Talking Pools Podcast
Talking Pools Podcast
Rudy Stankowitz
If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact. Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day.  And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities. Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster.  That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird. 
SPLASH
Send us Fan Mail SPLASH 2026: Why Pool Professionals—and Their Teams—Need to Be There SPLASH isn’t just another excuse to escape the office, collect two years’ worth of free pens, and start asking suspicious questions about when the complimentary slushy machine becomes a margarita machine. For pool professionals across Australia and the Southern Hemisphere, SPLASH is the industry event. It’s where new products are launched, new technology is demonstrated, business ideas are exchanged, and tec...
Aug 17
29 min
Your Pool Guy Isn’t the Problem—You Are
Send us Fan Mail 🚨 Warning: This episode contains intentionally abrasive commentary and strong language. Most Talking Pools questions come from pool service professionals. This week, Rudy clears the inbox of questions submitted by pool owners—and provides pool pros with a little emotional support in the process. Why is the pool consuming so much chlorine? Why did it turn green after the technician left? Should the pump run longer during extreme heat? Why does a saltwater pool still need ...
Aug 14
30 min
When Corporate Buyouts Kill Technical Support
Send us Fan Mail What happens when the people who actually know the product disappear—and customer service becomes a phone tree, a 90-minute hold, or an ordering department that cannot answer a technical question? This week, Steve Sherwood and Wayne Ivusich examine the decline of accessible technical support across the pool and spa industry. Wayne reflects on his 32 years with Taylor Technologies, where he answered technical questions, developed educational materials, and taught an estimated ...
Aug 13
40 min
Eric Knight Joins Pool Brain
Send us Fan Mail Natalie Hood welcomes Eric Knight back to the Talking Pools Podcast to discuss his move from Watershape University to Pool Brain—and what this new role could mean for pool service professionals. Eric explains how a conversation that began in 2022 eventually developed into an opportunity to combine the work he does best: water chemistry, education, technology, and solving real-world problems for technicians in the field. He also clears up the speculation surrounding his depart...
Aug 12
36 min
Salt
Send us Fan Mail In the conclusion of our conversation with Lee Moore and Blake, Technical Director at AIS Water, we examine what it takes to make saltwater chlorination work reliably in demanding commercial environments. Commercial pools cannot be managed by reacting to every change with another drum of chemicals. Like steering a cruise ship, water chemistry requires calculated adjustments, accurate information, and equipment sized for the facility’s actual operating conditions. The conversa...
Aug 10
20 min
Confidence Isn’t Competence: Pool Industry Edition
Send us Fan Mail Profanity does not make someone unprofessional. Confidently spreading bad information does. In this intentionally abrasive episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Rudy Stankowitz takes aim at the comment-section experts who diagnose complicated pool problems from one blurry photograph, defend outdated beliefs with “I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” and treat confidence as a substitute for evidence. BREAKING INDUSTRY NEWS July’s pool-industry news revealed a market undergoing...
Aug 7
37 min
Miracle Pool Products
Send us Fan Mail This week on Thursdays with Wayne and Steve, the guys take aim at “miracle” pool products, suspiciously cheap equipment, expired test reagents, and the growing number of online knockoffs promising professional results at bargain-basement prices. Wayne recalls some of the industry’s most memorable gimmicks—including magnets that supposedly made calcium disappear—and explains why words like “miracle cure” should immediately raise a red flag. Steve breaks down how he presents cu...
Aug 6
58 min
Cold Plunge Myths: Dewey Case of the CMAHC Turns Up the Heat
Send us Fan Mail Cold plunges and ice baths are appearing everywhere—from fitness centers and recovery facilities to wellness clinics, athletic programs, and luxury spas. But colder water does not automatically mean cleaner or safer water. In this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Natalie Hood is joined by Dewey Case, Technical Director for the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code and Aquatics Coordinator for Williamson County Parks and Recreation in Tennessee. Dewey helped assemble ...
Aug 5
36 min
Commercial Salt Chlorination: Safer, Smarter, and Built to Scale
Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee Salisbury and Nick are joined by AIS Water’s Lee Moore and Technical Director Blake for a deep dive into commercial saltwater chlorination. AIS Water has worked in salt chlorination for approximately 35 years, developing systems for everything from swim schools and splash parks to resorts, 50-meter competition pools, coastal pools, and enormous lagoons containing millions of liters of water. The conversation explores why more commerc...
Aug 3
40 min
Stop Selling the Bottle—Sell the Outcome
Send us Fan Mail Specialty chemicals are not the enemy. Phosphate removers, enzymes, clarifiers, sequestrants, scale inhibitors, flocculants and stain treatments can all deliver real value—when they address an actual, diagnosed condition. In this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Rudy Stankowitz explains why the bottle should never become the protocol. Before adding any specialty chemical to a pool, service professionals should answer three questions: Will it meaningfully benefit th...
Jul 31
21 min
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