Understanding pH buffering systems and pKa values

pH vs. Total Alkalinity, and Their Roles in Pool Chemistry: pH and total alkalinity are important water chemistry factors that are often confused and misunderstood. This episode explains in detail what each of them are, what they do, and how they interact with other pool chemistry. Since pH impacts just about every other chemistry in water, it is important to manage it properly, according to the physics of water. Too often, pool owners and operators try to control pH, but it is a futile, costly effort. https://www.orendatech.com Show-Notes: [01:32] What is ph? [02:30] pH is an equilibrium [07:58] Negative logarithm of hydrogen [08:43] Let's not try to control pH. Physics is going to raise the pH in swimming pools. [09:50] Henry's Law of the Solubility of Gases [12:23] Buy a ph probe to find out your exact ph. [12:37] Your ph can raise from algae, vanishing edge pools, spas, spillover, or salt cell. [17:17] ph is the most impactful factor to the Langelier Saturation Index [18:53] Pro by Rule Your Pool

30 min listen

Introduction to Rule Your Pool Podcast by Orenda Technologies: Rule Your Pool is a podcast by Orenda Technologies. This show was created for pool owners, operators, and service pros who want the best water quality possible. If you want to know what's really going on with your swimming pool chemistry, this might be the podcast for you. Each week, we'll cover a new topic related to swimming pools, water chemistry, or indoor air quality. With our help, you'll be able to rule your pool without over-treating it with chemicals and wasting money. Connect with Orenda Technologies Website: https://www.orendatech.com Blog: https://blog.orendatech.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrendaTechnologies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orendatech/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orendatechnologies/ by Rule Your Pool

3 min listen

The LSI | Calcium Hardness: In the swimming pool and spa industry, calcium is treated like it's a four-letter word. But if managed correctly, calcium hardness can be your best friend. So, what is calcium hardness anyway? According to the Rule Your Pool Guys, it’s the concentration of calcium in your pool, and the most stable factor of the LSI. Calcium is so stable, that Orenda bases their LSI management strategy around it. In this episode, Eric and Jarred discuss the benefits of calcium hardness, some misconceptions surrounding calcium, calcium hardness increasers, and how to lower calcium hardness in a pool. They also get into the weeds on the Orenda Academy exclusive hat, calcium testing issues, calcite crystals, and a whole lot more. by Rule Your Pool

37 min listen

6 Bad Habits | Part 1: Rule Your Pool is a podcast by Orenda Technologies. This show was created for pool owners, operators, and service pros who want the best water quality possible. If you want to know what's really going on with your swimming pool chemistry, this might be the podcast for you. Each week, we'll cover a new topic related to swimming pools, water chemistry, or indoor air quality. With our help, you'll be able to rule your pool without over-treating it with chemicals and wasting money. Connect with Orenda Technologies Website: https://www.orendatech.com Blog: https://blog.orendatech.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrendaTechnologies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orendatech/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orendatechnologies/ by Rule Your Pool

19 min listen

Understanding Alkalinity: Most people in the swimming pool and spa industry know how to measure alkalinity, but they don't actually understand what it does. This episode explains what alkalinity is and how it's measured, why it slows down the change of pH, how pH determines the type of alkalinity present in a pool, and how alkalinity impacts the LSI in particular with something called carbonate alkalinity. by Rule Your Pool

34 min listen

The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI): If you divide up pool chemistry, there's really two subcategories of it. There is sanitization (which is water, clarity, cleanliness, and safety) and there is balance. Is your pool scaling, etching, filled with calcium dust or crystals? All of those problems are LSI violations. They can be completely prevented simply by balancing the LSI and keeping it balanced. Following the conventional wisdom of range chemistry doesn't guarantee that you will have balanced water. But following the Langelier Saturation Index does. In the first three episodes, Eric and Jarred covered Total Alkalinity and pH. Those are two of the six factors of the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI). In Episode four, they cover the rest of the LSI and what you need to know about it. The LSI is the objective measure of water balance. Eric and Jarred will talk about what that means. There are six factors, and they will tell you what you need to know about all of them. by Rule Your Pool

20 min listen

Winter Is Coming: It's November and winter is coming. In fact, in some parts of the country, it's already here. In this episode, Eric and Jarred cover how your geographic location affects winterization, how the type of pool cover you have can affect your chemistry, and how different types of pool surfaces react differently to bad LSI balance and cold water. by Rule Your Pool

31 min listen

Uneven Carbonation & other Plaster Discoloration | Calcium Issues, pt. 5: When calcium hydroxide is drawn to the surface, it carbonates and turns white. We call this uneven carbonation, because it virtually never happens evenly across the entire pool. Eric discusses the two main causes of uneven carbonation. by Rule Your Pool

32 min listen

The LSI | Cyanuric Acid (CYA): Keeping CYA regulated is Orenda's fourth pillar of proactive pool care. CYA can wreak havoc on your pool chemistry if it isn't regulated - and that's especially true for the LSI. In this episode, Eric and Jared discuss: how CYA affects the LSI, how CYA and alkalinity are related, where CYA comes from, why you shouldn't put chlorine tabs in a skimmer, and how you reduce CYA. by Rule Your Pool

21 min listen

4 Types of Chlorine | Saltwater Pools: This episode and the next three are an overview of chemistry considerations and Orenda recommendations for how to manage pool chemistry based on its primary chlorine. Today, Eric and Jarred are back in the rumor mines, chipping away at salt pools. A common misconception is that a salt pool doesn't use chlorine. But, salt pools are chlorine pools. The chlorine is just generated on-site. These types of pools have different chemistry needs from pools that rely on bleach or cal hypo for sanitation. Our hosts will explain every grain. BE AWARE! Different types of chlorine are volatile if exposed to each other. They can cause fires and literally explode. Never store two different types of chlorine in the same enclosed area. When handling chlorine, always follow manufacturer instructions and exercise caution. by Rule Your Pool

22 min listen

The LSI | Water Temperature: How can a pool with textbook chemistry on closing be filled with crystals or dust when it opens back up? An analogy is to think of that swimming pool as a grizzly bear. You better feed it because if it has to wake up in the middle of the winter to eat, it's not going to be pretty. In this episode, Eric and Jarred give you a read on water temperature. Water temperature is the easiest factor of the LSI to measure, and yet it is the most neglected (or would ignored be a better word?). Unfortunately, folks just don't know how much temperature affects chemistry - and even the ability to test the water accurately. Almost all damage to a swimming pool happens during the winter. The reason? The lower the temperature, the lower your LSI. by Rule Your Pool

38 min listen

Understanding pH: If you get the folks at Orenda talking about pH, they could go for hours. Fortunately, this 40ish-minute-episode boils pH and how it affects pool chemistry down into three main points: The role that carbon dioxide plays in controlling the pH of water, the factors that both lower and raise pH, and how to manage pH in a proactive way so that you're not chasing it. Many pool operators struggle with how to manage pH. Eric and Jarred are here to make it easy. by Rule Your Pool

37 min listen

Muriatic acid alternatives: Sulfuric Acid, Sodium Bisulfate and CO2: The 2021 chlorine shortage has (not surprisingly) led to a muriatic acid shortage too. So what are the alternatives to muriatic acid? Eric and Joe introduce sulfuric acid, sodium bisulfate, and injecting CO2. by Rule Your Pool

29 min listen

Cement Cures Ugly | Orenda Startup Philosophy: Why is Orenda doing something so radically different than it has been done for so long? And why is it working? Eric and Jarred talk about the philosophy of the Orenda Startup in the first of a two-part series. by Rule Your Pool

36 min listen

Pillar 3: Phosphate Removal | Orenda's Four Pillars: Let's talk about phosphates, and why you should remove them from your water. Phosphates cannot be oxidized by chlorine, and they accumulate over time. Phosphates get into our pools via the tap water, sequestering agents, and nature. They accumulate over time. Remove phosphates and keep your level below 500 parts per billion (ppb). by Rule Your Pool

19 min listen

Pillar 2: Non-living Organics | Orenda's Four Pillars: Especially relevant amidst the current chlorine shortage, Orenda's second pillar is about supplementing chlorine. The bulk of contaminants in swimming pools are non-living organics. Chlorine is a powerful disinfectant, but a comparatively weak oxidizer. It is not designed to remove non-living organics from water. Enzymes and secondary oxidizer systems do a much better job. by Rule Your Pool

20 min listen

The Orenda Startup Procedure: There are a ton of scenarios that can come into play when you're starting up a pool. The chemistry can be radically different even between pools across the street from one another. In this episode, Eric and Jarred go in-depth on the Orenda startup procedure, and how you can use it to prevent scale and etching on a freshly plastered pool. by Rule Your Pool

50 min listen

4 Types of Chlorine | Calcium Hypochlorite: Of all types of chlorine, Calcium Hypochlorite (Cal Hypo) might be the strongest, but it is also the most volatile to handle. Even its fumes can rust just about anything in your garage or storage container. In this episode, Eric and Jarred discuss Cal Hypo and the strategies you may need to adopt to properly manage this powerful chemical. If you are having issues with cal hypo because of calcium drift up, high pH, or otherwise, our boys have your back. BE AWARE: Different types of chlorine are volatile if exposed to each other. They can cause fires and literally explode. Never store two different types of chlorine in the same enclosed area. Always handle with care and caution. by Rule Your Pool

33 min listen

Why Prices Are Going Up in 2021: COVID-19 is the main topic of this week's episode. Since the virus hit earlier this year, pool costs have been increasing, and they're set to really go up in 2021. Eric and Jarred talk about the factors that are forcing prices to go up, how COVID-19 changed the supply chain, alternatives to trichlor, and where the pool industry can go from here. by Rule Your Pool

34 min listen

4 Types of Chlorine | Intro: It's a short episode this week as we dive into a new topic: different kinds of chlorine. The next few episodes will focus on liquid chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, trichlor, and salt generated chlorine in that order. As a point of order, we should also tell you this: NEVER mix or store different kinds of chlorine together. by Rule Your Pool

10 min listen

4 Types of Chlorine | Trichlor and Dichlor: In our fourth (and final) episode about different chlorine types, Eric covers the two stabilized chlorine types: Trichlor and Dichlor. Neither was originally meant to be primary chlorine types, but Trichlor, over the years, has been incredibly popular for its ease of use, affordability, and simplicity. But all that comes at a cost: CYA overstabilization. by Rule Your Pool

17 min listen

The LSI | Total Dissolved Solids: "Man, let's just get real. That's a pretty sexy way of saying I have metals. Agree?" The boys are back in town and spilling the Tea on TDS (total dissolved solids). No feelings are spared as Eric and Jared cover such frequently Googled and Search Engine Optimized Topics as, "What is Total Dissolved Solids?," "total dissolved solids in water limit," "how to remove TDS," "total dissolved solids meters," "how to measure total dissolved solids in water," and more! by Rule Your Pool

28 min listen

6 Bad Habits | Part 2: Rule Your Pool is a podcast by Orenda Technologies. This show was created for pool owners, operators, and service pros who want the best water quality possible. If you want to know what's really going on with your swimming pool chemistry, this might be the podcast for you. Each week, we'll cover a new topic related to swimming pools, water chemistry, or indoor air quality. With our help, you'll be able to rule your pool without over-treating it with chemicals and wasting money. Connect with Orenda Technologies Website: https://www.orendatech.com Blog: https://blog.orendatech.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OrendaTechnologies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orendatech/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orendatechnologies/ by Rule Your Pool

26 min listen

Podcasting with the Pool Chasers: While in Scottsdale Arizona, Eric visits the Pool Chasers, Tyler and Greg, in their studio. These are the guys who inspired us to create the Rule Your Pool Podcast, and we want to give them credit for their help, especially the effort Greg personally put into helping us create this show. by Rule Your Pool

34 min listen

Hindsight is 2020: Eric and Jarred wax nostalgiac about the dumpster fire of a year that was 2020, and give a few reasons why this year might be better. by Rule Your Pool

22 min listen

Calcium Flakes in Saltwater Pools: If you have a saltwater pool, you have probably seen calcium flakes or other calcium deposits in your pool. Eric and Jarred explain why this happens, and how to prevent it. by Rule Your Pool

32 min listen

Pillar 4: Minimal Cyanuric Acid (CYA) | Orenda's Four Pillars: Our fourth pillar is about minimizing Cyanuric Acid (CYA). CYA, also known as chlorine stabilizer, protects chlorine from sunlight degradation. Some is good, but too much is bad. The action step is simple: keep your CYA below 50 ppm. by Rule Your Pool

29 min listen

Why is My Pool Green?: Swimming pools can turn green for several reasons. There are three main ones: copper oxidation, an imbalance of alkalinity and calcium, and of course the biggest culprit, algae. by Rule Your Pool

29 min listen

Wildfires and Swimming Pools: In this brief episode, Eric talks about how wildfires affect pool chemistry. It's pretty simple: if you can smell the smoke, carbon, nitrogen and phosphates are getting into your pools. Be proactive, and learn how to clean up after. Above all, stay safe. by Rule Your Pool

11 min listen

How to Fix 3 Types of Green Pools: Pools can turn green for three main reasons (and some extra rare circumstances too). Water could be green from an imbalance of alkalinity and calcium hardness (too much alk relative to calcium), copper oxidation, or algae. In this episode, Jarred and Eric cover all three, and how to diagnose with the "white bucket test". by Rule Your Pool

35 min listen

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Understanding pH buffering systems and pKa values

Understanding pH buffering systems and pKa values

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