Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

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Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

For what it's worth my local pool store staff is all kids with extremely limited knowledge and experience. They would take my water sample and test it then give me the computer generated results and suggestions. It's what led me to this site and I couldn't be happier now that i understand the various aspects of the chemicals i add (or don't add). My pool is crystal clear and all i add is stabilizer when i open, a little liquid LC every day or two and muriatic acid once or twice a year.

I do agree that the pool stores don't intentionally skew the reports to sell product and i also see how newcomers get put off with the instant instructions to buy a test kit and i admit to being reluctant to spend $100 right off the bat. However the concept of accurate results being mission critical makes complete sense.

My two cents.... now i'm going to go test my water and vacuum my pool so i can come home and jump in after my doubleheader in my old man's baseball league :cool:
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

ship of fools said:
For what it's worth my local pool store staff is all kids with extremely limited knowledge and experience. They would take my water sample and test it then give me the computer generated results and suggestions
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That's a great point I'm not sure we really made in this thread yet - their testing isn't designed to give you TFP test results - it is designed to give them numbers for the program's suggestions. Even if they tested everything following Taylor/manufacturer standards, going outside on a sunny day and all, customers would still be at the mercy of the program that generates the report - and that program, well intentioned as it may be, is simply not as knowledgeable as TFP forums and lacks the data that we PULL out of you. Even if the owners, employees, and customers were all doing a fantastic job, they're all limited by the program's coding. To the best of my knowledge, there is no national chain that prints our something similar to the SLAM protocol, thus even if you brought a pool store your own test results during a swamp, it is not a guarantee they'd even advise you to keep bringing it up to shock as often as possible.

ship of fools said:
i also see how newcomers get put off with the instant instructions to buy a test kit and i admit to being reluctant to spend $100 right off the bat. However the concept of accurate results being mission critical makes complete sense.
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Yes, and I too doubted the need for a full test kit, but am so glad I bought them.

Congrats on your TFP!
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

What I do like about Leslies is that I can bring in a pool vacuum and the repair labor is free. The parts are about 25% too high (still a net savings) and it only takes 1/2 day or less in their shop. The stores are beautiful compared to the Independents who look like they are working out of their garage.

What I don't like is their refusal to acknowledge the CYA/FC relationship, the mark up on stuff (like shopping at Nordstrom) and not having a warning about high CYA accumulation with the use of their pucks.

I can easily ignore the PhosFree pitch...."Want fries with that burger"?
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

n240sxguy said:
91% is strong stuff. I used to use 70%, but found that if I used it multiple times per week it would irritate my ears a little. The 50% is strong enough to work, and weak enough to be gentle.
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You want to use half alcohol and half vinegar. One dries the ear (alcohol) and the other makes it less hospitable to funk that would love to grow in a moist, dark place.
Acidified Alcohol is what its called.

I speak from both nursing experience and personal experience as I was actually admitted to the hospital for SEVEN freakin' days once for an *outer* ear infection from funky water. Ugh! It was more painful than natural childbirth, I tell ya!

Just make up some acidified alcohol in an old swimmer's ear bottle. Works a charm and sure beats paying drug store prices for it- The TFP way! LOL

Maddie :flower:
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

I used a leslie pool store when my pool was green. After testing the water they sold us $160 worth of chemicals that made pool even more green! I went on tfp and read all the posts and asked for help. A few days later and with minimal money the pool was clearing up.

Just recently we had our liner replaced among other repairs and with a full water replacement I went to the pool store to get the chemicals I knew I needed because of the test kit and this site. When I asked them for CYA they were confused, so I asked for water conditioner they still looked confused. I eventually found it at another pool store. I dont go to the pool store often any more. If I do, I know my water and I know what I need!
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

PeteNeedsHelp said:
I used a leslie pool store when my pool was green. After testing the water they sold us $160 worth of chemicals that made pool even more green! I went on tfp and read all the posts and asked for help. A few days later and with minimal money the pool was clearing up.

Just recently we had our liner replaced among other repairs and with a full water replacement I went to the pool store to get the chemicals I knew I needed because of the test kit and this site. When I asked them for CYA they were confused, so I asked for water conditioner they still looked confused. I eventually found it at another pool store. I dont go to the pool store often any more. If I do, I know my water and I know what I need!
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Yes, some fail to realize the $100. for the test kit is STILL cheaper than one trip to the pool store!
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

YippeeSkippy said:
You want to use half alcohol and half vinegar. One dries the ear (alcohol) and the other makes it less hospitable to funk that would love to grow in a moist, dark place.
Acidified Alcohol is what its called.

I speak from both nursing experience and personal experience as I was actually admitted to the hospital for SEVEN freakin' days once for an *outer* ear infection from funky water. Ugh! It was more painful than natural childbirth, I tell ya!

Just make up some acidified alcohol in an old swimmer's ear bottle. Works a charm and sure beats paying drug store prices for it- The TFP way! LOL

Maddie :flower:
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Seven days! That's nuts! My wife made some with apple cider vinegar, peroxide, and alcohol based on a natural recipe she found for the swimmers ear medicine. Regular alcohol has worked for me for 25 years, so I'll just stick with it.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

We don't have Leslie's up here but the issues are the same with our pool stores. The real problem I see is not so much with the accuracy of the pool store test results (which are pretty much in agreement with mine most of the time) but with the advice provided, even when the test results are accurate. Water testing is pointless without an understanding of the chemistry taught on this site.
 

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Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

It sounds similar to here. When I started out down here, everyone said to me, "find a pool store you can trust" which was a big red flag for me!

I took my water to five different pool stores and got five sets of different numbers and recommendations. I still buy acid from one of them because it's cheaper than Bunnings (our version of Home Depot), but that's it. Thank you, TFP!
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

I needed sand for my new pump. Bought the only bag my neighbor had at his Agway store, $7.95 a bag. Checked Wamart, (asked for pool filter sand) the guy told me the sand was outside, the filters were right inside, and the pools were up front, doh! Last resort, the local pool store. Awesome, they had about 30 bags out front, give me two! I about choked when the total was $23.95...... Was there gold mixed with that sand? Holy cow! But alas, I needed it, so I handed over my cash and filled up my filter. It did have an extra piece of plastic that was supposed to let you pour it easily, but since it was soaking wet, it didn't pour so well. Grrr.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

I've been in the scuba diving world since about 2005.

Dive stores get people in the door with cheap classes and then try to outfit new divers with as much junk as possible. The average person taking a dive class will go on a cruise and go on a few dives, and then never dive again. Lifetime dives < 10. Meanwhile the dive store sells them $2,000 worth of useless junk. I can't stand it.

When we bought our house a few months ago that had a pool, I immediately started doing some research and figured (rightly so, it would seem....) that pool stores are similar to dive stores. They like to sell tons of unnecessary stuff to unsuspecting customers. I didn't want any part of it.

I've literally never set foot in a pool store and due to this website, I likely never will.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

Kegman said:
I go to my Leslie's and they are using the same product, Taylor water tests, to do the tests. Im watching their cya, their FC, etc. It all appears to be the same tests with the same stuff. Granted they don't sell the exact model you guys recommend because I had to buy it from Amazon, but they do sell and use a $80 water test from Taylor. The only thing they don't do is cc.
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I ran out of reagents and haven't bought more but I used leslies ever two weeks this year. First their chlorine test is not accurate, they match colors rather than do and FAS-DPD, they have the magnetic spinners baffles me why they don't do it. All season my CYA has been between 30 and 40, we use walmart bleach to chlorinate, but also put 1 3" puck in the floater once a week or so. Two weeks ago my CYA was 30, now they say it's over 100, with just two pucks I doubt it. They constantly try to sell us Phosfree and that simply clear garbage. When I told them I use bleach they told me I was wrong, but then sold a woman 2 gallons of liquid chlorine which is just double concentrated bleach that costs 5 times more.

They are good if I need a quick fitting, to replace a weir door, or double check my testing. But it's usually college kids that do not know what they are talking about, when they hand you your results they walk over to you and try to drag you to chemicals they say you need. For Alkalinity I use 12lb bags of Baking soda at BJ's for $7, 10 pounds at the pool store is $20+, and they try to tell you baking soda is not the same.

Just seems like all sales, and no real concern for my pool, I am so glad I found this site.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

I don't bother with a pool $tore at all, especially testing. They get the CYA test wrong every time (doing it indoors no less) and do not understand pool chemistry at all.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

BattleOfYakima said:
Glad you found us rraczkowski! Did you eventually get test kit refills? What was your CYA? did they ever get it right?
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I have not bought a new kit. I borrow my neighbors sometimes, but won't use it like I would use mine, but was relying on Leslies for CYA.. Have been out of work for illness for a couple months so the $90 2006C kit is a little pricey. Back to work next week. Some of the advice Leslie's gives is horrible, they hate I add DE to my sand filter but I get a lot of pollen the sand does not seem to catch alone; without DE added I have to vacuum almost everyday heavily or I get stuff on bottom they insisted was sand, even though it was soft and dissolved if you touched it with your toe..
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

You could also try hairnets in you skimmer basket. They do pretty good at catching all sorts of small floating debris. I find mine at Amazon you get 100s for around $7.00
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

pabeader said:
You could also try hairnets in you skimmer basket. They do pretty good at catching all sorts of small floating debris. I find mine at Amazon you get 100s for around $7.00
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+100 to the hair nets.

I change one a day in the spring, and by the time I get to it the next day, it's almost blocked with pollen! Sometimes the suction is so great that I have to turn off the skimmer to lift the basket.

They do a great job keeping all that fine junk out of the filter.

During the summer I go 2-3 days with a hair net. I could go longer but they are so cheap.
 
Re: Why so much hate on pool store's water test?

domct203 said:
+100 to the hair nets.

I change one a day in the spring, and by the time I get to it the next day, it's almost blocked with pollen! Sometimes the suction is so great that I have to turn off the skimmer to lift the basket.

They do a great job keeping all that fine junk out of the filter.

During the summer I go 2-3 days with a hair net. I could go longer but they are so cheap.
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Are hairnets really that fine meshed? I never thought of that. I've looked into slime bags but they seem pricey, do hairnets do a similar job? Can they be used on return?
 

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