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When we talk about scaling in the pool industry, most of the time the offender that comes to mind is calcium. We all know that high calcium levels can lead to scale depositing on the pool surface, fixtures, in the plumbing, and inside equipment like heaters and salt chlorine generators. What if calcium isn’t the only factor? What if the calcium hardness of fill water has always been high but scaling was never an issue until recently? Could something else be causing, or at least contributing to, the problem? The answer is yes. For decades it has been a well-known fact in the drinking water treatment industry that excessive phosphates will actually form phosphate scale. When phosphate levels go beyond the “critical concentration level”, scale forms. This “critical concentration” level is var

Summer is quickly approaching and for anyone with an outdoor pool, that means life is about to get busier than usual. To mitigate the stress that can come with the season, I have a few suggestions and items to check so opening day goes smoothly for all involved. •    Check inventory. Do you have all the balance chemicals (i.e. sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, etc.) to get the pool up and running for opening day? If you have a chlorine generator, do you have enough salt on hand to bring the pool up to the proper salinity? Do you have enough testing reagents and are they fresh? What about specialty chemicals for removing phosphates, keeping the filters clean, and ensuring the water remains crystal clear? •    Check for winter damage. Is there any damage to the plumbing? How does the ele

True story:  a commercial client of ours emailed us saying that one of his seals on his chlorine generator cell had sprung a leak, and needed to be removed and replaced, and that his local service company could only get out to look at the problem the following week. Gordon was not happy about this as the leak was only getting worse. We are located about 1200 miles from Gordon’s facility, so we did what we have been perfecting for the last 20 years:  we provided Gordon with “Support”. One of our Tech Support Representatives pulled up a picture of the defective component and wrote a simple step by step set of procedural instructions with pictures demonstrating how to remove and replace the part, and at the same time we shipped a replacement overnight. The following day we r

Back in the early to mid-90’s, chemistry controllers were seen as high priced items that only the big clubs could afford to purchase and maintain. The last few years have changed this perspective for many pool operators and indeed those who sign the checks for chemicals every month. Chemistry controllers are all but required for a commercial pool today due to the stability they provide for pool balance, and the reduction in man hours and chemical requirements that come from a stable pool/spa. Initially though, chemistry controller technology was hit and miss. The first pH sensors weren’t always “stable,” making pH harder to manage than modern variant. This resulted in a lot of time spent trying to get the controller reading the same as hand readings and increased pool operator frustration.

When I joined TMI, I had never heard of a Certified Pool Operator (CPO®). I had no idea they existed.  People really undertake training and education just to take care of a pool? Why? I’d seen my grandfather squint at a pink sample of pool water and throw a few more pucks of chlorine into the floating dispenser, so how hard could it be? A few months later I completed my CPO® course and really began to understand how much there was to know about a pool. Now, 5 years on, I’ve gone on to become an NSPF® Instructor, but I’ll be the first to admit that I still learn something new about this industry every day. As a pool professional, I can honestly say that if I could sell every pool owner on just one point, it would be that an educated staff is one of the best investments you can make. Do you

TMI Salt Pure is proud to announce our partnership with Olivet Nazarene University and their new Student Life and Recreation Center. The Student Life and Recreation Center (SLRC) features include a 200 meter running track, a four story climbing wall, two beautiful Salt Pure® pools and a Salt Pure® spa. Designed from the start with energy saving features in mind, the SLRC has been recognized and honored by the local energy provider for its sustainability and efficiency.  Designed by Buchar, Mitchell, Bajt Architects Inc in conjunction with Elara Engineering, the facility features an advanced geothermal heating and cooling system, a heat recovery ventilation in the field house, and an outdoor based dehumidification system for the aquatic center, among other cutting edge systems. The TMI Salt

Most commercial pool professionals know that pH is the most important measure for water chemistry. They also know that it is darn near impossible to control by hand – it’s like trying to make sense of a bowl of spaghetti!   The pH of the pool is affected by nearly everything that is introduced to the water. The chlorine that is continually being pumped in to the water has an especially strong impact.  Depending on the type of chlorine being used, the pH of the water will begin to drift up or down. The balance between effective sanitation and bather comfort is found in the pH range of 7.2 to 7.8. In order to achieve this balance, some form of pH control is required. Otherwise the constant addition of chlorine will drive the pH of the water to extremes.   Traditionally pH has

So you are looking for a Chlorine Generator – or “Salt system” – for your larger commercial pool and the local Pool Company tells you that they can get this type of equipment. They recommend installing a number of smaller units (that they get from a large pool equipment and chemical distributor), instead of one larger commercial unit. The benefits, they say, are an overall less expensive initial cost, the availability of a local service provider, and constant chlorine back up. By having multiple smaller chlorine generators (also known as cells), you’re never left without the ability to produce chlorine should one or two fail and need replacement. In some ways that is true, but let’s dissect this train of thought and see where we get. The first claim is a cheaper upfront cost. T

I get asked pretty frequently “what’s the big deal with combined chlorine? I know it makes the pool area smell bad but isn’t that it?”, the short answer is: No, it is not just a smell. Combined chlorine or “chloramines” are nasty D.P.B.s (disinfection by products). They cause the irritating “chlorine smell” usually associated with pools. Chloramines can be responsible for corrosion of everything from door handles, light figures and benches to structural support beams in the ceiling, window frames and deck equipment. Chloramines can even damage the air handling system (not to mention bleaching out your swim suit). “Where do they come from?” The simple answer is: people. Organic “particles” wash off our body, among other sources. The chlorine in the water attaches to these particles and crea