So I did a bunch of reading on here the past few days and you guys and gals really turned the lights on for me. Before I had no idea what anything was, I had to trust the pool store people that I suspected were not truthful or all that educated on these matters.

Before reading this site, if the label didn't tell me what a chemical did, I had no idea or at least didn't trust my knowledge.

It's funny because I'm a taxidermist and I deal with a lot of these same exact chemicals on a daily basis but never knew they were the same chemicals used in water treatment for swimming pools. Borax, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, all familiar to me when tanning hides but didn't put 2 and 2 together that they would effect swimming pools the same way as tanning solutions.

So thanks all!!!

I haven't had to ask anything just yet, still doing a lot of reading but the pool opening is going relatively smooth so far because of this site and I have a much better understanding of why I'm adding what I am and not paying astronomical prices anymore. Now I just up my bulk taxidermy orders and have all the chemicals I need. LOL

I never liked relying on other people without at least a basic understanding of what I'm doing. The knowledge gained from here allowed me to forget about the knuckleheads at the pool store, this is not rocket science like I had originally thought.

Thanks. ---Matt