During my reviews of pool cleaning robots, I have often said that vacuuming is my least favorite thing about pool ownership. There is a very close second in trying to figure out pool chemistry. I quickly came to dread the process of dipping test strips in the water, then trying to match them up to color charts to figure out key readings like alkalinity. Then heading off to the pool supply store for chemicals and additives to toss in the water in the hope they fix whatever appears to be wrong. Often as not, the readings I get just hours apart are radically different, so making any move around addressing the water feels risky. What if I make things worse? In short, pool chemistry feels like alchemy.
If you’re in the same boat, an EcO smart water monitor may just be the solution you’re looking for.
What Is The EcO Smart Water Monitor?
Developed by iopool, the EcO smart water monitor is a small, floating device with integrated sensors, battery and Bluetooth connectivity that floats around in your pool for the duration of the swimming season. It’s just over eight and a half inches long, but only a few inches of that is visible as it bobs along on the surface of the pool. Whenever your phone is in Bluetooth range, the EcO transmits real-time water quality data to the iopool app. If you buy a version with a Gateway (also sold separately), you aren’t limited to Bluetooth range to check in on your swimming pool’s water quality.
There are no batteries to charge. That makes the Eco super convenient, but does come at a price–which I will talk about shortly.
While the EcO sends current water analysis data 24/7, that information is displayed and analyzed by the app. When remediation is needed to address a water quality issue, the app provides suggested treatment options. There is, of course, a handy link to iopool’s online store to buy additives and chemicals, but you can also use your own.
Setup
Setup is a relatively straightforward process with some minor assembly of the hardware required.
Create an account on the iopool mobile app, then provide some pool-specific info (such as the size and shape of the pool) for the app to work with. Once that’s all ready, you take a water reading with an included test strip – I know, test strips again! – but you don’t need to manually interpret that result. I left it to the app to do the color matching using my iPhone’s camera. This test strip is needed as a baseline and you won’t need to do it again unless the app prompts you to. You’ll also need to connect the EcO to your phone with Bluetooth.
From there, it’s a matter of dropping the EcO smart pool monitor into your pool (or hot tub if that’s the model you have) to do its thing. It will bob around in the current for the duration of the season.
The end of pool season requires shutting down the EcO. The app walks you through the process, which ends with the smart pool monitor being stored in its box with a protective dose of pool water until it’s ready to go again the next year.
EcO Smart Water Monitor In Action
I have to admit, I was pretty excited to try out the EcO smart water monitor. Since we have a salt water pool, the company sent me the salt water version, which is priced slightly higher than the EcO for chlorine or bromine pools. I have bumped into the floating monitor here and there while swimming, but it really doesn’t get in the way.
The EcO definitely lived up to its billing of providing 24/7, on-demand, real time pool data. The app dashboard actually spikes out three key readings: Disinfection potential, pH and water temperature. Disinfection potential is a combination of potential Hydrogen, TAC, stabilizer rate and free chlorine level. All I know is that you want this reading to be green…
According to iopool, the app also accounts for water hardness, water alkalinity and stabilizer–and will make recommendations if any of these levels are off.
I had a bit of an adventure with pH levels during my time testing the EcO. Early in the testing session, the water monitor indicated our pH levels were very low, just over 5. I added a pound or two of baking soda and watched the pH levels creep up over the next few days to a healthy level, in the 6.5 range. But then they continued climbing, topping 8 after six weeks. By then it was time to shut the pool down for the season, so I didn’t get to the stage of adding something to combat the high pH levels (like iopool’s “pH Down” powder).
How valid was that high pH reading? Well, it remained consistently high, so I have little doubt that the EcO was detecting a rise over time. However, I was seeing no signs associated with high pH levels: there were no skin rashes, no scaling and the water remained crystal clear. So I really don’t know what was going on there or how serious it actually was. The team that closed down my pool didn’t have water testers with them, so I couldn’t compare against their readings.
Would I have fared better had I followed the app’s instructions and used iopool’s “pH Up” powder instead of waiting and hoping pH would level off on its own? I’m not really sure–the actual application of chemicals and additives to the pool water still seems a bit like alchemy to me, despite the technology.
However, what I really liked about the EcO smart water monitor was its combination of on-demand readings and a graph of data over time. Watching a data trend over time makes it much less likely that you might react to a one-off reading that maybe isn’t entirely accurate or was a short-term spike/drop.
If you choose to participate, the iopool app also has a community feature to interact with other pool owners.
This Is An Investment
If you have a pool, I probably don’t have to tell you that nothing to do with owning a swimming pool comes cheap. The EcO is no exception to that rule. The EcO smart water monitors start at $249. Supplies such as testing strips and pool care products cost extra, although you would need to pay for those chemicals anyway. The water monitor itself contains a sealed unit with a long-life battery and sensors and this needs to be replaced every two years. These replacement sensor/battery modules start at $109. There is also a recommended calibration kit ($15) used to make sure the sensor is taking accurate readings at the start of the second season of use.
The costs can add up, and after the initial outlay there is the prospect of paying for a replacement sensor every two years. There is, however, no subscription fee to pay.
Is it worth it? That’s going to vary based on your relationship with your pool’s chemistry. I’ve been getting a bit obsessive about water quality, I’m interested in tracking the potential relationship between events or conditions (like a major rainstorm) to water quality, I hate dealing with test strips, it’s a 45 minute drive to take samples to the nearest pool store for analysis and I have a soft spot for tech. For someone like me, an EcO smart water monitor is a no-brainer.
Recommendation
If you are pool (or hot tub or swim spa) owner and you are tired of constantly dipping test strips into the water, taking your best guess at color matching, then adding chemicals in a hit or miss effort to keep the water perfectly balanced, then you should have a look at iopool’s EcO smart water monitors.
They’re not cheap–but what is when it comes to operating a swimming pool? EcO smart water monitors help take the guesswork out of pool chemistry and provide on-demand wireless readings of key measurements, with the option of remote monitoring. The iopool app also offers suggestions for treating water quality and provides a convenient way to have those additives delivered to your door.
In other words, this device is another way to take some of the maintenance pain out of pool ownership.
Not convinced? The company offers a 30-day return policy if you’re not satisfied. In addition, I plan to do a follow-up review of the EcO next year, when I’ll have a full season to evaluate its performance–including how well the smart water monitor survived the winter and water reading comparisons with those of my pool opening service.
Disclosure: iopool provided a smart water monitor for evaluation purposes but had no input into this review.
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