All Episodes — The Pools Scientific Podcast
All Episodes · Year 1 · April 2026–March 2027
15
Pool Circulation: Hydraulics, Thermodynamics, and the Machine Nobody Explains
July 28, 2026 38 min Solo

Most pool owners have never heard the words turnover rate, cavitation, or thermocline, and most pool professionals were never taught the actual physics behind the equipment they install every day. This episode walks through the entire hydraulic loop, suction, pump, filter, and returns, then follows the same water through the thermodynamics that quietly shift its chemistry hour by hour. It closes the loop on a real field story: a negative edge pool, a pump fighting sixteen feet of head it was never built to handle, and the pump curve that finally proved it.

What You’ll Learn

Why cavitation happens on the suction side, and the real physics, Bernoulli’s principle and the Reynolds number, behind why it occurs.
Why turning a pump up rarely fixes a dead spot, and what the affinity laws actually predict about speed versus power.
How a cyclonic pre-filter uses pure physics to extend cartridge life and reduce cleanings.
Why dead spots form in predictable places, and how return placement and angle create real circulation.
How thermal stratification and evaporative cooling directly affect your pool’s LSI, including a dramatic real world case of visible calcium precipitation under a closed autocover.

Sources

Grundfos. “Cavitation and Its Effects on Pumps.” Grundfos Ecademy.
Wilo USA. “What is Pump Cavitation? Causes, Effects, and Mitigation.”
Pilot Institute. “The Curious Story of Airplane Lift.”
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. “Wright Brothers 1901 Wind Tunnel,” fact sheet.
EnggCyclopedia. “Pump Affinity Laws.”
PDHonline Course M125. “Basic Pump Parameters and the Affinity Laws.”
The Collector. “How Did the Ancient Egyptians Cool Their Homes?”
Quilo. “Evaporative Cooling in the Ancient World.”
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NUREG-1437, Vol. 1, Section 4.3, “Cooling Towers.”
Duke Energy Nuclear Information Center. “Cooling Towers: What Are They and How Do They Work?”
World Nuclear Association. “Cooling Power Plants.”
U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School. “Water Density.”

Want to go deeper than the podcast has time for? The three volume ebook series walks through this material in writing, and the testing gear and chemicals used in the field are listed at PoolsScientific.com under Pools Scientific Supply.

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14
Pool Algae: What Actually Kills It (And Why You Probably Don’t Need Algaecide)
July 21, 2026 36 min Solo

Algae is already in your pool right now, dormant, waiting on the one corner where the water barely moves. This episode walks through the actual biology, why a bloom that looks sudden has really been building for two weeks or more, and what’s happening in the water in the hours after a kill that most people never hear explained.

What You’ll Learn

Why a “sudden” green pool isn’t sudden at all, and how a bloom builds for two weeks or more in a weak-flow corner before it’s ever visible.
The four organisms you’ll actually run into: green, mustard, black, and pink slime, and why one of them isn’t even algae.
Why each organism grows, spreads, and dies differently, and why they don’t all respond to the same treatment.
What’s actually happening in the water in the hours after a kill, including the phosphate release nobody talks about.
The honest chemistry on algaecide: what’s actually in the bottle, and why correct free chlorine relative to CYA is usually already doing the job the bottle claims to do.

Sources

“Insights into algae cell inactivation by mixed chlor(am)ines in source water: Unraveling removal mechanisms, derived risks and control methods.” Journal of Water Process Engineering (ScienceDirect), 2025.
Hypochlorous acid membrane transport mechanism: ScienceDirect Topics overview literature; Frontiers in Microbiology (2023) review literature on HOCl mechanisms of action.
“UV-assisted chlorination of algae-laden water: Cell lysis and disinfection byproducts formation.” ScienceDirect, 2019.
Mine, A.H., Coleman, M.L., Colman, A.S. “Phosphorus Release and Regeneration Following Laboratory Lysis of Bacterial Cells.” Frontiers in Microbiology, 2021.
O’Brien, J., Morris, J., Butler, J. “Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions of Chlorinated Isocyanurate.” Chapter 14 in A. Rubin, ed., Chemistry of Water Supply, Treatment and Distribution, 1973 Symposium (published 1974), Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI.
Representative internal phosphorus loading literature (shallow eutrophic lake studies), ScienceDirect, various years 2018 to 2025.
TroubleFreePool.com Wiki, “Phosphate Removers,” and associated documentation of Richard A. Falk’s position.
United Chemical. “The Phosphate Panic: Do You Really Need to Worry About Phosphate Levels in Your Pool?”

Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers algae chemistry, CYA thresholds, and the phosphate mechanism in full depth.

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13
The 10X Lie: Shocking Your Pool Isn’t What You Think It Is
July 14, 2026 30 min Solo

Shock has become the answer to every pool problem, which is the first sign nobody’s actually answering the question. There’s exactly one chemistry accurate definition of shocking a pool: achieving breakpoint chlorination. John Cooper traces the industry’s 10X shock rule back to where it actually came from, a decades old mismatch nobody caught, walks through what really happens in your water during breakpoint chlorination, and gives you the corrected math, backed by real published chemistry, along with a working calculator to run your own numbers.

What You’ll Learn

Where the 10X rule actually came from: a real chlorine to ammonia ratio, built to measure raw ammonia, misapplied to a combined chlorine reading that’s already reacted.
The corrected dose: half to one time your CC reading for a standard case, two to three times if urea is involved, and how to tell which one you actually have.
What actually happens during breakpoint chlorination, from monochloramine formation through to the nitrogen gas leaving your water entirely.
What a decade of 10X overdosing actually costs, in real product pricing, and the hidden side effects that never get traced back to the original mistake.
Why trichlor should never be used to shock a pool, and the real tradeoff between cal-hypo and liquid chlorine.

Sources

O’Brien, J.E. “Hydrolytic and Ionization Equilibria of Chlorinated Isocyanurate in Water.” Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University, 1972.
O’Brien, J., Morris, J., Butler, J. “Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions of Chlorinated Isocyanurate.” Chapter 14 in A. Rubin, ed., Chemistry of Water Supply, Treatment and Distribution, 1973 Symposium (published 1974), Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 333 to 358.
Wojtowicz, J.A. “Relative Bactericidal Effectiveness of Hypochlorous Acid and Chloroisocyanurates.” Journal of the Swimming Pool and Spa Industry. 2001; 2(1): 34 to 41.
White, G.C. White’s Handbook of Chlorination and Alternative Disinfectants. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2010.

This episode only scratches the surface. Chemist’s Circle members get a deeper So What breakdown like this one regularly, applied directly to their own pool’s actual readings, not just the general case.

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12
Combined Chlorine and Chloramines: Why Your Pool Smells Like Chlorine When You Actually Need More of It
July 7, 2026 32 min Solo

Ask anybody standing around a pool that smells like chlorine and stings your eyes what happened, and you’ll get the same answer every time: too much chlorine. John Cooper breaks down why that answer is completely backwards, and walks through the real chemistry behind chloramines, the documented history the pool industry never learned, and a real field case from a Kansas City metro hot tub that shows exactly what’s happening in the water instead.

What You’ll Learn

Why “too much chlorine” is completely backwards, and what that smell and the red eyes are actually evidence of.
The three chloramines, monochloramine, dichloramine, and trichloramine, and why only one of them is doing any real damage.
The documented history behind this chemistry, including a named occupational condition and a CDC investigation where the water tested clean the entire time.
Why hot tubs build chloramine problems faster than pools, and what that means for the one on your own back deck.
What to actually test for before you get into a hotel hot tub on vacation.

Sources

O’Brien, J., Morris, J., Butler, J. “Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions of Chlorinated Isocyanurate.” Chapter 14 in A. Rubin, ed., Chemistry of Water Supply, Treatment and Distribution, 1973 Symposium (published 1974), Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 333 to 358.
Massin, N., Bohadana, A.B., Wild, P., Héry, M., Toamain, J.P., Hubert, G. “Respiratory symptoms and bronchial responsiveness in lifeguards exposed to nitrogen trichloride in indoor swimming pools.” Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 1998; 55(4): 258 to 263.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Respiratory and Ocular Symptoms Among Employees of a Hotel Indoor Waterpark Resort, Ohio, 2007.” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2009 Feb 6; 58(4): 81 to 85.
Lamere, L., Smith, E., Grieser, H., Arduino, M., Hlavsa, M.C., Combes, S. “Pseudomonas Infection Outbreak Associated with a Hotel Swimming Pool, Maine, March 2023.” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2024 Jan 18; 73(2): 32 to 36.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2025, “Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.” American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Model Aquatic Health Code, 5th Edition. Atlanta, GA: CDC, December 2024.

Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers chlorine chemistry, CYA, and water balance in full mathematical depth.

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11
Ask John, Part 1: Real Pool Chemistry Questions, Real Answers
June 30, 2026 27 min Solo

Real questions from real pool owners, answered with the same chemistry John applies across nearly 300 pools every week.

10
From Strawberries to Submarines to Swimming Pools
June 23, 2026 35 min Solo

A man who never explained anything taught John everything. This is the episode that closes the first chapter of this show.

09
But Why?
June 16, 2026 31 min Solo

The question that separates a technician from a chemist, and why asking it about every pool chemistry decision changes the answers you get.

08
The Pool That Made Me Feel Stupid — A Diagnostic Framework for Every Pool Problem That Doesn’t Make Sense
June 9, 2026 24 min Solo

A field case that broke every pattern John knew, and the diagnostic framework it forced him to build from scratch.

07
I Saw It on TikTok
June 2, 2026 25 min Solo

Pool advice on social media travels faster than ever. A confident presenter and a clear pool is all it takes to reach a million people, regardless of whether the chemistry holds up.

06
The pH Ceiling — Why Your pH Keeps Rising and What to Do About It
May 26, 2026 20 min Solo

You add pH reducer. It comes down. A few days later it’s high again. Most pool owners assume this is just how pools work. It isn’t.

What You’ll Learn

The chemistry behind why pool pH rises continuously, including the mechanism specific to salt pools.
Why high pH is a sanitization problem, not just a comfort problem.
Why the acid you choose matters, and the long-term problem one common pH reducer creates.
The alkalinity targets that make pH easier to manage, including the salt pool specific number.
Why borates at 50 ppm are one of the most underused tools in residential pool chemistry.

Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers pH, alkalinity, and the full water balance framework.

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05
My Pool Guy Is Full of Crap
May 19, 2026 31 min Solo

“My pool guy is full of crap.” It shows up everywhere online. But most of the time the pool guy isn’t the problem. The problem is what he was handed before he ever showed up at your pool.

The Five Things

Change your sand every two to three years, and why filter media failure is a condition-based decision, not a calendar decision.
Add two pounds of shock per week and you’ll be fine, versus chemistry-based dosing.
Your CYA is fine up to 100 ppm, and why the ceiling is actually 50.
Bring me a water sample and I’ll get it tested, and why on-site testing is the only accurate testing.
High pH is caused by too much alkalinity, and the actual mechanism behind rising pH.

Ready to understand your pool chemistry? The Pools Scientific ebook series gives every pool owner the science foundation this episode is built on.

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04
Salt Chlorine Generators: Science, Myths, and Maintenance
May 12, 2026 33 min Solo

The biggest lie in the residential pool industry is printed on manufacturer brochures and believed by millions of pool owners right now. This episode dismantles that myth completely and gives you the real maintenance framework that protects your investment.

What You’ll Learn

The most damaging myth about salt pools, why it’s wrong, and what it’s quietly costing owners who believe it.
What electrolysis actually does at the chemistry level.
Why salt cells fail years before they should, and the specific, preventable things that kill them early.
The corrosion and safety concerns every salt pool owner needs to understand.
A complete maintenance framework drawn from nearly 300 active pools.

Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers salt pool chemistry and the full SWG management framework.

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03
LSI Explained: The Langelier Saturation Index Without the Math Headache
May 5, 2026 30 min Solo

John gets calls constantly from pool owners with expensive damage on pools that looked perfectly fine. Crystal clear water, chemistry that tested in range, no warning signs whatsoever. Every single time, the cause is the same thing.

What You’ll Learn

Why a pool can look perfect while silently causing thousands of dollars in damage.
What the Langelier Saturation Index is, what it measures, and why it’s the most important number most pool owners have never calculated.
The five variables that determine water balance, and which one is your most powerful lever for getting it right fast.
The difference between what corrosive water and scale-forming water do to your equipment, surfaces, and budget over time.
Why salt pool owners need to pay even closer attention to this number.

Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers the full LSI formula and worked examples.

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02
The 7.5% Rule — The Most Important Number You’ve Never Heard Of
April 28, 2026 24 min Solo

Your pool tests fine for chlorine. The strip says you’re good. So why does it feel like the water isn’t quite right? The answer is something most pool owners have never heard of, and once you understand it, you’ll never look at a chlorine test the same way again.

What You’ll Learn

What cyanuric acid actually does in your pool, and the hidden tradeoff that comes with it.
The 7.5% Rule, the mathematical relationship between CYA and free chlorine that determines whether your sanitizer is actually working.
Why the most popular chlorine tablets quietly accumulate a chemical byproduct that can render your sanitizer nearly ineffective.
When to take action, and what that action looks like, when your CYA has climbed too high to manage effectively.
Why salt pool owners who manage CYA differently are getting better results with less chemical input.

The 7.5% Rule reference table is in Volume 2 of the Pools Scientific ebook series.

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01
Why Pool Care Is a Science Problem
April 8, 2026 17 min Solo

John got a call from another pool guy who was in way over his head. What he found when he walked into that equipment room is the single best argument for why pool care needs to be treated as a science, not a trade skill passed down by feel and guesswork. This is the episode that explains why Pools Scientific exists, what’s fundamentally broken about the way pool care is practiced, and what it actually costs when the science gets ignored.

What You’ll Learn

Why pool water is a chemical system, not a simple maintenance checklist, and what happens when you treat it like one.
The single most important number in pool chemistry that most owners and many professionals never calculate.
Why your chlorine level may look fine on a test strip while doing almost nothing to actually sanitize the water.
What this podcast is, who it’s built for, and why there’s nothing else like it in the pool industry.

Ready to go deeper? Volume 1 of the Pools Scientific ebook series covers the fundamentals introduced in this episode.

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Stop Buying Pool Chemicals You Don’t Need: The Chemist’s Circle, Explained
June 30, 2026 7 min Bonus

A short, dedicated look at the Chemist’s Circle: what it is, what it replaces, and why bringing your own numbers beats buying another product off a shelf.