Advanced Oxidation Processes – What Are They And Why Do They Matter?

For the past few years, the aquatics industry has adopted a new concept known as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The term, which was first coined in 1987 by research scientist William Glaze, refers to a set of chemical reactions that produce a chemical species known as hydroxyl radicals (OH) or sometimes incorrectly referred to as …

Avoiding Obsolescence – Intelligent Systems Design and Service Stay Relevant

I’d like to ask a provocative question: have swimming pools become obsolete? That might seem surprising coming from an aquatic professional who earns his living in the pool/spa/aquatics industry, and it’s a question I’ve never heard from any other professional, or consumer for that matter. Yet, I think it’s something worth considering as we look …

“Balanced Water” – What Does It Mean?

Within the profession of water-quality management, there are several subcategories of expertise needed in order to be effective. One of the most important is how to manage and maintain mineral balance in water. “Balanced water” means water that is in a state of equilibrium. All water contains minerals, chiefly calcium, but many others as well. …

Pool Surfaces – Why Repairs Can’t Wait

The interior surface is a swimming pool’s largest and most important aesthetic feature. Surfaces are responsible for the pool’s appearance and also for bather comfort. A “healthy” surface will give you years of visual enjoyment and tactile pleasure when you’re in the water, and on top of that, it helps the pool remain watertight. Whether …

Addressing Tile and Coping Repairs – An Urgent Matter

Water may be the most wonderful and amazing of natural elements, but it also can be one of the most destructive. From its ability to carve the Grand Canyon to the slow rot that occurs when water finds its way into the walls of your home, you can never underestimate the damage it can do. …

Regarding Healthy Water – Ignorance Is Not Bliss

It’s one of the truly unfortunate traits of human nature — we tend to ignore what we cannot see. We’re an extremely visual species, and when something is invisible, there’s a strong tendency for us to think that it’s simply not there. What disturbs me the most about this characteristic is that it’s true even …

Parents and Water Worries – How to Relieve the Stress

All parents worry about their kids, it’s what we do. I fret every day over every aspect of my three kids’ lives. So much so, I’ve grown to accept that worry as a kind of life sentence, the price we pay for the greatest love we’ll ever experience. In fact, my impassioned journey into water …

Water As Art – Aquatic Aesthetics

I’ve always been amazed and delighted by how beauty can emerge from the unexpected, or even an accident. One of the best examples I can think of was how the great modernist painter Jackson Pollock discovered his groundbreaking drip-painting technique when he spilled paint on the floor of his studio. That simple accident and resulting …

The Argument Against Saltwater Pools

When discussing chemical treatment options for pools and spas, I’m often asked about saltwater chlorination. Many people have heard a lot of good things about it and are curious if it’s a good choice for them. I’ll come clean right here at the start and say that I am not an advocate of this technology, …

Why Involve A Water Quality Consultant – Earlier The Better

I’ve written about the beauty of building swimming pools and spas with water quality and serviceability in mind from the very start of a project. Although almost any body of water can be retrofitted with systems and features designed to generate quality, resilient water, it’s always better when it’s done right the first time. Unfortunately, …