New Products and Services

We bought out inventories from two of our competitors last year.  One downsized, and one went out of business completely.  Some of it mixed right in with our own, but some items are being liquidated because we have too much or they are brands that we do not carry.

The experiment with Baquacil CDX last year worked very well.  In fact, as I guessed, they have discontinued Baquacil Ultra in favor of CDX, which fights water mold much better than Ultra did.  It’s not much better against pink slime, but it is definitely less expensive.  So we agree that CDX is the way to go.  They are perfectly compatible, so feel free to keep on using whatever you have left.

If you are happy with Ultra sanitizer, stock up now, because it won’t last forever.  If you are ready to switch, all you need is a new set of test strips and some CDX; two bottles per year, per 10,000 gallons of pool water.  You will switch to shocking weekly with ¼ of your usual monthly amount (so you end up using no more shock) with a little CDX.  Your new test strips will test your shock and oxidizer levels, so that you know how well it’s working.

We actually stocked up on three Ultra components last year, when we realized they would probably be discontinued: A, B, and Start-Up.  We will keep them in-stock as long as we can – probably three or four years.  Why?  Kip and Patrick had good success hitting a stubborn slime problem with an extra dose of A and B or Start-Up without having to go to an expensive treatment.  So we want to keep those around for a cheap “problem solver”.  It’s kind of a “pool guys” version of an off-label prescription use.
Last year I bragged on the Polaris Indigo robot cleaner in the April Newsletter.  It had a 90-minute quick-clean mode, a three-hour regular mode, and it was on special with a free cart.  After we printed and mailed, Polaris recalled all of the cleaners due to a problem with the electric cords.  So I brought in my second choice: the Dirt Devil Rampage.

Frankly, I always liked the Dirt Devil Rampage better than the Indigo because the quick-clean mode was only 60-minutes and the warranty was better.  The Indigo only beat it out because it was cheaper and came with a free cart that was worth a lot of money.
Everyone who bought the Rampage last year loved it!  So, we bought so many this year, we got the cost down, and I made a deal to get a free cart, worth $150, with my winter order.  So now it’s a steal: only $959.98 during the April Sale, and a FREE CART while supplies last.  It will clean any residential pool (sides, steps, and bottom) in three hours, or the bottom only in one hour.  Try it for two weeks and return for a  refund, or four weeks and return for a credit.  And, we’ll start your return time on Memorial Day, so you get the advantage of pre-season pricing with the time to use it when your pool is open!
Finally, have a look at our Pool School schedule on the back page.  We have added an all-new class on Pool Water Chemistry.  We removed the 30-minute chemistry summary from the maintenance class, and created a comprehensive 90-minute class that does it right.