Poolstore water testing numbers

[peekaboo]

Today @ 1pm and lastnight @ 11pm I tested my water with my brand spanking new K2006 test kit.All my number were dead on:

CYA=35ppm
FC=3.5
CC=.5
PH=7.4
TA=100
didnt test calcium because I didnt add any to my vinyl pool;

anyway,I used an Aquatech test strip and it read I had zero cya,1ppm of FC,ph of about 6.8.TA of about 60.So I took my water sample and made the ten minute trck to Budget pools and Namco pools(they are 2 blocks apart)Here are the results:
NAMCO
CYA=100ppm
FC=0
CC=1.5
ph=8.3
TA=65
okay now to
BUDGET POOLS
CYA=40
FC=2.0
CC=0
PH6.8
TA==120

all these discrepencies in a 30 minute span?I got to the first store @ 115pm and had both samples back AND back home @145pm.SO I re tested using my k2006 and got the exact same numbers I did before!Needless to say they both had a list of chemicals they tried to sell me but I just said "no thanks I was in yesterday and bought all these",they looked sad.What was funny was at Budget pools some 16 year old new kid was learning how to test water and input the info in the computer (learning from an 18 year old kid)and he had at least ten questions to ask his trainer (who actually left him alone for 5 minutes).I thought thid "free computer analysis was actually made in a computer not just tested by a kid and input in the computer.Anyway I just thought the whole thing was funny.




Celtics in 7

[polyvue]

And who says pool stores don't produce accurate results?

What was their prediction for the Celtics?

[peekaboo]

lol...Cleveland in 6...airheads;

[CarlD]

I could make a bunch of jokes and I'm tempted but the real lesson is that you have to do your own testing.

They don't know how to run the tests any better than you do. They dip fancier strips and then plug the RESULTS into the computer that gives them a list of things to try to sell you. They make it sound like they have a fancy machine with special electronics that "taste" the water and tell you what's in it, but they don't.

SOME use drop testing--they should be a little more reliable, but use strips.

It's true in the pool biz, and it's true in the tropical fish biz, where the water tests are similar. One local store, a GREAT store, NJ Pets, got taken over by Petco. All the brands we liked of pet products were replaced by the same stuff available anywhere--at premium prices. And, when my son kept fish, we brought samples there and they were ORDERED by headquarters to stop using drop testing and only use strip testing. The staff were very apologetic but they didn't want to get fired....and we never went back to Petco for anything.

[peekaboo]

I thought exactly that...that they had a special computer that "tastes" the water.I had no Idea that humans actually tested the water and INPUT the results into a computer.I went back to Namco to have another test done since it's so close and the lady actually pulled out a handful of Aquacheck strips from her pocket(loose..not even in the bottle) and tested it and gave me a "everything looks good".I couldnt believe it...THAT was the analysis for today.You would think that the body heat she was generating in her pocket would be enough for Namco to instuct her not to do it ...guess not!



Changed my mind..Celtics in 6..AGAIN!