I have always struggled with breaking and tightening the joints of unions and ball valves, using slip-joint pliers and an oversize pipe wrench. Also the caps on chlorine carboys and getting the nozzles tight on them were always problematic.

Then I stumbled on these babies at Home Depot and couldn't believe it! They might have been MADE for pool owners--perfect for the joints and the carboys... I bought two pair AND THEY REALLY WORK! They come in larger sizes but H/D only had the 9" ones.:

http://www.channellock.com/acb/store...ier_P140C5.cfm

BTW, the nozzles that you screw on carboys are worth their weight in gold--they make it easy to get the chlorine out--I fill up old bleach jugs with it as I need it--the blue carboys protect the LC from the sun's UV rays better than the bleach bottles.