So I went to the pool store the other day...

[Haley]

Friday I went to our local pool store because I wanted to price the Speed Stir and reagents. A pool clerk came up to me and this was our convo:

Him: "Can I help you with anything?"
Me: "No thanks, I'm just looking at your reagents. (Nothing was priced.) How much is your Speed Stir?"
Him: (Goes to check the computer.) "$55."
Me: "Nevermind!"
Him: "Do you need help balancing your pool?"
Me: "No thank you. I use the BBB method."
Him: "Oh, okay. Never heard of it. What is it?"
Me: "Well there's this great website called 'Trouble Free Pool' and they basically school you on using bleach, baking soda and Borax (and a few other things) to keep your pool balan--."
Him: "Oh geez! I heard another customer in here the other day talking about adding Borax to their pool!"
Me: "Well, the method works amazingly well! So far no problems."
Him: "You know adding all those substances is going to knock your pool out of whack." :blah:
Me: "I don't add them all at once--"
Him: "You should be shocking it once a week--"
Me: "Well, actually I don't need t--" :uhh:
Him: "I would bring your water in for testing!"
Me: "I have a Taylor K2006 and know how to use--"
Him: "I'm just afraid you're going to have a green pool before long."
Me: "I doubt that." (I start to walk away)
Him: (Smugly) "We'll see you back again!"
Me: "I think not."

 

[Bama Rambler]

I love it!!!

 

[Medic3]

I have 3 pool stores close to me. 2 of the pool stores basically told me I was an idiot because the ONLY chemicals I use in my pool are CYA, MA, and chlorine bleach, except for trichlor for vacations. And oh shame on me for testing my own water, it cant be anywhere as close to accurate as their tests. Now the other pool store agreed with me and, have told me thats the same chemicals they use to maintain their personal pools! Well you know who gets my money for all of my supplies, pool accessories, and/or parts! I love PS stories!

 

[Donldson]

Him: (Smugly) "We'll see you back again!"
Me: "I think not."

I think my personal response would've had to have been, "Well, you ain't seen me in the 5 years I have been practicing BBB so I don't think you will see me in the next 5 either."

Very nice responses all around though.

 

[proginov]

I have been using the same pool store for 2+ years, they never once tried to sell me anything, I just go in once a month and buy 10% chlorine from them. They don't ask, and I don't tell. 2.5 gallons for $4.00.

 

[Haley]

 

[UberA3]

You should bring a sample in and have them test it, in front of you.

 

[Charlie_R]

Better yet, bring enough sample, and have your test kit with you. Match them test for test.

 

[Haley]

Oooo, you guys are bad!

 

[tjroux]

Like a dummy, I sent my wife to the pool store the day after we got our pool ( motivated by the pool builder ) and dropped 300$ on chemicals... i returned all of them the next day and went and spent 50$ on summer supplies for the pool... So far Im into the pool for about 100$ in chemicals ( baking soda, borax and bleach ) have had the pool almost turn on me a few times... yes i do shock it once in a while ( before a big party, or after a big party if lots of kids are in the water ) but so far it's been easy street for the pool this summer. More Bleach than anything. Pool store can go pound sand!

 

[techguy]

You mean they cannot force you to come back? LOL

 

[BoDarville]

What...no TDS lecture? They let you off easy!

 

[Dreampool13]

I went to Leslie's for MA and I asked if they had 12% liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) and he said, "No we don't have liquid chlorine but if you really want to add liquid chlorine you can mix this in a bucket of water before dumping it in your pool."

"This" was granular cal-hypo. I told him, no thanks my CH is already at 430. He reiterated that liquid chlorine was the same thing. Mmmmmkay.

 

[Richard320]

I went to Leslie's for MA and I asked if they had 12% liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) and he said, "No we don't have liquid chlorine but if you really want to add liquid chlorine you can mix this in a bucket of water before dumping it in your pool."

"This" was granular cal-hypo. I told him, no thanks my CH is already at 430. He reiterated that liquid chlorine was the same thing. Mmmmmkay.

Well, at least they didn't branch into alchemy

DaveNC's post

Once I asked the pool store guy if all this Cal-Hypo "shock" he had me dumping in (Nearly 100 lbs in the last 6 weeks or so) would raise my calcium hardness too high, and he actually said "No, the calcium turns to chlorine. It won't affect your calcium hardness level."

 

[Dreampool13]

OMG! I just checked on my pool calculator to see what 100lbs would do. On my 17,000 gallon pool it said it would raise my CH from 0 to 650!

 

[jcowart]

Next time you go, tell them that you think you may have too much dihydrogen monoxide in your pool and you don't know how to get it out.

 

[pooladdict]

All funny stories, but remember, pool stores if run properly will dispense the same advice as BBB, sadly, some people, do not want simple, they want tons of chems to make them feel better. My experience is to find a mom n pop business and support them, once they get to know you, they will offer you discounts similar to online stores. I love supporting local business, as long as this business knows what they are talking about.

 

[duraleigh]

pool stores if run properly will dispense the same advice as BBB

Many of us would like to think that ( I certainly used to) but it's not a very good business model.

Liquid chlorine and muriatic acid and maybe some baking soda for just a few months out of the year will not sustain a retail pool business.

 

[pooladdict]

Disagree dave, any pool store trying to make a living off just chemicals wont be around for long, at best it should be 30% of their total business.

 

[x2rider]

I wish I could get 2 gallons of 10% bleach from our pool store for $4, they sell one gallon of 11% for $11, I even called before I went down there and the girl had told me $7 on the phone. I hate inflation! Lol