You’re Not Fighting Mustard Algae—You’re Feeding It

Send us Fan MailIt’s Floc It Friday, and Rudy’s bringing the fire—along with borates, polyquats, and the brutal truth about mustard algae. In what might be our most packed episode to date, Rudy Stankowitz dives headfirst into the evolving mustard algae crisis in 2025—why your go-to treatment (sodium bromide) is now banned, how diatoms are getting smarter, and what you need to do to fight back.🧪 MUSTARD ALGAE: THE TRUTH REVEALED Rudy breaks down the biology of mustard algae (a.k.a. diatoms), the real reasons it's thriving, and the environmental shifts that are turning backyard pools into biofilm playgrounds. From Saharan dust storms to phosphate-packed municipal water, nothing is off-limits.💥 THE SCIENCE-BASED ERADICATION PROTOCOL No more half-measures. Rudy shares a complete, step-by-step plan for nuking mustard algae—30 ppm chlorine, pH control, borates, polyquats, filter deep-cleans, and follow-up that matters. This isn’t theory. It’s field-proven strategy with real-world results.⚗️ BORATES & POLYQUATS: THE NEW DYNAMIC DUO Learn how 50 ppm borates change the game by starving algae, stabilizing pH, and supercharging chlorine—while polyquats lock down surfaces and prevent reattachment. Together, they create a hostile environment algae can’t survive.🔬 HEAVY METALS & SMART DOSING Rudy explains how copper, silver, and zinc work together to stop algae at the cellular level—IF you use them right. Chelated vs. non-chelated? Dosing limits? Timing with shock? He covers it all.📉 EPA Bans & Industry Shifts With sodium bromide off the table, Rudy urges pros to stop relying on magic fixes and start understanding their water. This is about long-term control, not short-term cover-ups.🏆 MENTOR OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCEMENT COMING Rudy teases the top 10 finalists for the 2025 Talking Pools Podcast Mentor of the Year Award. With 67 incredible nominations, it’s clear the future of the industry is in good hands. Finalists will be announced the week of August 1st—with the winner revealed live at the All Things Aquatics Conference in St. Simons Island, Georgia, on September 20th.🧠 INDUSTRY NEWSFLASHESMark Lum retires after 50 years—Rudy shares his personal tribute.Merlin Industries fends off a ransomware attack—here’s what they did right.The One Big Beautiful Bill Act becomes law—Rudy dissects how it changes everything from depreciation deductions to healthcare, tax credits, and labor availability.Leslie’s Pools stock drops to record lows—should you care? Absolutely. Rudy makes the case for why service pros should be rooting for Leslie’s, not cheering for their collapse.What if PoolCorp bought Leslie’s? Rudy explores the possibilities of a full-on market takeover, from chlorine delivery subscriptions to kiosk-based water testing.📅 KEY DATES TO REMEMBER:🏆 Mentor of the Year Finalists Announced: Week of August 1🏖 All Things Aquatics Conference: September 20, 2025 – St. Simons Island, GA Register now: https://square.link/u/ntopwdwe🎧 LISTEN, LEARN, LEAD. Subscribe and leave us a review. Your support keeps the mic hot and the pool pros sharp. AquaStar Pool ProductsThe Global Leader in Safety, Dependability, & Innovation in Pool Technology.POOL MAGAZINE Pool Magazine is leading up to the minute news source for Swimming Pool News and Pool Features. OuBLUERAY XLThe real mineral purifier! Reduce your pool maintenance costs & efforts by 50%Jack's MagicIf you know Jack's you'd have no stains!LaMotte CompanyLaMotte Company is a leading manufacturer of water quality testing products & pool test kitsCPO Certification ClassesAttend your CPO class with Rudy Stankowitz!the 'How to Get Rid of Algae' handbookThe most comprehensive guide on algae prevention and remediation you will ever own. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showThank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media:FacebookInstagramTik TokEmail us: [email protected]