I am at the PS today getting my water tested.. There is a guy there in the same situation as me, high pH and high Alkalinity. He of course gets suckered into about $200 of BioGuard products. I just smiled knowing I spent $2.50 on a gal on Muriatic Acid to achieve the same result. I made certain to catch the guy out on the parking light. I told him about TFP and recommended he educate himself on BBB! He seemed very greatful and interested!
Another getting "Pool Stored"... poor people
- Thread starter jjdurrant
- Start date
That is the way most of us found out, walk out of PS (which should be changed to BS) and shake your head, saying..omg..there has to be an easier way...its just clear water for gods sake.
And Voila..either a friend tells u about this site, or you find it on your own...end result....u end up knowing more then most PS owners do. My last one tried to sell me Filter Additive...get this...29.95 for 1.5KG...umm Hello...its DE..an that stuff it like 29.00 for a huge bag. Told them that, and then said dont worry about it, I will pick up some DE elsewhere.
Good for you for telling that other owner all of our secrets.
Rik
And Voila..either a friend tells u about this site, or you find it on your own...end result....u end up knowing more then most PS owners do. My last one tried to sell me Filter Additive...get this...29.95 for 1.5KG...umm Hello...its DE..an that stuff it like 29.00 for a huge bag. Told them that, and then said dont worry about it, I will pick up some DE elsewhere.
Good for you for telling that other owner all of our secrets.
Rik
jjparrish said:
jj......
You know that man is reading TFP and thanking YOU right now!!
Being a newbie to pool ownership, I thought pool stores where around to carry or have access to pool supplies and parts. But it seems the stores are more focused on the chemicals then the parts. My local store has plenty of toys and repair parts for Polaris cleaners with a small selection of generic parts. They are clueless when I ask about various pool equipment items. Example is when I went out looking for a Blue-White flow meter. I called my local small franchise store and they where clueless. They didn’t have a clue about Blue-White or a flowmeter. Now tell them that you have green junk in your pool and they will speak for hours about the various chemicals you will need.
ivyleager
LifeTime Supporter
In some respects, yes I agree. Our PB is a county away, and really tried to encourage us to travel the 30 miles to their store for water testing, etc. I did end up going there after my first season for an couple of spare o-rings, but while I was there I hit the outlet stores, too!Sabot said:
Now, I just go to my local pool store. I don't have them test the water, but I go there to pick up Taylor refills for Bens' kit, they have them all.
CaryB
Of course they are, this is their bread and butter! You only need to buy a flow meter (or pool pump or filter) once or maybe only a few times during the life of your pool but you need to replenish the chemicals in your pool on a regular basis. If it were not for the pool chemical sales the vast majority of pool stores would go out of business. Free water testing costs the stores money so when people get their water tested and then go to walmart to buy the chems it really does hurt the store's bottom line. It not only costs the price of the supplies to test the water but the salery of someone to do it. If you are going to get your water tested for free at the poolstore buy something from them. Better yet, get a testkit and test your own water if you don't want to support them. I am the first one to say that many pools stores are trying to drain your wallet BUT if you don't want to play that game don't drain THEIR wallet by using them as a free water testing service.Sabot said:
^^ I agree.. I did buy some skimmer socks since I felt bad about the free water test.
but don't feel TOO bad, they do (for the most part) cover their bottom line by selling unsuspecting pool owners a lot of chems they don't REALLY need! I got the free test, but I've also purchased skimmer socks, a pressure gauge, and 12% CL from them so far...because I needed the stuff...not because I felt bad. (and they're less than 5 min from my house)
Well, I have a very different perspective since I work in one. I get a LOT of people in for water testing who never buy anything. When they have a problem and I ask them what they put in the pool it is a brand we do not carry (often AquaChem from the local Walmart or Pooltime from the local Home depot -- identical product lines, btw. Both are manufactured by Chemtura, who also makes Bioguard, Guardex, Sun, and OMNI among other brands.)
These people take up a lot of time and store resources but do not buy. It leaves me less time for my customers and, for the record. we do NOT sell them a lot of chems they don't really need. We sell more liquid chlorine than any other form and are up front as to what TA increaser is (our 50lb bags of it say Arm and Hammer Sodium bicarbonate right on them!)
These people take up a lot of time and store resources but do not buy. It leaves me less time for my customers and, for the record. we do NOT sell them a lot of chems they don't really need. We sell more liquid chlorine than any other form and are up front as to what TA increaser is (our 50lb bags of it say Arm and Hammer Sodium bicarbonate right on them!)
Sorry Waterbear, I meant no offense to you personally. It sounds like your store may be the exception to the rule, but I think you realize that.
Thank you for being honest and helpful to shmucks like me both on this site, and in your store. I wish more pool stores were ran like yours.
Thank you for being honest and helpful to shmucks like me both on this site, and in your store. I wish more pool stores were ran like yours.