Is anyone else in the closet?

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M

melissab

0
Jul 23, 2010
229
Mickleton, NJ
:oops: Another soccer mom was telling me that her family just purchased an intex pool and chemicals. She was asking me about taking care of the pool and said they plan to shock weekly per the pool store. She was asking me how often I shock. Since I started BBB in April I haven't and don't plan to unless it is nessasary. I started to tell her but stopped myself because when I've told some family about using bleach they look at me like I'm crazy for putting my babies in the pool. I've explained that bleach is chlorine but they still look at me like :shock: . I've talked to some neighbors with pools, who I can tell have no idea what is going on with their pools and they think I'm crazy too. Especially since we are the newest ones with a pool on the street.

Since I don't really know these people that well I didn't really want to get into the whole BBB vs. pool store so I just find myself changing the subject. Anyone else?

If someone was asking for advice I'd be more likely to get into it. Anyone else feel this way?
 
Many of us do! You're not alone :wave:

When I first started explaining how I was going to maintain the pool w/my husband he looked at me like I was nuts. He asked why I don't just go to the store and let them help me through it? Um... well, because I found a forum that teaches you how to do it the right way w/o spending the $$ the pool store would ask you to spend. He still thought I was crazy. I'm frugal by nature and he thought I was just looking for a way to save money that would end up making our pool a mess... after the beginning of the first season and the start of compliments on our pool water, the way it looked and felt, he started bragging about how well I take care of it. Quick change of heart :whoot:

I don't generally talk to people about how I maintain my pool... like you, most of the people that would talk to me about it have had their pools longer than I and would like to try and give me advice. If they were to mention pool maintenance, I would probably tell them I've done my research and am on a forum online that is very helpful. I would probably share w/them I have an swg... just because I love it. One of our friends wanted to see how well the swg did ... think they thought I was crazy when I found it on clearance for $99. Said they'd see how it went for us and might get one the next year. They've never asked about it.

I would love to share w/people about pool care and save them some frustration and money.. but it is a hard thing to do.
 
I love the people that insist their pool has no chlorine because they have a salt pool. Recently a co-worker just had one installed because I raved about my SWG. However, he told me yesterday the pool was starting to turn green so this weekend he was going to turn the SWG back on. BACK ON? He thought you only needed to turn it on once or twice a week - just like when he added chlorine only once or twice a week.
 
Oh yes. So far I have gotten responses from "I just don't see how that would work. You have to have pucks in there to constantly release chlorine." to "Testing? You have to test pool water? I thought you just dumped some chemicals in and put in that floaty thing." to "We try to make it the entire season on the one filter and without buying and pucks. (smaller intex type pool.)"
 
To try to explain BBB in the middle of a soccer game to someone who is isn't really ready to hear it anyways is just a waste of both persons time! Since it's kind of hard to explain everything, I usually just try to boil my advice down to:

- Pool chemicals can be very expensive and troublesome
- Check out this site and read Pool School, feel free to ask for any help on the forum
- Get a good test kit (not from the pool store or walmart)
- Don't blindly listen to the pool stores

And of course Good Luck!

I always offer to write down or email them links to the site and to tftestkits, but few accept.
 
I got into an argument with my cousin about the similarities of SWG pools and pools that are maintained with liquid chlorine/bleach. He maintained that the SWG was a different type of chlorine and therefore better for you. I maintained that in the pool they are the same its just the introduction to the pool that is different. (I am not sure of this 100% but he did not know that) He is also like most SWG owners (I did not say all) in that he thinks the SWG is the holy grail of pool maintenance and you do not need to check your pool chemicals as much. At the start of this season he was cleaning up a green pool and mine was perfect. He asked me for advice but as soon as I started giving it to him he started quoting the pool stores advice. I have decided that if a person is not whole heartedly in acceptance of BBB then you need to walk away. Oh and he went ballistic when I told him used this forum to get my pool in shape. Then I told him about some of Chem Geeks advice and he laughed his head off. (no offence Chem Geek) I have come to the conclusion that they will just have to suffer.
 
For the exact reasons stated above, I am usually reluctant to help someone here on the forum who is helping a friend/relative with a pool.

The friend/relative is likely not very interested, otherwise they would come on to the forum and learn and ask for themselves.

Usually, the good Samaritan member here does all the work fixing the pool and the friend/neighbor reverts instantly to his/her old ways.

You can lead a horse to water.....
 

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What i have found is that for so long the status quo is (pucks,shock, etc. ,etc) fast and easy for people. At a party several weeks ago at my house i was asked how i got the pool so clear so fast. What (from the pool store) did i use and where could they get it. While they were struggling lime green water and constant trips for more fix's i was up and running. Years ago, i was in the same fix and decided to go liquid cl but the info(TFP and the BBB method ) wasn't availible so i fell back to that status quo. I think the biggest problem people have is believing it can be this simple. When they hear -testing,ppm,oz's,borax,etc. they think it's some science project and just not a pool. Thinking the pool store must know more, it's their buisness, will continue to be at their mercy and spend more time at the store than in the pool and disatisfied. They ask, i tell , i leave it at that. I recommend this site , i tell them the proof is there, it's up to them after that.
 
I don't have my pool set up yet, but my sister has had an above ground pool for years. She uses pucks and shock. I asked her "how do you keep your CYA low if you use a puck every day?" She said "my what?" Don't get me wrong, this woman can look at the pool and tell you if the water is off and she loves sparkly water. She's never had a problem except once when they went on vacation and no one tended the pool. She's also very lucky!

She thinks I'm crazy to use bleach like her neighbor...I might just have to talk with her neighbor. I bet she's a bbb'er!
 
I have learned in my business that you have to ignore those people as best as you can. The majority of people refuse to change for a few reasons. A lot of times it goes straight to the fact they would have to admit to being duped. Explaining to someone they have been paying too much for an inferior product is a tough pill to swallow. It's my entire job, just not with pool chemicals.

The second most prevelant reason is just laziness. It doesn't matter if BBB is actually easier, it is a change from the status quo. People don't like that, and as a person I can't point fingers on this one. I'm as guilty as everyone some days.

So my opinion is simple, if someone asks how you do it act like it's a big secret. Tell them you know how to do it properly, the way the pool store doesn't want them to know. If the person asks further then you can try to explain. Most will just give you an "um... ok..." response and that will be that. Don't try to save those not ready to be saved, it will only drive you crazy.
 
Hah! I thought I was the only one! It probably helps that the neighbors already think I'm peculiar, having built and plumbed the pool on my own, among other things I've done since I came here. When they look at me sideways, I tell them "I read the directions." and "The internet is a wonderful thing." The sparkly water speaks for itself.

"Liquid chlorine." I'll definitely remember that, for when speaking to the uninitiated!
 
I made a "Mistake" and posted a nice sparkling pic of my pool at work for my wallpaper. Others walking by started commenting on how good it looks. They asked me how I got it like that and I kinda shrugged it off--telling them it was simple --not really giving any details. One of my co-workers has a pool and they have been fighting it for a while--green to cloudy but never clear. They asked me to come over and take a look --only way I would go over was that he agreed to take a gander at the site here and read POOL SCHOOL.
 
How does the saying go..."there are none so blind as those that will not see....".

In essence, this describes those folks who want to know how I got the pool as gorgeous as it is but don't really want to hear the information I give them. Just like some other folks said here, if its a change in routine, it won't be changed. My bro-in-law has a pool the pool store way and every so often he'll make a comment about ours and how nice it looks. His wife even stuck her hand in the water and said "it doesn't SMELL like chlorine". I told her no, that is because a perfectly balanced pool doesn't have a smell. For an educated woman (masters in nurse practioning) she gave me a look that said "huh"? :shock:

The bro-in-law is always trying this or that new fancy thaaaang on the market for a "cleaner sparklier pool with less time and work" but has yet to jump on the BBB express. Hasn't a clue. I gave him this website waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when and he blew it off. Ah well. He is one with all the money to spend at the pool store, not me :eek:

I guess we could call ourselves "born again" pool owners because we have "seen" the light and it is sparkly!

Relax and basque in the beauty of your pool. You haven't worked hard to get it there and plan on doing the same thing to keep it there. I know I am. :cheers:

:punkrock: (This is me singing the praises of BBB)
 
dorpo75 said:
How does the saying go..."there are none so blind as those that will not see....".

In essence, this describes those folks who want to know how I got the pool as gorgeous as it is but don't really want to hear the information I give them. Just like some other folks said here, if its a change in routine, it won't be changed. My bro-in-law has a pool the pool store way and every so often he'll make a comment about ours and how nice it looks. His wife even stuck her hand in the water and said "it doesn't SMELL like chlorine". I told her no, that is because a perfectly balanced pool doesn't have a smell. For an educated woman (masters in nurse practioning) she gave me a look that said "huh"? :shock:

The bro-in-law is always trying this or that new fancy thaaaang on the market for a "cleaner sparklier pool with less time and work" but has yet to jump on the BBB express. Hasn't a clue. I gave him this website waaaaaaaaaaaaay back when and he blew it off. Ah well. He is one with all the money to spend at the pool store, not me :eek:

I guess we could call ourselves "born again" pool owners because we have "seen" the light and it is sparkly!

Relax and basque in the beauty of your pool. You haven't worked hard to get it there and plan on doing the same thing to keep it there. I know I am. :cheers:


:punkrock: (This is me singing the praises of BBB)
Click to expand...


I'll drink to that :cheers: and with BBB Method, I have more time to drink to that :goodjob:
 
My in-laws were in town last weekend for the first time since we built our pool. They have a small Intex that set up each year for the summer. He keeps it well maintained but replaces the water every year so no need to worry about CYA. We all went to a pool store that we have not been to (only been to Leslie's 2 times - just to look & to get a wall whale) for a toy for my son. They had 2 isles FULL of chemicals and I got a headache just reading the stuff and trying to figure out what it was for. I freaked me out trying to think about how much time it would take me to learn all that stuff just to be an educated consumer. BBB is so much easier!!! My father-in-law asked me what type of chemicals I was using and I just said I have a really good test kit so I check everything my self and I use liquid chlorine. He said ok and just kept reading. I have one friend that just finished their pool and I have told her about TFP but beyond that I really just dont' talk about my chemicals.
 
My hubby said he didn't know about that, that's not made for pools, when I started putting bleach in the pool. I got some liquid chlorine from Home Depot, and he said "There. That's better. That's made for pools." I'm glad that in our area liquid chlorine figures out to about the same price as bleach! :mrgreen:
 
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