Developing New Pool Tracking App - Input Welcomed!

[redth]

Let me start by saying I'm a new pool owner, but I'm also a Mobile Software Engineer by trade, so naturally the first thing I looked for when I opened my pool was a great app to help keep on top of things.

After some searching I settled on 'Pool Pal' for Android (to be honest I didn't do a lot of searching for iOS, so I'm not sure what's available on that platform). While the app seems to be quite functional, it's not the most user friendly, and definitely not visually pleasing.

I'd like to make a new app that looks better, is at least as functional, but is more intuitive to use. Here's what I'd like to add:

• Android, iOS, and possibly Windows (Desktop and Phone) support
• Pool Profile (Name, Owner, Contact, Notes, Volume, Sanitizer & Type, pH Up, pH Down, CYA, CH, target chemical levels)
• Pool volume calculator
• Logging for: Date/Time, FC, CC, pH, TA, CH, CYA, Salt, Borates, TDS, Flow Rate, Pressure, Backwashed, Vacuumed, Cleaned Filter, Notes
• Charts for logged data to visualize levels over time
• Reminder notifications (clean filter, vacuum, backwash, measure levels)
• Advice to reach Target Levels (eg: Set a Target pH of 7.6 for your pool and shows what quantity of pH up to add to reach it from 7.2)
• Premium features: Multiple Pool Profiles, Cloud data syncing, longer log retention

What's missing from this list of features that would be nice to have? I don't have enough experience managing my own pool to know all the areas that might benefit from some additional features.

Also, I'm looking for a bit of help in calculating the quantities of chemicals needed to add to a pool to reach the target levels. Pool Pal does this nicely, and there's a bit of math involved to figure this out - if anyone has this down I'd love to work with you on it to figure it out.

Finally, you may have noticed I have some features specified as 'premium'. I'll be honest, I'd love to make a bit of spending cash for sinking some time into this project. I think having most features be free is a great idea, but as a user myself I believe in paying for quality software. I'd like to charge a yearly subscription fee of some amount (maybe $4.99 USD / year - some nearly trivial amount). What are peoples' thoughts on this? Things like cloud sync obviously would cost me money to run servers for and require some form of payment going forward.

Hoping this is well received, any input is welcome!

 

[Catfish Jimmy]

I really like the reminder notifications idea!

 

[bdavis466]

CSI calculation is a must.

Send Leebo a PM and see if he'll share the formulas from Pool Math. I'm not sure how that would work since Jason Lion created the spreadsheet.

Another option is to contact Richard Faulk as he has his own formulas as well. I see no reason to go through the trouble for the calculations as the work has already been done.

This app would likely be a hit for the iPhone users. They've been asking for this for quite some time. I've been using Pool Pal. While it isn't great, it is certainly getting the job done

 

[txnole]

Pool Monitor for iOS incorporates these functions except reminders.
One suggestion would be to permit user-defined ranges before trigger 'alerts' to add chemicals. Pool Monitor does this and it's much better to set my preferred range for TA, for example, than to live with a default.

 

[santacruzpool]

I would like to have an application that could help set the optimum SWG % and Pump Run Time - all based on tested TFP test values. Variables could be Temperature Trends, Pump Run Times, SWG %, Covered/Not Covered Times, and the SWG output potential - heck even things like bather load or solar exposure from a weather station could be optional inputs...Over time the app could track FC based on values input from the Test Kits, and then suggest adjustments to SWG% and/or pump run times.

Further, what would really be cool is to link this to the API controls in the Jandy/Pentair/Hayward control units and adjust the automation settings to meet the new parameters the software calculated. Having smart automation that adjusts based on the TFP testing numbers...I am thinking it would work like a learning thermostat - it would learn the trends of a pool based on test results, temperature, season, weather, and then help the user adjust their settings and setup with alerts and reminders...

Also - how about a SLAM mode, where it sets reminders for testing, bleach additions, and lets you input water improvements and OCLT numbers to help users complete a SLAM easily...photos of the water could be saved each time to track the progress.