Walmart Launches Water Testing for Swimming Pools

Walmart corporation has launched an initiative to provide in-store testing of pool water.

Select Walmart stores in North America have set up water test kiosks to enable customers to bring in a water sample and have it analyzed for prescriptive water maintenance. The system is meant to mimic the water testing offered by pool and spa retailers, offering customers computerized guidance on what chemicals to buy and add in order to achieve balanced water.

Information thus far has been anecdotal — reports from industry professionals who encountered the water testing stations firsthand in Pennsylvania, Indiana and California. Walmart has not released information on the number of stores nationwide that have installed the test kiosks.

Water testing has long been a major component of the dealer’s advantage over Internet and big box retailers, part of the package of expertise that separates the professional pool store from the mass merchant. By offering water testing along with low-priced chemicals, Walmart is trying to cut into the still-substantial chemical trade that runs through pool and spa retail companies.

There are enormous differences, however, between the Walmart kiosk and the typical pool and spa store water test counter.

Walmart’s water testing kiosks feature a set of instructions a customer must read, understand and accurately follow —independently of trained help, as these kiosks are unmanned.

A typical pool and spa retailer offers a much more customer-friendly system, where a water maintenance professional tests the water and supplies expert advice on chemical application.

A Beer filled Swimming Pool for St. Patricks Day

Benjamin Franklin taught us that “beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.”  Taking the top spot on our list of happiest places to be on St. Patricks Day is Strakenberger’s Castle in Austria. Why?...... Because they have warm beer pools and boozy jacuzzi's, that’s why. Billed as “The world’s only beer-swimming-pools” the brewery offers guests the chance to wallow in one of seven 13-foot pools filled with warm beer. Kick back, relax and order yourself a cold one while you let sweet, sweet beer wash over you. By the way, drinking the pool beer is not recommended, but it does give new meaning to the phrase "you smell like a brewery!"

Located a few hours outside Munich, the setting for the Starkenberger Brewery castle is pretty amazing. With the glory that's awaiting for you inside, you probably won't want to spend too much time out there.

As a brewery Starkenberger's been at it for more than a hundred years, and is currently, and always has been run by women. This bearded dude is merely one of their minions.

Barrels are stored down in their super gothic cellar, which you could see if you dropped $10 on a brewery tour, but totally don't care about since you came for the beer pools! So, without further ado...

Residing in the old fermentation brewery, there are seven total pools in a Turkish-bath-like room, each of which are heated and contain 12,000L of water enriched with 300L Biergeläger (remote yeast). Fun fact: ever since the days of ancient Egypt when Cleopatra bathed in beer while Mark Anthony was off conquering empires, beer bath's have been rumored to have a healing, restorative effect.

You've gotta make reservations in advance but for $298/ pool (and an additional $6.50/ person) this could be you sharing a beer pool with blonde coeds. Your two hours of beer bathing also come with beer crackers and a "Tyrolean meat spread" plus one non-swimmed-in bottle of suds per person; because actually drinking the pool beer would be insane... right??

STARKENBERGER BREWERY

1000 reasons to own a swimming pool

How to become a Millionaire

New Swimming Pool Vinyl Liner's for 2014

Penguin Pools offers three new dynamic liner patterns in 2014 to provide homeowners with even more options to decorate their poolscape. Choose from the natural hues of Bonneville, the playful Dolphin mosaic, or the intricate style of the new Sanmray pattern. All liners come standard with the exclusive Ultra-Seam process, which makes floor seams stronger and virtually invisible.

Check out the entire array of vinyl liner selections here.

Cocktail Swimming Pool Design

Cocktail Pools are often described as small, often detailed pools, built on tight lots. However, the term has certainly expanded into a wonderful description of the most popular and fastest growing segment of swimming pool designs at Penguin Pools
 The Cocktail design. 

The Cocktail design, much like its namesake, represents a mix of top shelf materials and ideas served in an attractive, compact arrangement. 

In recent years we have found our clients have developed a taste for decorative detail. This style inclination has been cultivated through their experiences at theme parks, travel destinations, restaurants and also through their media. They come to us with magazine clippings, travel photos, and web ideas all detailing their desire to have a backyard entertainment oasis for family and friends. These exciting and creative ideas include bonfire rings, cascading waterfalls, outdoor pergolas, beach entries, outdoor grill areas, sunning patios, plunge pools, grottos, water slides, practice greens, and ruin walls. 

We have found that size is less important. The trends lean toward moderately sized pools with more sizzle. No longer is the 800-square-foot pool the norm. In fact, it has become the exception. We still build large 20 x 40 pools for clients each year, but more often than not, it’s a 500- to 600-square-foot moderately sized pool with plush amenities.

Just a few years ago, the pool represented the largest portion of a project’s budget. Now, the pool itself is often a much smaller portion of the project total, and the details around the swimming pool may be of equal importance to the homeowner. In these situations, the swimming pool represents one facet of the backyard entertainment area. 

“Cocktail design” is a truly apt description of what is happening. We've even designed a few with the bar inside the pool. It’s a blending of ingredients that captivate all the senses: eye-pleasing environments, rich water sounds, warm toasty fires, fragrant blooming flowers and the alluring scent of steaks on the BBQ. In most cases, each element needs to be appropriately sized to meet a manageable budget — thus, the cocktail design. As designers at Penguin Pools, we have become students of this style, learning its nuances and searching for materials and products that expand the pallet of options we can offer the customer. 

It is important to offer and be well-versed in the gradations of any option you offer. For example, grill areas can range from a simple grill in a wheel cart with fold down sides to a grill built into a stone-faced enclosure complete with warming drawers, refrigerator, ice maker, burner trays, and a sink. Clients can select from that range based on their desires and budget.

We’ve found that being knowledgeable and skilled in delivering a variety of options enables our clients to incorporate something of each idea into an affordable mix, and ultimately achieve a project more precisely targeted to their original desire. 

Send us your ideas and lets see what we can come up with for you!

The Glass Bottom Pool

While the use of acrylic panels in swimming pools has increased in popularity in recent years, this is the first example we’ve seen of windows mounted in the bottom of a residential pool.

This highly unusual rooftop vessel was built by Vision Pools, in Downingtown Pennsylvania. The builder, and owner of this pool decided that he and his wife would enjoy watching their two young children swim from the comfort of their living room, looking up through the ceiling.




 The construction involved a concrete roof supported by a system of I-beams with the six 3-foot- square windows.
The pool features an all-tile finish and stone cladding that matches the home’s architecture. Naturally, the windows not only provide a bottom-up view of the pool, they also function as skylights.



Ask us for quote on your custom designed pool!

What Are The 3 Most Popular In-ground Pool Options Of 2014?

As a pool experts, the question we get asked almost all the time is "What are the most popular options for in-ground pools and why?" I would say the three most popular options are salt water chlorinators, LED pool lights, and automatic safety covers. Here are the pros and cons of each.

 Salt Water Chlorinators

 Quality Salt water chlorinators provide exceptional water quality without the odor and irritation typically associated with traditional chlorine pools. Most people don’t know that a salt water pool is actually a chlorine pool. The machine actually converts salt into chlorine, and does so in such a way that the nasty odors and eye irritation associated with Chlorine aren’t present.

 Another huge advantage of salt water chlorinators is they are extremely low maintenance. To maintain chlorine levels simply add four to eight bags of granular salt directly to the pool each season. Salt can be purchased from any store that sells pool chemicals, comes in 40 LB bags, and costs about $12 per bag. Even though salt water pools are extremely low maintenance, water chemistry should still be monitored weekly. The initial cost of a salt water chlorinator is typically between $1,400 and $2,000. The salt will usually cost between $50 and $100 per season.  If you compare this to a typical chlorine system where you spend between $200 and $300 on chemicals each season, the long term costs are virtually the same. If there is any disadvantage to a salt water system it is the initial cost, but most people find that it is well worth it.

 LED In-ground swimming pool light



If you have ever seen a pool lit up at night or even looked at some of our pictures on our website, you can see why a lot of our customers consider lighting a need rather than a want. When comparing the cost of lighting to other accessories that beautify your pool, a light gives you the best bang for your buck. LED lights allow you to change light colors, rotate colors, and even project patterns into your pool.

 The life expectancy on the bulb is 10,000 hours so rarely, if ever, will you need to replace the bulb. If you do need to replace the bulb, it is easy and can be done without lowering the lever of water in your pool. We find that one light is adequate for pools less than 30’ and recommend an additional light for pools greater than 30’. You can expect to spend between $700 and $800 per light.


In Ground Pool Automatic Safety Covers

 Automatic pool covers are often referred to as inground pool covers, electric pool covers, or retractable pool covers. The primary purpose of automatic safety covers is to protect children and pets, but they also keep debris out of the pool and require no maintenance during the winter months while the pool is closed.  

I sometimes get asked, “Are these covers really as strong as they claim?” The answer is “Absolutely”. If you look at pictures of these covers it is easy to see why they are so popular.  Retractable pool covers run on a set of tracks. Tracks that run in a straight line are utilized to transport the cover over the pool. The tracks run parallel to each other for the length of your pool.

The biggest benefit is the saving on your heating costs, and this is where the cover can actually pay for itself. 90% of the heat loss from pool water occurs from the surface. Keeping it closed overnight or when you are not in the pool will keep you from running your heater, letting the cover do the work instead.

 A security cover will be between $8,500 and $10,000 installed. The manual option is definitely cheaper (about $4500), but works best on midsize pools and smaller.

Automatic covers provide these key benefits to the inground pool owner:

• Safety and piece of mind.
• Negates the need to incur these significant costs: fence around pool, winter cover and solar blanket/solar reel (potentially as much as $7,000)
• More aesthetically pleasing especially since no fence is required in some cities with an approved pool cover.
• Dramatic savings on heat and chemical costs.
• Less maintenance due to debris not being able to get into pool when cover is closed.

 So here are the three most popular pool options for in-ground pools. I hope this helps you to make a more informed decision when deciding how to spend your hard earned dollars. If you would like to learn more about salt systems, pool lighting, or security covers check out our Pool Options page. It covers these options plus many more. Good luck this 2014 pool season!

How to prevent stains in your swimming pool vinyl liner

Protected by special additives and coatings, vinyl pool liners are can withstand the extremes of sunshine, heat, cold and constant exposure to chemically treated water. But even the highest quality vinyl liner is subject to staining and bleaching.

Follow these simple, preventative steps to help ensure a stain-free liner.

One chemical at a time

Pre-dissolve sanitizers in a bucket of pool water and add the solution by pouring it through a sieve to catch any undissolved chemicals.

Any one chemical added to pool water should be allowed to circulate throughout the pool before adding a second chemical. The reason for this is that certain combinations of pool chemicals at high concentrations can cause bleaching.

The addition of a single chemical can damage a pool liner if it is not allowed to circulate sufficiently. Chemicals, such as chlorine, can settle in the deep end of the pool and bleach the liner if they are not allowed to circulate for several hours before a pool is closed for the season.

Spot bleaching of vinyl liners can also occur if undissolved particles of calcium hypochlorite or other slow-dissolving sanitizers are allowed to settle on the bottom of the pool. Using large, single doses of hydrochloric (muriatic) acid to adjust pH or total alkalinity levels can also damage vinyl liners. Because it is not sufficiently blended with pool water, the acid can chemically attack the liner’s printed pattern.

Source of the slime

A winter cover that tightly seals around the pool perimeter should be used to prevent the accumulation of organic debris such as leaves and insects during the winter months.

Organic debris staining can become a big problem, often presenting itself as a grayish mark. This happens most often after the pool is closed for the winter when debris might be allowed to accumulate over several months. But even when the pool is open, organic debris should not be allowed to sit on the vinyl, especially in the corners, because this could lead to staining.

In addition, under the proper conditions, fungi can grow on debris, producing a pink stain on the vinyl. Pink-colored blotches on vinyl pool liners are caused by a pigment excreted by bacterial microorganisms such as streptoverticillium reticulum. These microbes are metabolic products of various fungi and bacteria that can be affected by light, temperature, oxygen and pH.

Because the dye is highly soluble in vinyl, it easily migrates throughout the entire thickness of the liner. Dye on the surface of the liner can be bleached by chlorine — but new dye will simply migrate to the liner surface to replace it, making it seem as if the chlorine is having no effect on the stain.

Pink staining microorganisms can also develop on the underside of a vinyl liner. This growth may not take place directly on the liner itself, but on some other material touching the liner, such as soil or backing materials such as Styrofoam, felt or tape. Even though an antimicrobial agent is used in the vinyl formulation, the dye can migrate from unprotected components and cause staining in areas beyond the point of infestation.

If you must replace the liner

Remove all contaminated materials and disinfect the entire pool shell with a liquid chlorine spray or other suitable disinfectant.

Areas with a high water table, where the liner is always in contact with water full of microorganisms, can also cause pink or grayish stains on the underside of the liner. Using disinfectants at these sites may be ineffective, as they will be quickly washed away. One possible solution is to use a barrier — such as a layer of plastic sheet, or a layer of polyethylene between the pool shell and the liner or a barrier coating applied directly to the pool shell. The only known issue with this approach is the vinyl liner often will slide on the smooth surface of the polyethylene barrier, creating the potential for wrinkles.

When salt assaults

Many salt chlorinators leave stains in swimming pools regardless of their material.

When adding salt, make sure that the pump is running and that the salt is completely dissolved before turning it off. Test the water for pH and metals regularly.

If you need to use a stain-removal product, be sure to avoid phosphorus-based stain-fighters. These will cause a phosphate scale to grow in the chlorine generator.

Some of the best metal removers in the market are just simple filtering aids or sequestering agents.

For Valentines Day. The Jayne Mansfield Pink Palace Swimming Pool

In November 1957, shortly before her marriage to Mickey Hargitay, Mansfield bought a 40-room Mediterranean-style mansion formerly owned by Rudy Vallée at 10100 Sunset Boulevard in Holmby Hills , Los Angeles.

Mansfield had the house painted pink, with cupids surrounded by pink fluorescent lights, pink furs in the bathrooms, a pink heart-shaped bathtub, and a fountain spurting pink champagne, and then dubbed it the "Pink Palace".  

 Hargitay, a plumber and carpenter before getting into bodybuilding, built a pink heart-shaped swimming pool. Mansfield decorated the Pink Palace by writing to furniture and building suppliers requesting free samples. 

 The Pink Palace was sold and its subsequent owners have included Ringo Starr, Cass Elliot and Engelbert Humperdinck. In 2002, Humperdinck sold it to developers, and the house was demolished in November of that year.

Step inside the Pink Palace..... the epitome of kitsch!


We actually have a heart shaped pool of our own we can build you if you haven't bought that perfect Valentines Day present yet. Check here for pricing.

If you want to make the impression... but need to 

go the economy route, we can help you there too.

Alternative uses for your swimming pool in winter

Pool inlet configuration can make a big difference in energy savings. Infusion Pool Products

Infusion Pool Products, NEW, venturi swimming pool return line inlet fittings drastically enhance circulation and Deep Heat by drawing warmer surface water through strategically placed louvers thrusting it to the floor of the pool!Save time, money and energy by simply replacing your standard eyeball swimming pool return line fittings today! V-Fittings’ 60 degree venturi deep heats by drawing warmer surface water through strategically placed louvers thrusting it to the floor of the pool creating a cleaner, easier to service swimming pool. V-Fittings have no moving parts and simply attach, by hand, to 1.5 inch threaded wall return line inlets worldwide. Go Green while saving money and improving water quality for the life of the pool!

What Chemicals do I Need for My Pool? A Basic Overview

Below is a list of the water balance basics that will help ensure that you have a trouble-free pool season:

Basic Water Balance Factors

• Chlorine (1-3 ppm)
• pH (7.2 - 7.4 ideal)
• Total Alkalinity (80-100 ppm)
• Stabilizer Level (30-50 ppm)
• Calcium Hardness (200-800 ppm)

Water Balance Basics

• At the beginning of the season take a water sample to your Authorized Sustain Dealer for complete analysis.
• Do not start on the SUSTAIN System until all water balance factors have been established.
• Make sure that all of your equipment is operating properly:
  • Check pump and filter.
  • Make sure the skimmer is unobstructed.
  • Adjust the return jets to minimize dead spots in the circulation of filtered water.
• Test pool water with a DPD kit or Test Strips once a week (or more often depending on pool use and weather conditions).
• Take a water sample to your dealer for testing every 6 weeks.
• Run your pump at least 12 hours per day.
• Follow SUSTAIN product label directions.
• Never mix chemicals.
• Don't guess. If you are wondering what to do, visit or call Penguin Pools with problems that are chronic or unusual.

Pentair Swimming Pool Deck Jets with Led Lights

Deck Jet water effects can be cast into concrete decks and gunite pool walls, mounted in the sidewall of aboveground and vinyl-lined pools, or blended into surrounding landscapes.
MagicStream^® Deck Jet II create a graceful arc of water that enters the pool with a gentle splash. The stream seems to appear magically from the pool deck since the jet installs flush and out of sight.

This headband could stop kids from drowning

The iSwimband is a device that uses phone notifications to warn parents if their child is having trouble in the water.

Parents often find themselves stuck in a bind between letting their children have fun by themselves and making sure they’re not in trouble. Technology such RFID has been used before on farms — the Where Abouts system for example lets kids explore and notifies farmers if one has strayed too far. Now theiSwimband is a device that warns parents if their child is underneath the water for too long.

The headband is made of lightweight rubber and can be fitted securely around the head of all children, from small toddlers to teenagers. When synced through Bluetooth with parent’s mobile devices, the companion app delivers notifications that let them know the status of their kids when playing in the pool. Users can set their own alert limits — if a toddler or non-swimmer gets too close to the water, or if a swimming child becomes submerged for longer than they should. The founder of Aquatic Safety Concepts, which developed the product, is a father whose child’s 9-year-old classmate tragically died at a busy pool because nobody noticed that he’d disappeared under the water for five whole minutes. The iSwimband could help kids in trouble get a much quicker response from adults and potentially save young lives. The video below explains more about the concept:

 The iSwimband is expected to be available around May 2014.

Public safety warning for Speedo Swimsuits

A Solution if your cleaner gets stuck on your main drain

Main Drain Clip-On has developed an innovative device that prevents the automatic pool cleaner from getting "stuck" on most main drains used in residential pools. One of the most effective pool tools available, this device is inexpensive and is easy to install without getting into the water.

Visit their online store to order this product.

Hayward Colorlogic LED lights

Your pool dealer offering you that big pump? Might not be such a good idea.

How many times have we pulled up to the drive up window and said supersize my order? I mean, after all, we are Americans and we do believe that bigger is better. Why settle for regular Fries when I can double its size for 10 cents more. Who cares if I get three times more fat and carbs. You don’t have to look any further than the auto industry to see examples of this either. Hummers, Suburban’s, Tahoe, Yukon, all bigger and better right?

Well that is until our values changed and we started caring more about fuel efficiency and saving the planet and how darn cute we look riding down the road in our Audi TT or VW, or Prius. You see we started to pay attention to fuel efficiency and realized that we could get to the same place on time and get there on 50 miles to the gallon. (Best case scenario) Saving us money, fuel and the planet all at the same time.

These same principles hold true with swimming pools and how we tend to think that supersizing our pump and filter system must be better right? Well. . .this isn’t exactly a TRUE statement. Let’s take a look and see what needs to be Supersized, What doesn’t, and Why.

New pool owners tend to think that the bigger pump... the better, the larger the filter, the better… Right? So. . .How can I have a clean pool and not spend $100 per month extra on my utility bill.

It turns out that there are three really important things that we need to think about when talking about what is the best circulation system.
1. Size the Plumbing Correctly to allow for Proper Circulation.

The first is properly sizing the plumbing that we use when our pool is being built. In this case bigger is better. I know I am already contradicting myself, but stay with me here. Staying with my Fast-food analogy, if you are drinking a coke – Which is easier and takes less effort to use? A nice big McDonalds straw or a little brown swizzle stick straw? Carry this over to your pool. . .Which do you think will allow water to flow easier with less restriction? Big Pipe. . .or Little Pipe? So in this case PIPE SIZE = bigger is better 2”, 2 1/2″, 3″ and so on. Bigger Pipe is optimum to allow maximum flow.

2. Pump Size – Not available in “Supersize” option (unless you want to pay beaucoup bucks!!) The second is the big one and still to this day is fought over by those unwilling to see the light… Pump size.

ALERT! In many sales presentations it is pushed on you, the homeowner, that“ the other guy is only putting a ¾ hpr pump but we are a 1 ½ hpr on therefore we are the better deal” Not True! In fact, guy number two may actually be running a less efficient system that will end up sucking money out of your pocket book for years to come.

Do a Little Research First! Nowadays, you need to ask the question: How many gallons per minute do I need? Instead of asking: How much horse power do I need? Did you know that in a lot of cases you can run a smaller pump for 24 hours a day for significantly cheaper than a larger pump for 8 hours a day?

“Wait a minute“,you say, “But I am only running it 8 hours a day…surely it is less money!?” Nope! it’s not, and it won’t keep your pool as clean and could cost you more than double what it should.
There are calculators, charts and guides available from several pump manufacturers that can help with choosing the right size pump and filter for your pool:
Pentair Pool
Jandy
Hayward

All REPUTABLE pool builders and service companies are seeing the wisdom of 2 speed pumps and variable speed pumps. These pumps allow you even more control over efficiency and will return your investment in most case within 4-6 months. Not to mention you can run cool water features with them without the added operational expense.

3. DON’T forget about the Speed Bumps!
And finally, let’s make note of all the other speed bumps that get thrown in the way of your swimming pool water’s flow: Heaters, Salt Systems, Chlorinators, excessive PVC 90′s, 45′s, connectors, elbows etc… Your swimming pool builder should take all of these additional options into consideration when they calculate your hydraulics system....and properly size the pipes, filter, and pump. All systems manufacturers have maximum gpm (gallons per minute) ratings available for each piece.

When all is said and done your swimming pool should run efficiently and for less money! To find out in more detail about these topics please visit the sites links above. And always, contact any one of us at Penguin Pools! We’re here to help you with any vinyl liner, fiberglass, composite, gunite, concrete swimming pool issues. 612-225-0007

How NOT to install a fiberglass pool

You know you've had a bad day when a crane is parked ON your garage. Video below is of the actual pool crashing in on the roof. As would be expected in this situation....language alert.....somebody used a couple bad words toward the end of the video. had it been me....I think the verbage would have been even stronger.

A home improvement project went terribly wrong when a crane fell on a home in Shoreview, Minnesota.
Crews were trying to install a pre-fab fiberglass pool in the homeowners backyard when the crane came crashing down onto the house, causing the truck to tip up into the air.No one was hurt.It happened around 2pm Friday.
At last check crews were still trying to get the crane off the house.

More video: