Not just a podcast. A catalyst for changing the way you think about your pool.
Real pools. Real chemistry. Every Tuesday.
Pool chemistry, explained by an engineer.
Real answers for real pools, built on published science. Listen to the podcast, read the Field Notes, and run the numbers yourself. No guessing.
What Else Could Possibly Go Wrong in Your Pool in Winter? Crystals, Ice, and Other Winter Surprises
Winter is hard on a pool, and not all of it is explained. This episode sorts what can go wrong under the cover into three piles: Known, Theory, and Shrug.
Bring me your numbers. I’ll tell you exactly what to do.
Personal chemistry guidance from John for your own pool, all season long.
LSI Calculator
Is your water eating your plaster or scaling your heater? Enter your test results and get one clear answer, with what to adjust first.
Open the calculator ToolDosing Calculator
How much to add, worked out from your pool volume and your test results. No guessing at the scoop.
Open the calculatorEvery tool shows its math.
Each calculator has a plain page with the formula, worked examples, and the published sources behind it.
The chemistry, written down.
Do Pool Phosphates Matter?
Why both sides of the debate are half right, and the cell chemistry that connects them.
The Cyanuric Acid to Free Chlorine Equilibrium
This Field Note is being moved over from the current site and checked against its sources.
Pool Plaster Mottling: Causes, Chemistry, and the Real Fix
This Field Note is being moved over from the current site and checked against its sources.
In John’s own words.
Fixing one number doesn't always mean you've found the real cause.
A pound of calcium hardness does not know what kind of pool it's sitting in.
Your pool doesn't stop being an asset worth protecting just because the cover goes on in October.
Lines quoted word for word from episode transcripts. Each quote links to its episode.
New episodes every Tuesday.
One topic per episode, explained from first principles, with a full transcript on every episode page.
Tools for doing it right.
The off season, explained.
The chemistry of closing a pool and keeping it safe through winter, by pool type, in one downloadable guide.
See the ebookWhat John actually uses.
Picked for the chemistry, grouped by the job they do: testing, sanitizing, balancing, and more.
Browse by jobSome product links earn a small commission at no cost to you. Read the affiliate disclosure.
Get the Pool Chemistry Reference Cards.
Target ranges and the right order to adjust them, on printable cards you can keep by the equipment pad.
- Every target range on one page
- The adjustment order that avoids chasing numbers
- New chemistry in your inbox every week
Courses
Step by step lessons on water balance, closing, and plaster care. Sign up for the Reference Cards and you will hear first. About courses
(to come from the photo shoot)
Engineering discipline, applied to your backyard.
John Cooper is a chemical and nuclear engineer and a U.S. Navy submarine veteran. He started Pools Scientific to give pool owners the real chemistry behind every recommendation, with sources you can check.