So many things wrong with this

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GeorgiaPoolOwner

GeorgiaPoolOwner

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Jun 9, 2015
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Canton, GA
I came across this video on YouTube. My first thought was: Wow! How can so much be wrong in one short video?

Leslies Pool School - How to Approach a Green Pool - YouTube

I've only been to a Leslie's a couple of times, and never for their "advice." After seeing this video, no wonder so many people have horror stories from there. Even when I have used other local pool stores in the past, never have I seen anything this bad.

This is Exhibit A for why pool stores have a bad reputation.
 
There are so many things wrong in that video on so many different levels.

They didn't seem like they were very convinced in the process themselves. They kept looking at each another for reassurance the entire time.

Hmm - would probably be cheaper to buy a bunch of ammonia in the laundry isle than their suggested remedies. Of course we know that that wouldn't fix the algae issue either.
 
Here are some of the absurd things I noticed:

1) We don't need to test your water to clean it. We'll just add some soda ash to make sure pH is really high.

2) If your pool is less than 15k gallons, use 1 bag. If more, use 2 (as if 7k = 15k and 16k = 50k).

3) Ammonia will trick the algae like a Trojan horse (which begs the question: If you have to shock the pool to get rid of the ammonia, why not just kill the algae with the chlorine?)

4) Backyard pools will just have an algae breakout twice a year. It's just a fact of life.

5) The only way to prevent algae outbreaks is by using phosphate remover.

6) You have to use this all natural clarifier to filter the dead algae.


I watched the entire thing a couple times it was so bad. It was a list of what not to do to your pool. Some of it seems so obvious, I wonder how so many buy into it (e.g., we don't need to test, we'll just randomly raise pH).
 
"They are the "experts" and you must come to them for professional testing"

I swear they had to redo that take becasue it looks like they had to fight laughing after they said that.
 
Someone the other day here said that they trust their local Leslie's manager, that he is trustworthy with his testing and doesn't try to sell worthless stuff. While I had the normal instant groan response, I also thought of this video. Because that manager may well be a very good person and actually take time to do the water testing as correctly as possible (the latter I find unlikely), he is still a manager in a company that released this video. You don't get to be manager by ignoring the official corporate stance on green pools...
 
The manager of the Leslie’s nearby is actually a very conscientious and honest man. I had a conversation with him on morning when I ran into him at a local cafe and he said one of the reasons Leslie’s gets such a bad rap is the age of the employees and that they don’t seem to care to learn. That, and they never keep their job for long.

If I need something ASAP and It’s convenient to buy at Leslie’s, that’s pretty much the only reason I’d ever spend my money there.
 

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PoolguyinCT said:
You have 20/20 vision. [emoji106]
Click to expand...

Ever since having laser correction surgery last year it's actually been 20/15.

I don't know either man in the video and I don't doubt you when you say the one you know is a smart man or even a good person. The two in the video very well may be experts in their field but they are not the ones you are bringing your water to for testing. Time and time again we have seen evidence of water tests done completely wrong at pool stores by employees that are not well trained and don't understand what is in the products they are selling. The chemical program they promote in the video are based on continued additions of chemicals without regular/frequent water testing. It is a great program for their business model and they are marketing that to their consumers.


I think we need to look into this front yard and side yard loophole. I think we can turn this into a money making venture. Algae free pools simply with this one easy trick CLICK here to find out more.
 
Unfortunately, my HOA doesn't allow front yard pools. Luckily, I'm in that small percentage that somehow avoids the inevitable "at least 2 outbreaks per season," and I've done it without shocking regularly. It must be the lake nearby that attracts all the algae spores. :)

I'm sure the people in the video are smart. It is a promotional video designed to sell overpriced soda ash, stabilized chlorine "shock," diammonium sulfate, "all natural Clear Aid," and a phosphate reducer. This is good for business.

It also works, if done right. If your pool has a high cya from using pucks all season, using ammonia to make a monochloromine to kill the algae is probably the easiest way to do it without a partial drain and refill (although you then need enough chlorine to kill off the ammonia and are still left with a high cya pool).

However, it never makes sense to just drop a bag of pH Up into a pool without testing it first. It never makes sense to add these products without regard to water volume and frequent testing during the process. If you follow this route, you still have the underlying problems that allowed the outbreak to occur, and there are cheaper ways of preventing it than clearing out phosphates.

Algae is a very good sign that the water is not properly sanitized though. Assuming phosphate remover worked perfectly, you still end up with water that is not properly sanitized but don't have the algae as a visible sign. Preventing algae by removing phosphates would be like removing ethyl mercaptan from propane. While nobody likes it (algae or the smell of ethyl mercaptan), their detectable presence signify an underlying safety issue.
 
Rick Astley? He might get rid of algae, but I certainly don't want cheese in the pool!

I live on a circle (cul-de-sac), so technically my pool is front/side yard and might be subject to one half an algae outbreak per year, as opposed to 0 and 1, respectively. I am a believer! Let's market it for algae reduction. We can also add the simplicity of checking on the pool every time you drive somewhere and market a dashboard water testing station complete with square tire instead of the speed-stir.
 
I must be doing something wrong. I don’t use any of those products or methods, but haven’t had algae in over a decade (even at spring opening)! ;)
 

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