Newbie to This Forum - Not to The Industy

[budster]

I'm from the "dark side". By that I mean I'm from the traditional pool care/construction/pool store professional side of the industry. I worked as a pool salesman, pool store retail manager for a two-location dealer, and a manufacturers' rep for 15 years before coming to the distribution side of the industry, where I currently work.

I try to stay open-minded, using the belief that "whatever works best" for your pool, spa, grill, etc., is the right solution. I also strongly believe that even two side-by-side residential pools in two backyards, even with the same equipment, may NOT have the same problems or solutions thereto. My special areas of "expertise" include automation, heaters, heat pumps, pool paints, equipment, and stone.

For the record, I rep'd for Pentair, Jandy, Polaris, Intermatic, Raypak, Quaker Plastics, Fiberstars, Florida Falls, Spillway Spas (Baker Mfg), Ramuc, Olympic Coatings, and a whole host of other, smaller comanies before coming to distribution. My water analysis and troubleshooting skills are probably considered "advanced", but not at the molecular chemistry level. The water chemistry experts on this forum appear to be way ahead of the curve, and I'd yield to them always.

My "favorites" file contains links to about 175 manufacturer's websites and I can reference a good bit of tech information from those, or refer you there as needed. Granted, you will get "their" side of any story, but unless you built your own SCG or filter, it may be of help.

I will be here learning more. :-D

 

[SeanB]

Welcome to TFP!. I have set your rank as "In the Industry" which just helps folks know who they are talking with. We look forward to learning from your expertise!

I think you'll find the methods we typically recommend here are not as alternative as you might think. Mostly we just recommend regular testing with a quality kit, and advocate the use of household chemicals with the same active ingredients as those found in the pool stores. However, I don't personally have any issue with people buying their chemicals at the pool store - I often do myself. My only hope is that they read up and know what they are shopping for and why. I'd like to think that TFP members are some of the most educated pool store customers out there!

Sean

 

[Butterfly]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[H2O_Keeper]

I can be unbiased as not being in the industry nor being affiliated with TFP. If you want a unbiased opinion and help with pool care then you are on the BEST site on the internet!!!!!!!!!

For me most all of my questions (75%) I come up with can be found in Pool School (Dont miss "further readings"!). The next 20% can be found using the search features. There have even been a few times I didnt think the info was there and did a post and later found a similar thread existed. Its an awesome database of information. You have it, chances are its already been adressed somewhere here!

I have to agree with SeanB, they are not trying to push Clorox on you as a sanitizer, only educate you on the options and science if your interested to that level of pool care.

Your experience will be great for very specific questions to equipment, etc...Who knows you may have an unusual situation come up and want to see if anyone else has the missing data on this forum.

Welcome.

 

[spishex]

Thanks for joining up, Budster!

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Welcome!

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

... they are not trying to push Clorox on you as a sanitizer, ...

I now have a mental image of SeanB and the mods standing on the street corner with quarts of clorox under their trench coats!!

Welcome to TFP!

 

[Guest]

Welcome to TFP. You are bound to be a valuable addition to the fourm!

 

[budster]

Thanks to all! I never stop learning, and yes, I've been known to recommend bleach as well, I just don't stock it because of shelf-life issues at my type of business.

 

[Guest]

Thanks to all! I never stop learning, and yes, I've been known to recommend bleach as well, I just don't stock it because of shelf-life issues at my type of business.

Yep, that seems to be the domain of chemical houses like Brenntag and Hasa, although Arch (HTH) does package 10% sodium hypo in gallon jugs for retail sale.

 

[budster]

Thanks to all! I never stop learning, and yes, I've been known to recommend bleach as well, I just don't stock it because of shelf-life issues at my type of business.

Yep, that seems to be the domain of chemical houses like Brenntag and Hasa, although Arch (HTH) does package 10% sodium hypo in gallon jugs for retail sale.

Yes, we can get it from them or even a local source. We do stock and deliver Muriatic Acid so transportation and storage issues are not prohibitive. I have a number of retailers who have 700-900gal. tanks, and despense liquid chlorine to their end users in "jerry jugs". I sell the jugs with glee! There seems to be some recent issue with those liquid chlorine suppliers, though. I'm not sure what it is, but the closest local source for my dealers is in Jacksonville, and and one of my dealers complained they could no longer get it. If that keeps up, perhaps I should revisit the bleach market!

 

[Guest]

There seems to be some recent issue with those liquid chlorine suppliers, though. I'm not sure what it is, but the closest local source for my dealers is in Jacksonville, and and one of my dealers complained they could no longer get it. If that keeps up, perhaps I should revisit the bleach market!

We get ours from Jacksonville also, since we are located in St. Augustine, and have not had any problems so far. Then again, I am on vacation from that job until March so if anything happened in the last 2 weeks I would not know about it! (It's actually my summer job )

 

[cubbybeave08]

Thanks to all! I never stop learning, and yes, I've been known to recommend bleach as well, I just don't stock it because of shelf-life issues at my type of business.

Yep, that seems to be the domain of chemical houses like Brenntag and Hasa, although Arch (HTH) does package 10% sodium hypo in gallon jugs for retail sale.

That is what I used most of the summer...found it at my local ACE Hardware for $3.48 a gallon...which when it comes out in the mix 10% vs 6% bleach...I ended up at about the same or a little ahead...For maintanance I would use about 3.5 cups per every other day usually. Sometimes after heavy uses...usually on Sundays...I would add almost four cups. Then a couple of times per month I would add a pound of shock...This worked best for me...That is all I ever bought last summer...other than buying some CYA late in the summer when we had lots of rain and had to drain down the pool three or four times...and CYA fell. I spent less than 100 bucks on chemicals...