What is the worst "pool store" info you have heard?

[mwsmith2]

Best pool story? Tell 'em you use bleach and watch the fur fly! Listen to them tell you that it's TOO STRONG. After they finish freaking out, tell them that bleach is 6% Sodium Hypochlorite. Take them over to their liquid shock. Show them that it's 10% Sodium Hypochlorite. Ask them to explain why their stuff that is 4% stronger is safer. Watch them dissapear in a puff of logic.

Actually, I don't do this, because every now and then i need to go back to the store and buy something.

Michael

[chrisexv6]

I told my family this at a picnic we threw after someone said "Ive had a pool for 30 years and never seen it as clear as yours".

When I preached the 3Bs they looked at me like I had 3 heads! (and yes "bleach is too strong"....I told them their homework assignment was to go home and read their product labels, and compare them to the 6% chlorine content of bleach).

2 months later I saw the person that said their pool was never so clear, and they thanked me for introducing them to the 3Bs. Saves money, works better, easier to do.

-Chris

[DavidD]

"Under no circumstances should you keep your chlorine above 1.5 as it will ruin swimsuits and can be hazardous to your health. A chlorine level of .5 is ideal". Hummm? They obviously haven’t tested their tap water. Mine test at 3ppm....

And similar to what Michael said above and my personal favorite, “You use bleach! That will eat up all of your pool equipment and cause your PVC pipes to degrade!”

[CarlD]

Lemme see:
"Bleach adds bad chemicals to your water!"
"You need calcium in a your [vinyl-lined] pool."
"Total Alkalinity Raiser is 'different' than Arm&Hammer baking soda."
"You got a problem? You need clarifier, flocculent, pH Up, pH down, calcium, copper-based algaecide and 'Special' shock!"
"You lower T/A by pouring in a slug of Muriatic Acid. That crackpot aeration method is BS (barnyard slush)"
"A Nature2 will help keep your water clearer and reduce your chemical costs" (check out how much the yearly N2 cartridge costs--you can buy 2 season's worth of bleach for the same amount)

[aylad]

"You need to bring your calcium up immediately to at least 150 ppm, before you ruin your liner, that is, if you haven't already. It's going to take about 50 pounds of this calcium crystal--make sure you put it in all at once."

Good thing I know that vinyl pools don't need calcium--and that it makes great sidewalk de-icer!

Janet

[RocKKer]

Last year I was in line at one of the local pool stores (one that starts with "L") buying some start up supplies for the season, I listened to the salesperson "help" one customer with their problem. Salesperson suggested a bucket of CYA, some blue clarifier, etc. All without any kind of water sample, chemical testing or pool size info.

I was amazed at this ability of the saleperson to "know" exactly how much and what chemicals to sell this pool owner to fix his problem. It was truely remarkable!

Still in awe of those "abilities" to this day!

[matt4x4]

There was a woman in the local highend ritzy poolstore, I was in getting some feherguard clips for my reel, this woman had a shopping cart full of stuff, I asked her why she had all this stuff (I think it was hundreds of $ worth), she showed me her water sample printout and their recommendations.
I told her to put the stuff back, go to walmart and get the 3 B's as well, I pointed her to this forum, don't know if she ever signed up here, but she left without dropping a cent - and i don't feel bad about it!
I've stopped many from making that recommended purchase, converted about 20 people at work to the 3b's, and almost all my neighbours, so the moral is that together we can stop the poolstore madness!!!

[PhantomAndy]

All pool stores are in the business to make money -

If you walk in the door with your pants around your ankles and your wallet out, you deserve to get taken to the cleaners.

If people would A) Do a little homework B) Quit being so lazy and looking for a chemical fix for their failure to just check their water balance daily then the pool stores would change their ways.

However that's not the world we live in. So those of us that do our homework, and take care to stay ahead of our water will always get a good laugh watching the person in front of us at the pool store stroke out at their total as they reach deep into their wallet to pay 'the man'.

Pool stores are the Car Dealership of the water lesiure world. . .

[smokeygrl]

Today, I was in a Leslie's to see how much their 12% sodium hypo was. I told the guy I had to use an unstable sanitizer because my CYA was way too high. He said with complete confidence........ (true story) I have exactly what you need.....a minute later he came back with a bucket of dichlor and trichlor tablets. I smiled and said - I think that might be what caused the problem....but I'll take the wall whale over there.
My husband said tonight...What qualifications do these people need to have?
......I think they just need to know how to run the register.
BTW I LOVE my wall whale!!!
I know this might sound sick to some...but I spend a good part of the afternoon using Ben's trick to drive off CO2 to bring down the total alk. (180) I was actually enjoying myself. I'll let ya know if I was successful.