Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Salt pools get marketed like a break from chlorine, but the truth is simpler: a salt system is still a chlorine factory, and many homeowners end up swimming in higher chlorine than they realize. We sit down with Todd Garino, founder of the Low-Chlo Sanitizer System, to talk about a different path, mineral-based pool sanitation designed to keep residential pools clear and safe while targeting low free chlorine levels around 0.5–1.5 ppm.
Todd explains where the technology came from, why it has been quietly used for years, and what changed to finally bring it to a wider market. We get into the real-world problems that pushed this forward: salt cells that don’t last like they used to, variable-speed pump run times that burn through cell hours, and the industry habit of treating “more chlorine” as the default answer. Then we break down the mechanics in plain language: how a vortex tank and mineral media create an electrolytic effect without electricity, why trichlor is used mainly for oxidation, and why the system is plumbed to help reduce chlorine exposure to heaters.
We also cover what pool pros care about most: install difficulty, maintenance time, chemical consumption, and customer confidence. If you’ve been looking for a low chlorine pool system, an alternative to a saltwater chlorinator, or a way to reduce chemical costs without risking water quality, this conversation gives you a grounded framework to evaluate it.
Learn more: low-chlo.com
• what the Low-Chlo system is and why it is not new technology
• the origin story from a fiberglass pool builder solving fading and shell issues
• why salt cells fail sooner than people expect and how variable-speed pumps affect cell life
• how mineral media provides sanitation while trichlor is used mainly for oxidation
• what “low chlorine” targets look like in real pools and why more is not always safer
• cost comparisons versus saltwater chlorine generators and traditional chlorine programs
• maintenance steps including reversing flow and how frequency changes with hard water
• warranty basics and why water balance still matters
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Support the show (buzzsprout.com/110832/support)
Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you:
Visit my Website: swimmingpoollearning.com
Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@SPL
Podcast Site: the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com
UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA
Pool Guy Coaching Group
Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business.
Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs)
$59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! patreon.com/poolguycoaching
Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits
[ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ]
$50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road
Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits
Salt pools get marketed like a break from chlorine, but the truth is simpler: a salt system is still a chlorine factory, and many homeowners end up swimming in higher chlorine than they realize. We sit down with Todd Garino, founder of the Low-Chlo Sanitizer System, to talk about a different path, mineral-based pool sanitation designed to keep residential pools clear and safe while targeting low free chlorine levels around 0.5–1.5 ppm.
Todd explains where the technology came from, why it has been quietly used for years, and what changed to finally bring it to a wider market. We get into the real-world problems that pushed this forward: salt cells that don’t last like they used to, variable-speed pump run times that burn through cell hours, and the industry habit of treating “more chlorine” as the default answer. Then we break down the mechanics in plain language: how a vortex tank and mineral media create an electrolytic effect without electricity, why trichlor is used mainly for oxidation, and why the system is plumbed to help reduce chlorine exposure to heaters.
We also cover what pool pros care about most: install difficulty, maintenance time, chemical consumption, and customer confidence. If you’ve been looking for a low chlorine pool system, an alternative to a saltwater chlorinator, or a way to reduce chemical costs without risking water quality, this conversation gives you a grounded framework to evaluate it.
Learn more: low-chlo.com
• what the Low-Chlo system is and why it is not new technology
• the origin story from a fiberglass pool builder solving fading and shell issues
• why salt cells fail sooner than people expect and how variable-speed pumps affect cell life
• how mineral media provides sanitation while trichlor is used mainly for oxidation
• what “low chlorine” targets look like in real pools and why more is not always safer
• cost comparisons versus saltwater chlorine generators and traditional chlorine programs
• maintenance steps including reversing flow and how frequency changes with hard water
• warranty basics and why water balance still matters
Send us Fan Mail (buzzsprout.com/110832/fan_mail/new)
Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors!
HASA REWARDS App
hasa.com/hasa-app
The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100
store.thebottomfeeder.com
Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:
getskimmer.com/poolguy
Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA
Support the show (buzzsprout.com/110832/support)
Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you:
Visit my Website: swimmingpoollearning.com
Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@SPL
Podcast Site: the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com
UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA
Pool Guy Coaching Group
Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business.
Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs)
$59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! patreon.com/poolguycoaching
Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits
[ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ]
$50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road
Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits
