A few years ago, if someone had told me that I would one day start a company focused on pool water testing, I probably wouldn't have believed them.
At the time, I was simply someone who loved swimming and enjoyed spending time with my family. Like many parents, I wanted our backyard pool to be a place where my two children could laugh, play, and create lasting memories.
What I didn't expect was how much time I would spend maintaining the pool instead of enjoying it.
The Same Routine Before Every Swim
Whenever my kids wanted to jump into the pool, I found myself saying the same thing:
"Give me a minute. Let me check the water first."
If you own a pool, that routine probably sounds familiar.
Clear water doesn't always mean safe water.
Chlorine levels can change after a hot day. Heavy rain can affect water balance. Leaves, sunscreen, and regular use all have an impact. Even when the water looks perfectly clean, there's no way to know its condition without testing it.
Over time, checking the water became part of our routine before every swim.
I Tried Different Testing Methods, But None Felt Right
Like many pool owners, I started with test strips.
They were quick and inexpensive, but comparing colors often left me wondering whether I was interpreting the results correctly.
Later, I tried traditional liquid testing kits.
The results could be more detailed, but the process took more time and required multiple steps. It wasn't something I looked forward to doing every week, especially when all I wanted was to spend time with my family.
The more I used these products, the more I realized the real problem wasn't that testing was impossible.
It was that there wasn't a solution designed for everyday homeowners—something that was both easy to use and dependable enough to trust.
Looking at the Problem as an Engineer
My engineering background has always influenced the way I approach problems.
When something feels unnecessarily complicated, my first instinct is to ask why.
We can monitor the temperature in our homes, check air quality from our phones, and receive alerts from smart devices almost instantly.
So why did testing pool water still rely on color charts, multiple chemical bottles, and educated guesses?
That question stayed with me.
Eventually, I decided to stop asking why and start working on a better answer.
Building Something for Families Like Mine
In 2021, I began assembling a team to develop a smarter way to test pool water.
We didn't set out to build the most complicated device on the market.
Instead, we focused on a much simpler goal:
Create a product that ordinary families would actually want to use.
From the beginning, we focused on four priorities:
- Deliver reliable and consistent results.
- Make testing as simple as possible.
- Present information that anyone could understand.
- Help pool owners make maintenance decisions with confidence.
Developing the product took far more testing than most people would imagine.
We evaluated hardware, refined algorithms, tested in laboratory settings, and validated performance in real pools under different conditions.
Sometimes the improvements were significant.
Other times they were surprisingly small—a button placement, a faster testing process, or a clearer message on the screen.
But those small details matter.
They're often what separates a product that's technically impressive from one that people genuinely enjoy using.
The Beginning of Kactoily
After years of development and continuous refinement, Kactoily officially launched in 2023.
Although we're proud of the technology we've built, we've never believed that technology alone is the goal.
Our goal has always been much simpler:
To make pool care less complicated.
Because owning a pool should be about enjoying it—not worrying about it.
What I Still Believe Today
No water tester can eliminate pool maintenance.
Regular care will always be part of owning a pool.
But the right tool should make every maintenance decision easier, faster, and more confident.
That's the standard we continue to work toward every day.
If Kactoily helps one family spend a little less time testing water and a little more time swimming together, then we've accomplished something meaningful.
When I watch my kids jump into the pool today, I'm reminded why this journey began.
It wasn't because I wanted to start a company.
It was because I wanted a simpler way to answer one important question before every swim:
Is the water ready for my family?