Rule Your Pool

Episodes

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  White Water Mold and Disappearing CYA (w/ John Davidson) 19.08.2026 25m

  Reports of disappearing CYA in pools with White Water Mold got Eric's attention, and it sent him down a rabbit hole. John Davidson of 5-Star Pool & Spa in Billings MT joins the show to discuss this strange phenomenon.
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  I've joined Pool Brain. Here's Why. 05.08.2026 23m

  Eric explains why he has decided to step down as Executive Director of Watershape University, and move to Pool Brain as their Head of Education Technology.
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  Understanding Parasites (w/ Roy Vore, Ph.D.) 29.07.2026 46m

  Eric survived the Cyclospora Parasite, and invited Dr. Roy Vore, a microbiologist, to educate us on parasites (including cryptosporidium) and why they are so hard to kill.
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  Why Alkalinity Rises in Pools using CO2 for pH Management 24.06.2026 13m

  Thanks to numerous questions from listeners (to ruleyourpool@gmail.com), Eric explains the actual chemistry of why alkalinity rises in pools feeding CO2 for pH management. CO2 itself does not raise alkalinity. Eric shows what's really going on, and what a pool operator can do about this constant rise in total alkalinity.
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  Pool Chemistry Down Under (w/ David Watson) 10.06.2026 37m

  David Watson, a 40-year pool industry veteran in Perth, Australia joins the show to discuss his findings about using carbon dioxide for pH management, and some fascinating discoveries about Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). And he may have had something to do with the arbitrary industry-standard limit of "1500 ppm above tap water" for TDS.
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  Acid Burning Through Alkalinity...and CYA? 03.06.2026 20m

  What does acid actually do when it's added to water? And since it "burns through" alkalinity, does that include cyanurate alkalinity? Does acid reduce CYA?
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  Fiberglass Pool Chemistry (w/ Bill Khamis) 20.05.2026 1h 6m

  Eric is joined by Bill Khamis, the visionary founder of Thursday Pools, a leading fiberglass pool manufacturer in North America. We discuss fiberglass pool manufacturing, transportation logistics, installation, and more. The crux of the episode covers water chemistry and a known issue with fiberglass pools that Eric coined the term "chalking" several years ago. Bill and his company have invested heavily over the past 15+ years to understanding and resolving this problem. And the solution is beautifully simple and affordable.
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  Is the LSI actually an "Index"? 06.05.2026 11m

  A listener emailed the old ruleyourpool email address (the new one is ruleyourpool@gmail.com) and brought up something interesting. He said "Nowhere in your RYP podcasts have I heard you mention that the LSI is not an index. It's a delta between the saturation pH and the current pH. LSI is the difference between the pH you have and the pH your water wants." Let's discuss this.
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  Service 2211: Essential Water Chemistry is now available on Watershape.org 22.04.2026 23m

  Eric's 8-hour chemistry course, Service 2211: Essential Water Chemistry by Watershape University is now available online on-demand, at https://watershape.org/courses/online/svc2211-260101-enroll. This episode gives another 20 min teaser of the class.
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  Water Chemistry vs. Natural Stone 15.04.2026 13m

  A marble tile line in a pool was etched from the waterline down, which led to Eric researching the composition and geology of marble and other natural stones. Come to find out, most of them are indeed calcium based, and susceptible to acidic damage.
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  Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration (w/ Matt Mueller) 08.04.2026 52m

  23+ year pool pro Matt Mueller reached out to teach about Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtration for swimming pools. It's far more fascinating than I thought. Matt talks about concepts like density stratification, biofouling and more.
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  186. NEW COURSE! C4633: Advanced Inflatable Watershape Installation Workshop 01.04.2026 2m

  NEW COURSE! For years, Watershape University has been focused on concrete pool construction, design and engineering. It's time we finally expand into an underserved market segment in our industry. This new course, C4633: Advanced Inflatable Watershape Installation Workshop, is an eight (8) hour, action-packed workshop where we teach two days worth of valuable information into one.
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  Allergic to Chlorine? A Microbiology Lesson (w/ Roy Vore, Ph.D.) 25.03.2026 57m

  Microbiologist and the world's leading recreational water illness expert Dr. Roy Vore joins the podcast to share the truth about chlorine "allergy" symptoms, chloramines, and much more.
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  AI: My Unsolicited Opinions 11.03.2026 19m

  Eric shares his opinions about AI technology in a new and surprising way. Hopefully it serves as a wakeup call to learn skills, and embrace technology so it doesn't replace you.
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  Understanding Adjusted Alkalinity 08.03.2026 9m

  A pool store printout shows "adjusted alkalinity", but presented as if it's the "real" alkalinity. It is only used for LSI and pH ceiling calculations, not acid dosing. Acid doses are based on TOTAL alkalinity, because cyanurate and borate contribute to the TA, and acid will neutralize on them too.
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  Swim School Chemistry (w/ Olympian Davis Tarwater) 25.02.2026 30m

  2012 Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Davis Tarwater joins the show to talk about how Orenda chemistry and alkalinity management fundamentally changed the water quality in his swim schools. It's a different way of thinking, and the results are undeniable.
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  Dad Mode: Unlocked 29.01.2026 35m

  A first-time father, Eric reflects on this new chapter in his life, updates the audience on WU classes and the Service education track, and gives a 15-min taste of the 8-hour water chemistry course, Service 2211: Essential Water Chemistry.
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  Winterizing Pools Against Crystals (w/ Rob Romano and Bill Drakeley) 26.12.2025 1h 14m

  Rob Romano and Bill Drakeley join the show to talk about winterizing concrete pools, and the issues with calcium crystals they have seen. Is it water chemistry, or workmanship? Or both?
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  Protecting Pool Plaster (w/ Jeff Smith) 17.12.2025 26m

  Eric is joined by Jeff Smith, President of Alan Smith Pool Plastering in Orange, California to talk about their Service Pro Appreciation Day on March 7, 2026.
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  Reinforced PVC Membranes (w/ Tony Jordan and Jeremy Heersink) 12.12.2025 34m

  Jeremy Heersink (from Poolside by CGT) and Tony Jordan (from Renolit) join the show to introduce a fourth category of pool type: the Reinforced PVC Membrane. They will be teaching C3291 in Atlantic City for four hours, for a hands-on introduction workshop to the material and how it is installed.