. APi participates in the show by speaking directly to suppliers about the benefits of offering products like EZ Pool, EZ Spa^®, and Revive at their stores and to their customers.

Here are some highlights of the 2017 PoolCorp Retail Summit.

Summer is in full swing and nothing says summer more than time by the pool. Kids and parents alike love cooling down on these hot summer days with a nice swim. While pools provide a lot of fun, there is more to be aware of than just applying a high SPF this summer. Before you take the family for a dip this Fourth of July, make sure that you know the basics of water safety.

In many parts of the country and right here at home, water safety does not get enough attention. Whether it be the pool or at the beach, children need to be properly prepared prior to enjoying the fun to be had.  Recent estimates suggest that 1,000 children die each year from drowning and drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1-4.

The Pool Safely organization works to provide safety tips for parents and children. Here are a few things that they suggest for water safety:

1. Never leave a child unattended in or near the water.
2. Teach children how to swim.
3. Teach children to stay away from drains.
4. Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers.
5. Install proper barriers, covers, and alarms on and around your pool and spa.
6. Know how to perform CPR on children and adults.

The Florida Department of Children and Families suggests similar steps for child pool safety, noting that while the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 4 years and older receive swim lessons, parents of children ages 1-3 are also encouraged to seek swim instruction for their children.

Here in South Florida, where APi is based, there is an amazing organization that promotes drowning prevention through providing swim lessons scholarships to those who cannot afford them is the Live Like Jake Foundation. The Live Like Jake Foundation also holds an annual 5k run/walk to raise funds and awareness for drowning prevention.

Martina, a mother of 3 from Jupiter Farms, FL, was awarded a scholarship for her children to take Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) through the Live Like Jake Foundation. When asked why she applied for the scholarship, Martina said, “There are so many things that we can’t prepare our children for in today’s world. We can’t always be with our children 100% of the time. As a mother, I want to provide my children with the skills they need to protect themselves in all aspects of life, including water safety.”

An organization that works closely to promote child safety is CASTLE, based on the Treasure Coast of Florida. CASTLE was founded in 1981 and promotes the teaching of safe parenting to prevent child abuse and neglect. This amazing organization has a direct impact on the lives of children and their parents, with a mission of preventing child abuse and neglect through education and awareness, CASTLE has developed evidence based programs which are now used nationwide. With a 98% success rate and 2 National Accreditations, parents come to CASTLE to receive the tools to raise their children in a safe and nurturing environment.

This summer, CASTLE is partnering with APi Water Care to raise money for our greatest gift, the children. Our campaign is called “SwimSafe2016” and it will run through the end of July. Not only are we raising funds for CASTLE, but we will also be giving away a Swim Safely Gift Basket valued at $100.  We are asking parents to post pictures of their children swimming with the hashtag #swimsafe2016 to promote CASTLE’s mission for child safety. One lucky winner will be selected to receive the gift basket so make sure to share your photos on Facebook or Instagram and include the hashtag #swimsafe2016. We are also encouraging those who are able to make donations to CASTLE via their website donor page here. Donations will be accepted on the CASTLE website and APi has pledged to match donations up to $1,500. We are looking forward to raising awareness and funds for this amazing organization.

Whitefly infestations have recently become a growing concern in South Florida and other markets. Along with attacking the landscape and damaging agriculture, whiteflies are causing quite a mess with their honeydew excrement. Plants, walkways, cars, outdoor furniture and

even swimming pools have become covered with this sticky substance and the sooty mold it promotes. But it’s not just the pool’s appearance that is affected. This residue drastically affects the chemical balance of the pool water by extremely decreasing sanitizer effectiveness. Almost overnight the water becomes cloudy and green and continues to deteriorate until treated while the sticky substance clogs up the filter.

Unfortunately these infestations are NOT seasonal, whiteflies breed year-round and their population is expected to increase and spread. While they should dissipate with time, these pests will likely never go away completely. With that being said, it is important to know how to control these Whiteflies and their effects.

While the plants are best treated by a licensed exterminator or by using approved products from your garden center, we have a simple solution for your swimming pool:

1. Thoroughly clean the pool filter.
2. Shock the pool with a granular or liquid chlorine.
3. Apply a full bottle of 32oz Revive!^® (pools up to 24K gallons) over the pool surface and set the pump/filter to run continuously.
4. After 48 hours thoroughly clean the filter and skimmer basket. You may also need to vacuum the pool bottom.
5. Maintain clear water by applying 8oz of Revive!^® weekly and cleaning the filter every 2 weeks.

For more information please visit University of Florida’s Whitefly website:www.flwhitefly.org/.

There are many styles of chlorine used in swimming pools, although they all belong to the same class of product, they do their jobs differently.

1. Pool Liquid Chlorine and Laundry Bleach are different. Pool liquid chlorine (10-12.5%) is fresher and stronger than laundry bleach (3-4%). This difference may not seem like much, but pool liquid chlorine is approximately 4x stronger than laundry bleach, thus requiring much more laundry bleach to do the same thing.
2. Different chlorines have different strengths and a wide variance of pH levels. Liquid Chlorine has a pH close to 13 while chlorine tablets have a pH close to 3. Other “shocks” vary throughout that range. This means a lot due to pH levels having an affect on the effectiveness of the chlorine within your pool water.
3. Shock bags and chlorine tablets do different things. Chlorine tablets are used to create a low level of constant chlorine in the water (sanitization) while bags of shock or liquid chlorine are meant to create a temporary high level of chlorine in a pool (oxidization).
4. All chlorine can be ‘stabilized’. Stabilizer/Conditioner are nomenclature for cyanuric acid (abbreviated CYA). CYA can get too high (>80ppm) in pool water which decreases chlorine effectiveness, the higher the CYA level the less effective chlorine becomes. Chlorine tablets have CYA built into them which helps with low level chlorine sanitization. Sodium dichlor, sometimes used as a ‘shock’ product also has cyanuric acid built in. Too much use of either of these products may cause an increased CYA level. Calcium Hypochlorite, Lithium Hypochlorite, and Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid chlorine) have no CYA in them at all, thus allowing them to create a temporary high chlorine (>10ppm) for traditional oxidizing without leaving behind any cyanuric acid.
5.  Liquid Chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) is generated in a salt pool, this is part of the reason why pH levels in salt pools tend to fluctuate on the high side and why salt pool chlorine generator manufacturers tend to suggest having a cyanuric acid level of 70-80ppm.

Gone are the days of all pools being maintained with chlorine. The pool market of the 21st century offers consumers numerous options on how they wish to maintain their pools.  Salt pools (or saltwater pools) are becoming increasingly popular in the pool community.  Here are a few misconceptions that many people have about salt pools:

1. Salt pools do not use chlorine. Salt Pools use a cell (Electrolytic Chlorine Generator or ECG) that generates chlorine from salt. A salt pool is a chlorine pool, you just don’t have to dose the pool with chlorine as you do with traditional chlorine usage.
2. Salt Pools do not need maintenance. When chlorine is generated in a salt pool so is scale and an increased pH. Scale causes the ECG cell to be less effective. Higher pH causes the chlorine to be less effective.
3. Salt pools do not need water balancing. ECG’s only make chlorine, they do nothing for the other balance requirements (calcium hardness, cyanuric acid/stabilizer level, total alkalinity). Nor do they provide an algaecide or scale inhibitor.
4. Salt Pools provide a ‘Set it and Forget it’ pool. Even though ECG’s create chlorine, they do it only at a steady pace, when there is rain or environmental issues (pollution, wind, pollen season, etc) or when there is a high bather load (more swimmers than normal), salt pools need to be boosted or shocked to maintain sanitized water, even needing the addition of store bought chlorine, depending on the need.
5. Salt Pools are foolproof. Salt can be disruptive to the pool area, think of how salt treats your car during the winter. Pools with natural stone accompaniments are not recommended to use salt because the salt remaining from evaporated water from splash out can damage the service of the stone and make it not look as nice as you’d like it.
6. All salt is not the same. Pools have their own needs and environment. Salt used for water softeners or ice melt is not conducive to balanced water and can actually cause chlorine demand within the pool which means that it can take more chlorine generation to achieve proper sanitization levels. Some salt styles also use iron based anti caking agents which, when put into a chlorine environment can cause staining of the pool surface and unnatural coloring of the water.

If the pool is free of algae, the green tint indicates that something is slightly out of balance or there is a presence of a high level of phosphates that can also lead to redundant algae problems. Typically the bleaching effect of chlorine compensates for an out of balance condition, keeping water blue in spite of possible problems. Since one of the benefits of E-Z POOL^® is that it does not contain bleach, the following is a list of things to check when troubleshooting a pool with green tint:

1. Check the filter. A clean filter is always the first step in correcting a problem with E-Z POOL^®.

2. Test sanitizer level. If the pool is lacking sanitizer, there may be a tendency for the water to get a green hue. If the sanitizer is too low, the pool may take on a flat look and then turn a light green tint. When experiencing a green tint from low sanitizer level, try increasing the sanitizer level to at least 3.0 ppm with the addition of a dichlor shock.

3. Test for phosphates. A high phosphate level is often the cause of stubborn green tint in E-Z POOL^® water. Use Revive!^® to resolve this problem quickly and effectively.

4. The level of calcium contributes to the “body” of the water. If the pool water lacks body, it may not effectively reflect the UV rays of sunlight to produce the blue tint most commonly associated with swimming pools. Here again, if the green tint is due to chemical imbalance and sufficient oxidizer is present, the calcium level may be too low.

Calcium level should be adjusted to 350 ppm. Always adjust balance before dosing with E-Z POOL^® and allow water to reach new calcium balance prior to E-Z POOL^® application.

5. Test copper level. Excessive copper levels may contribute to a green hue or tint. Check the copper level and if it exceeds 0.8 ppm, treat with Revive!^® to reduce.

6. Test pH and total alkalinity. If pH is high or low relative to calcium, and total alkalinity is too low relative to pH and calcium, this could result in a green tint. Adjust to recommended levels.

The brown staining in your pool is caused by oxidized iron, which is probably getting in your pool from the well. The oxidizer in E- Z POOL shocks out more contaminants than regular chlorine shock. Sometimes, especially pools filled with well water, this can cause an issue that was previously unknown while on chlorine because it is not as versatile as the E-Z POOL^®. In most cases, the problem can be fixed rather easily.

When you used ascorbic acid before, it was the right thing to do, unfortunately you weren’t told that the job was only half done. Ascorbic acid removes the stain rather easily BUT once the stain is removed, the molecules that formed the stain are still in the pool water. They have just been dissolved. Unfortunately sand filters only filter out particles that are 20-25 microns and larger, oxidized iron is in the 2-4 micron range. So, your filtration system needs help removing the particles that caused the stain out of the pool water. The fastest and easiest way to do this would be to:

1. Treat your pool with ascorbic acid, you shouldn’t need more than a pound. It should work within an hour or two. Once it has been circulated throughout the system.

2. Once the brown stain has been lifted, turn off the pool pump.

3. Spray a 16oz bottle of Revive (removes the iron particles by dropping them out of solution and in to a sediment on the bottom of the pool so you can vacuum it to waste, removing it for good) over the top of the pool.

4. Leave the pool off for at least 24 hours.

5. Vacuum the debris out of the bottom of the pool while your sand filter valve is on waste.

6. Follow the weekly directions for the E-Z POOL^®  that your local store has given you.

You should also have a bottle of Revive!^® at the house for whenever you fill up your pool due to evaporation or splash out. Simply attach the Revive to the end of your fill hose and spray the product over the top of your pool water, covering the pool twice, Revive!^® will capture the particles from your well water that shouldn’t be in your pool water and send them to your filter for you so that you do not have to go through this huge procedure over and over.