I think pool store tests can be really useful for comparison checking. I've found a couple of errors in my testing methodology because of differences that didn't make sense. Really the only differences I have now (outside of basically noise) is they test PH consistently about .2 higher than I do and CYA varies widely. Otherwise, it's been fantastic to compare against and make sure I'm within the realm of reason! I will say, though, that they do my test, hand me the results and are super nice. No pressure to add anything. YMMV.
Pool Store Honesty Test
- Thread starter john0886
- Start date
Far more often it's really useful for getting someone worried about nothing. You see something different between your test and their numbers, why do you automatically think you made the mistake? We know people make mistakes, but if they posted their numbers and pool store numbers worried that they made a mistake we would tell them to trust their results. Not very helpful.
If you want to verify your numbers just run the test twice. Pool store testing is a waste of time and not worth comparing against anything but a magic 8-ball.
All I can say is that I had some issues with how I was testing at home that using a pool store for comparison caught. It led me to take a deeper dive into several areas so I could get comfortable and I really appreciate having something I can compare against and at least make some educated guesses about differences.
Scary how far off their PH reading was. That could really mess things up.
- Nov 7, 2018
- 1,049
- Pool Size
- 14000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
You know, I think a pool's clarity is the closest thing to an actual, workable magic 8 ball I have ever seen. It took a little while, but I can now pretty much tell at a glance if something is askew (usually high Ph which is the only thing I need to adjust on a frequent basis) and my testing just confirms it. No need for the pool store testing for me...as a matter of fact, I have NEVER set foot in one.
Exactly! Once you really "get to know your pool", you truly can tell when things are slightly off.
Who sez pools can't talk!
- Nov 7, 2018
- 1,049
- Pool Size
- 14000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Totally off the subject but when I saw your reply to my post I wondered if I had spelled "askew" correctly. Well, I did and Google confirmed it for me. Quite the little Easter egg they have with that...Exactly! Once you really "get to know your pool", you truly can tell when things are slightly off.
Who sez pools can't talk!
wgipe
Gold Supporter
- Jul 4, 2020
- 501
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Our local pool store just posted a sign announcing a $5 charge for testing unless you buy at least $30 worth of chemicals in that visit. 
Some poor lady had obviously just been sold up the river, as she had to make two trips to her car to carry all of her new potions…
Only reason I went in there was to pick up a replacement base for my Big Green Egg they warrantied out for me.
Some poor lady had obviously just been sold up the river, as she had to make two trips to her car to carry all of her new potions…Only reason I went in there was to pick up a replacement base for my Big Green Egg they warrantied out for me.
Selenap
Well-known member
I have fallen for bioguard. I recovered heart broke with $500 less in my pocket. I will say I love the burn out 73 though. Only useful product they have.
Burn Out 73 is just 73% cal-hypo. You can find less expensive cal-hypo with the same concentration lots of places.
Wobblerlorri
Bronze Supporter
- Apr 16, 2019
- 2,010
- Pool Size
- 4024
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Liquid Chlorine
My local pool store charges $25 for testing! They give you a $25 credit for chemicals in exchange, along with their bogus test results.
Only thing I go there for is filter sand.
Only thing I go there for is filter sand.
Maybe I'm a little more forgiving (or generous) towards pool stores. I don't think they are intentionally dishonest. I think their testing equipment is not consistently accurate and it may not be calibrated correctly on schedule. The staff is trained to read the recommendations in the printout. They may not understand the cause and effects of their various potions they recommend. Also each test (at least at my pool store) stand alone. They don't look at the previous test to see how their recommended potion affected the other numbers so they sell you another potion to fix whatever is out of spec from the last potion. The numbers yo-yo because they are not look at a set of past testing results. Also they stick to the old manufacturer's recommendations. I stopped recently and let them test my water for the first time in two years. They were considering trying to talk me into a chlorine reducer because my 8.5ppm result is a lot higher than the 1-3 ppm FC recommendation in their computer for a Hayward SWG.
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
Mom and pop shops, with great, upstanding members of the community reputations to uphold……. Maybe.
Any of the chains are corporations. Corporations use things called metrics to track 7000 ways to get more money from each customer. There are sales targets to reach and spreadsheets listing that particular stores rankings in the regional area. If other stores consistently out produce them, the regional managers get involved threatening everyone’s job if they don’t catch up. Being a 20 year store manager with a great history means ZERO if the store ever dips for an extended time. Even the most honest of folks will bend to the corporate pressure and believe me they are pressured if they aren’t producing exorbitant profits.
*or*. The employee is a care free summer hire teenager. The pressure goes right past them because the first month they are training and by the time their sales goals start to cause problems, they have 3 weeks before they go back to college. These kids aren’t intentionally out to fleece you, but they still could care less about what they recommend to you and the 4 hour training video about the industry standards (their experience and know how) is certainly not going to help you either.
- May 20, 2020
- 1,001
- Pool Size
- 13600
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Solaxx (Saltron) Reliant / Purechlor R5
I'm guessing this is spot on, based on my own experience in my retail management past-life. The chains probably have metrics such as "Chemicals sold per test given", where they track the quantity and dollar amount of purchases as a percentage of total tests. And if your ratio goes too low, see ya. And if you're an honest employee who actually understands the chemistry and realizes someone doesn't need something, so you don't recommend it, now your metrics tank and you soon find yourself out the door.
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They have 27 metrics for each category. And metrics about the metrics. The bigger the corporation the more they track. The all important one is the dollars spent per visit. Today’s goal is $124 and when a store reaches it they set a soft goal for $137. Next month it just becomes the new baseline. All the stores hit $137 but two ? Those 2 stores get SQUEEZED hard.
I have met more regional managers (which ironically usually barely cover a county muchless a ‘region’) than I can count. From supermarkets, sporting goods stores, pool stores, apparel chains, you name it. They are all the same. The corporate story is always the same.
The spreadsheets are literally posted in every last ‘back area’. The metrics are darn near identical.