Here's a good story. Today I just went to my local Leslie's Pool Supply to pick up some chemicals.
I needed some liquid chorine (and acid) to shock my pool as I've accumulated some algae (that's another topic I'll probably post). Any ways, I asked for some standard bottles of liquid chorine (10% bleach) and the guys asks me what I'm trying to do. I told him I wanted to shock my SWG pool. He first told me I need calcium-hypochlorite to do the job, but I told him I had a SWG and didn't want to elevate my calcium levels more than they needed to be. So then he insisted I use "powder chlorine" tri-chlor and/or di-chlor packets. I told him my CYA was reading around 60-70 which is what Goldline Aquarite recommends. So I didn't want to add more CYA. But he tells me not to worry. "It's not a big deal and it's much easier and cheaper shock with powder chlorine." I told him I didn't agree and insisted on the liquid chorine.
So what am I missing here? Are all the local pool shops run by drones? When I mentioned having to adjust your shock level according to your CYA level, he looked at me like a deer in headlights! I told him the problem with running your CYA too high was that it wasn't necessary since FC levels around 4-5 was perfect for my pool type and if I went higher I'd need to shock with even higher levels of chlorine to be effective against things like algae and the like. .... another blank stare.
So what am I missing? Am I saying this right or making this up? How do you guys deal with these stores? Do we just ignore their ignorant advice, talk to the store owner and see if they know what their employees are teaching, or just shop someplace else?
I hate come across as difficult or arrogant when insisting on what I want from these guys, but sometimes it just gets ridiculous!
Marc
I needed some liquid chorine (and acid) to shock my pool as I've accumulated some algae (that's another topic I'll probably post). Any ways, I asked for some standard bottles of liquid chorine (10% bleach) and the guys asks me what I'm trying to do. I told him I wanted to shock my SWG pool. He first told me I need calcium-hypochlorite to do the job, but I told him I had a SWG and didn't want to elevate my calcium levels more than they needed to be. So then he insisted I use "powder chlorine" tri-chlor and/or di-chlor packets. I told him my CYA was reading around 60-70 which is what Goldline Aquarite recommends. So I didn't want to add more CYA. But he tells me not to worry. "It's not a big deal and it's much easier and cheaper shock with powder chlorine." I told him I didn't agree and insisted on the liquid chorine.
So what am I missing here? Are all the local pool shops run by drones? When I mentioned having to adjust your shock level according to your CYA level, he looked at me like a deer in headlights! I told him the problem with running your CYA too high was that it wasn't necessary since FC levels around 4-5 was perfect for my pool type and if I went higher I'd need to shock with even higher levels of chlorine to be effective against things like algae and the like. .... another blank stare.
So what am I missing? Am I saying this right or making this up? How do you guys deal with these stores? Do we just ignore their ignorant advice, talk to the store owner and see if they know what their employees are teaching, or just shop someplace else?
I hate come across as difficult or arrogant when insisting on what I want from these guys, but sometimes it just gets ridiculous!
Marc