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Rule Your Pool

Eric Knight

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.

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22 episodes
fortnightly
Avg 30 min
English

Episodes 22

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#198
August 26 · 13 min
Soda Ash vs. Sodium Bicarbonate for Raising Alkalinity
Eric reads an article from onBalance by Kim Skinner, explaining the math for dosing soda ash vs. sodium bicarbonate to raise total alkalinity, and why alkalinity is measured in ppm of Calcium Carbonate.
#197
August 19 · 25 min
White Water Mold and Disappearing CYA (w/ John Davidson)
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.
#196
August 5 · 23 min
I've joined Pool Brain. Here's Why.
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.
#195
July 29 · 46 min
Understanding Parasites (w/ Roy Vore, Ph.D.)
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.
#194
June 24 · 13 min
Why Alkalinity Rises in Pools using CO2 for pH Management
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.
#193
June 10 · 37 min
Pool Chemistry Down Under (w/ David Watson)
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.
#192
June 3 · 20 min
Acid Burning Through Alkalinity...and CYA?
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?
#191
May 20 · 1 hr 6 min
Fiberglass Pool Chemistry (w/ Bill Khamis)
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 bea
#190
May 6 · 11 min
Is the LSI actually an "Index"?
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.
#189
April 22 · 23 min
Service 2211: Essential Water Chemistry is now available on Watershape.org
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.
#188
April 15 · 13 min
Water Chemistry vs. Natural Stone
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.
#187
April 8 · 52 min
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filtration (w/ Matt Mueller)
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.
#186
April 1 · 2 min
186. NEW COURSE! C4633: Advanced Inflatable Watershape Installation Workshop
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.
#185
March 25 · 57 min
Allergic to Chlorine? A Microbiology Lesson (w/ Roy Vore, Ph.D.)
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.
#183
March 11 · 19 min
AI: My Unsolicited Opinions
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.
#182
March 8 · 9 min
Understanding Adjusted Alkalinity
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.
#181
February 25 · 30 min
Swim School Chemistry (w/ Olympian Davis Tarwater)
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.
#180
January 29 · 35 min
Dad Mode: Unlocked
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.
#179
Dec 26, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
Winterizing Pools Against Crystals (w/ Rob Romano and Bill Drakeley)
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?
#178
Dec 17, 2025 · 26 min
Protecting Pool Plaster (w/ Jeff Smith)
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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