Chasing pH and TA back and forth at open each year

[KingpenM3]

Looking for help as I'm going through this for another year. Each year at open I start testing and usually have either high pH or low TA. I'll treat the offender, and destroy the other. And it seems like I just have to go through this cycle until there seems to be 'enough' of both acid and baking soda in the pool. I'd like to know if that idea is true, that a pool simply needs a certain amount of acid and alkalinity to balance each other out. And true or not, is there a better approach to getting the pool right than the way I'm doing it now (chasing my tail). Thanks for any input.

Last two tests-

Test 4/16- pH- 8.5, ALK- 180.6, CHD- 211.1, CYA- 46.1

Test 4/19- pH- 7.6, ALK- 14.1, CHD- 195, CYA- 52.6

 

[Flying Tivo]

There is definitely something wrong with testing. You can not bring TA down that fast in 3 days. Please only focus on Ph, TA will follow soon after. Are you following Lower Total Alkalinity

 

[Mdragger88]

I suspect a testing error unless you gravely overdosed with acid to get ta that low in a short amount of time.
We don’t recommend adding more acid than will lower ph below the 7’s. & instead following the article @Flying Tivo posted.
Don’t mistake the precise numbers the color q spits out for absolute accuracy.

Pool Test Kits - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[proavia]

Use a drop based test kit. Test Kits Compared

The ColorQ just isn't reliable enough - as proven by this (at least) yearly roller coaster you are on.

 

[pjt]

@KingpenM3

Stop adding baking soda unless your TA (tested with a proper test kit) is 40 or lower. TA down to 50 is perfectly fine. A SWCG pool will rarely (likely never) need baking soda.

Get a recommended test kit (I'd suggest the TF-Pro Salt). This is absolutely essential to your success.

TF-Pro Salt

tftestkits.net