Self-Serving Pseudo-Science (w/ Terry Arko)

When Science Meets Marketing: The Battle for Pool Chemistry Truth

Picture this: you're sitting in a pool industry trade show class, listening to someone tear down everything you've been teaching about water chemistry for years. But here's the twist – as they're supposedly 'debunking' your methods, they're actually proving your points. Welcome to the world of self-serving pseudo-science, where marketing agendas masquerade as scientific discourse.

In this eye-opening episode of Rule Your Pool, host Eric Knight teams up with frequent guest Terry Arco to address nine supposed 'myths' of water chemistry that were presented at a recent trade show class. What they uncovered isn't just a case of mixed messaging – it's a masterclass in how straw man arguments can distort legitimate scientific principles.

Understanding the Straw Man: When Arguments Get Twisted

Before diving into the specific 'myths,' Knight explains a crucial concept that frames the entire discussion:

Have you ever heard of a straw man argument? You know what that is? A straw man is when you construct a caricature of somebody's argument and you change it a little bit and then you attack the caricature of what their argument was so it's not the exact argument.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This tactical approach to criticism is exactly what Knight and Arco encountered in the trade show presentation. Rather than addressing their actual teachings point by point, the presenters created distorted versions of their arguments that were easier to attack. The irony? Many of these 'debunked' myths actually aligned with what Knight and Arco teach.

Myth #1: ANSI Standards and the Reality of Pool Operations

The first supposed myth claimed that ANSI 11 industry standards never allow water chemistry to be outside acceptable ranges. The presenters then 'corrected' this by explaining that standards only apply when swimmers are present, not during winterization or startup.

Arco's response was refreshingly straightforward:

I can say that one surprisingly is pretty well on the mark. I don't disagree with it. It's true. Basically the standards and the ranges and if you look at like ANSI standard 11 2019 it says these standards apply for pools that are being used pools when swimmers are present, right?

— Terry Arco, Rule Your Pool Podcast

This perfectly illustrates the straw man approach – the presenters were essentially agreeing with Orenda's position while framing it as a correction. Pool professionals understand that winterization, startup, and maintenance procedures often require operating outside normal swimming ranges temporarily.

Myth #2: The Mischaracterization of 'Happy Water'

Perhaps the most egregious example of misrepresentation came with the second myth, which took Orenda's phrase 'give water what it wants' and twisted it into an argument that water balance matters more than disinfection.

Knight was particularly frustrated with this distortion:

My issue with this is when you use words like give water what it wants. That is a direct quote. That's what we say so it seems very targeted and then you're gonna mischaracterize it and say oh that's above all else. That's all that matters. No, I said that's what water wants.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

The reality is that Orenda has never advocated for water balance over swimmer safety. In fact, as a chemical manufacturing company that produces chlorine, they consistently emphasize that chlorine is the best sanitizer and algaecide. The 'happy water' concept refers to achieving physical equilibrium so that disinfection can work more effectively, not replacing the need for sanitization.

This mischaracterization has real consequences in the industry, with some people on social media claiming that 'Orenda guys say if you're LSI balanced, you don't need chlorine' – a statement that has never been made and contradicts their core messaging.

Myth #3: pH Management and the Laws of Physics

The third myth addressed pH management, claiming that pH is 'constantly increasing' with 'no options' for control. The presenters then suggested managing carbonate alkalinity as the solution – ironically, exactly what Orenda teaches.

Terry Arco explained the fundamental principle behind their approach:

The messaging is the physics of water. And I talk about this a lot too. I talk about it when I talk about water being chaotic as a madman. Water's gonna do what it wants to do regardless of what you try and will or whatever. So the physics are gonna happen.

— Terry Arco, Rule Your Pool Podcast

The key insight here isn't that pH rise can't be managed – it absolutely can through acid feeders, auto covers, trichlor feeders, borates, and simple weekly acid additions. The point is understanding why pH rises (Henry's Law and CO2 off-gassing) so you can plan accordingly rather than fighting against fundamental physics.

The Bigger Picture: Science vs. Marketing Agendas

What emerges from this analysis isn't just a case of professional disagreement – it's a pattern of using pseudo-scientific arguments to serve marketing purposes. By mischaracterizing legitimate scientific principles, companies can position themselves as 'myth-busters' while actually promoting the same concepts under different branding.

Knight noted an interesting side effect of these attacks:

Frankly, I want to broadcast it out because it's been some of the best PR we've ever received and I don't want it to stop. I want to amplify it because we're getting a lot of questions for people are like well now we're curious. What are you saying and they're realizing what we're saying actually makes sense.

— Eric Knight, Rule Your Pool Podcast

When pool professionals investigate these 'myths' for themselves, they often discover that the underlying science is sound and the practical applications make sense.

Practical Takeaways for Pool Professionals

Despite the frustrating mischaracterizations, this episode offers valuable lessons for pool professionals:

• Understand the science first: When you know why water behaves the way it does, you can make better management decisions rather than just following rote procedures.
• Both safety and balance matter: Disinfection is absolutely crucial for swimmer safety, but water balance helps sanitizers work more effectively and protects equipment investments.
• pH management has options: From automation systems to borates to simple alkalinity management, there are multiple tools for controlling pH rise when you understand the underlying physics.
• Question the source: When someone claims to debunk established science, investigate their motivations and check whether they're addressing the actual arguments or creating straw men.

The Path Forward: Embracing Scientific Integrity

The pool industry benefits when discussions focus on legitimate scientific principles rather than marketing-driven pseudo-science. While competition between companies is natural and healthy, misrepresenting competitors' positions through straw man arguments ultimately serves no one – not professionals, not pool owners, and not the industry as a whole.

As Knight and Arco demonstrated in this episode, the best response to such tactics is transparency, education, and a commitment to scientific accuracy. When you understand the physics of water and can explain why certain approaches work, the truth has a way of rising to the surface – much like pH in an uncovered pool.

For pool professionals navigating these competing messages, the key is focusing on what actually works in the field, understanding the science behind successful practices, and maintaining a healthy skepticism toward claims that seem designed more to sell products than solve problems. After all, both swimmers and pool systems deserve better than pseudo-scientific marketing masquerading as education.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage
• 05:30 Understanding Straw Man Arguments
• 10:15 Myth #1: ANSI Standards and Pool Operations
• 15:45 Myth #2: Water Balance vs. Disinfection
• 25:20 Myth #3: pH Management and Physics
• 35:10 The Marketing Behind Pseudo-Science