I remember the day !

[TizMe]

We went to our local Leslie's Pool Center today to order an upper skimmer basket because:

1) The people at our local PS are smoking something !
2) The people at our local PS are just

They sold us an upper skimmer to try, and looking at it I knew it was to "thin" to do the job ..... a few days later sure enough it had collapsed in the skimmer with all the worm off the Oak trees ..... anyway ...........

We went to Leslie's ( whom I have never dealt with before) and when we arrived there a slight petite lady was in there getting her water tested. I was walking around the store looking as he was going over her test results with her, staying in range to hear what he was telling her. After going over her results with her he asked did she have any of the stuff at home and she said no.

He added up her bill and said to her ...... That will be $178.00 Ma'am !
She paid it ... he took it to her car and she was off to the races ..... I looked at my wife and she had a grin on her face from ear to ear and without missing a beat we said at the same time to each other "remember those days , honey?"

 

[mdhwoods]

LOL,

Saw about the same thing today. Picking up some chlorine because where i live it is cheaper from the ps then using bleach. There was a guy in front of me buying enough tablets to sanitize the Gulf of Mexico. I was thinking if he only knew what I had to do to get that Crud out of my pool because the pb liked them... I paid my $8.00 for my 5 gallons and he paid his $125.00 for his 5 gallons and his bucket of tabs.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Tiz, I think you'll find what happened to me yesterday at the pool store entertaining.

I haven't set foot in this pool stealer by my house in 2 years. Last time I was there I left literally in tears, from frustration, because of the stupid Pool Frog and minerals and copper in my pool, after they had convinced me I needed $60 in sequesterant to get rid of the copper I HAD PUT IN the pool. :grrrr:

Anyway...I decided to stop in to see if they had the floor pad for the ladder, and to check their liquid chlorine prices. I asked the sales guy wandering the aisle, how much? He says, "$2.99." Is that a case price? I ask. "No...if you're interested we have some powdered shock?" "No, thanks I don't want powdered shock." I guess it was the way I said it that caused him to look at me funny...
$2.99... Perfect I thought, great deal. So I grab a couple, and the pad and I get in line. I'm third in line...

First guy.... large bucket of tabs, 6 bags of "shockit", bottle of algaecide, bottle of clarifier, new cheapy solar cover, 18' round, label says $29.99. Checkout gal tells the man "That'll be $178.50."

Next guy.....large bucket of tabs, more like 12 bags of shockit, bottle of algaecide, clarifier, 2 speed pump for $219.... I was distracted by the man THANKING THE SALESPERSON FOR "ALL THEIR HELP" when the cashier told the wife the total which was somewhere around $357 I think she said...

My turn at the counter, now I'm trying very hard not to smile from ear to ear. I plop down my 2 jugs and my floorpad. "That's all for you today?" (meaning, "don't you want some useless overpriced chems?") "That's it, thanks." "Okay, that's $10.46."

As I walk out the door, I hold it open for a gentleman carrying in, you guessed it.... a used Pool Frog cartridge... I couldn't help but feel sorry for him :sad: ....all the while my big fat grin is plastered on my face.

I've decided us Mods need business cards with the TFP info on them to pass out to these poor souls on our rare trips to the pool stealer.

 

[TizMe]

Amen FPM!!

 

[MikeInTN]

Actually, I think someone did come up with some sort of TFP card way back when.

We ran into a guy at Home Depot the other day who had his pooch in the same obedience school as ours. He was there to get a big bucket of chlorine tabs for his pool to open it up. We got to talking a bit about pools, and when I mentioned I had a SWCG, he said he hadn't had any problems in 13 years with the tabs, and didn't see any reason to change. Of course, some folks think the yearly algae bloom and subsequent treatment from the pool stores is a normal thing, and not a problem...anyway, I knew I wouldn't sway him to come to the dark side, so we bid our adieu's and went our separate ways. There are times you can't even lead the horse to water, much less make him drink...

 

[jschapansky]

Well I just opened my first pool for the first time by myself, all without stepping foot in a pool store. And without using a single "pool" chemical. Its all balanced out and ready to rock. I happened to be cruising around town and decide to check on the price of an automatic cleaner since I was bored. Way too expensive.. but anyways, the girl said bring in a water sample and I can get you hooked up with all the chemicals you need to balance. I said, I might bring in a water sample just to check my numbers, but I was ok and balanced already. She asked me what brand chemicals I used.. I said Walmart! She was really suprised and then just walked away from me. Guess she wanted to sell me the cleaner about as bad as I wanted to pay that kind of money for it.

Man am I glad I found this website before i took posession of my new house. I have opened for about 22 bucks and a days work... My uncle pays 300. i told him Ill do it for him next year for 200!

 

[chem geek]

We ran into a guy at Home Depot the other day who had his pooch in the same obedience school as ours. He was there to get a big bucket of chlorine tabs for his pool to open it up. We got to talking a bit about pools, and when I mentioned I had a SWCG, he said he hadn't had any problems in 13 years with the tabs, and didn't see any reason to change. Of course, some folks think the yearly algae bloom and subsequent treatment from the pool stores is a normal thing, and not a problem...anyway, I knew I wouldn't sway him to come to the dark side, so we bid our adieu's and went our separate ways. There are times you can't even lead the horse to water, much less make him drink...

Quite a lot of people who use Trichlor tabs don't run into problems with their pools because they either are using algaecides (also sold by the pool store) or phosphate removers or are lucky to have pools bereft of algae nutrients (phosphates, nitrates) or they have significant water dilution with backwashed filters, smaller pools, and short swim seasons. Of course, there are quite a lot that do run into problems. Knowledge is power so that you can choose how to maintain your own pool using whatever combination of techniques you choose to employ.

Richard

 

[Lazyman]

Wow!!

Well, I don't remember those days, because my first pool is yet to be opened/constructed. (AG 18')

I am certainly glad I found this site before having those memories. I get the Leslie catalog and see what seems like hundreds of different chemicals. Not sure what the heck they're for..... yet. I hope I don't have to find out either.

Just reading your posts here, makes me think there IS a better way. I have an swg and will use the BBB method, I guess? Those "chemicals" are way too expensive.

This is really a great eye opening thread on a different level. Thanks for that!