I'm sure most everyone here has cuddled a child through a nasty ear infection, a bout of pink eye, or worse.
So after investigating all sorts of latest technology stuff before we built our "final" pool (good grief that sounds ominous), and occasionally bumping into warnings, then finding poolsolutions, writings from Ben Powell, then same from Richard Falk, I realized that something was seriously messed up in the pool world. I backed off copper/silver, ozone and other things, but was super busy with building the pool and renos in our house, blah blah blah. But by the time the water went in, every person I had talked to said to find a pool store you can trust, and they'll tell you what to do. "Find one I can trust?" OK... alarm bells... it's like a lawyer or a real estate agent. Something wrong here.
I had read some stuff from here, which had saved me the grief of ORP sensing, corroborated by a pool service mate of mine who told me he makes a lot of extra money fixing and maintaining the automation, and we're retired and would like to keep our outgoings down. He also told me to be sure to learn about CYA and chlorine. He gave the Cliff's notes version, and it brought me back to TFP. I had read about BBB, but that seemed to have a few gaps based on my water mixing days with fertilizer and boilers. TFP explained it all, down to the last drop, and it was honest. Some of the aspects are experience-based, and not readily quantified or qualified, but in all cases, Chem Geek highlighted sources and basis for the knowledge. That guy must have 5000, 10000, or more hours of work behind his posts. That's passion. And that passion must in part come from knowing right from wrong, and wanting it fixed.
So it all came together. I could keep my pool open every day of the week. Almost never have super-high chlorine levels from weekly shocking. Never have the pool go green the day before a birthday party. Not resign myself to equipment that needs to be replaced every few years. And NOT cause kids to get sick from the pool, or elderly to get the flu more easily. Maybe the water would even look nicer. (you don't believe that one until you see it!)
And I know that the experts here have probably saved 1000s upon 1000s of children from crying through the night with tummy aches and everything else that gets shared in pools. So I decided I better learn this stuff and learn it as best I can (which would benefit me too). And maybe pitch in on a few easy ones if it gets busy in springtime over there, and leave most to the brainiacs. If all goes well, I might help someone overcome a barrier and save a kid from a tummy ache.
Fair dunkum, mates, we're seriously lucky to have TFP and it's contributors.
