I need some advice. I am trying to open my pool and I first tested the CYA and pH. I have a FAS-DPD kit I bought from Leslie’s Pool (before I could get a kit through TFP!) last year, so the chemicals are about 10 months old.
When I tested my CYA, I got no reading (black dot never disappeared). At the end of last season my CYA was a little high (80-100) but I figured replacing the water drained during the winter (about 12 inches) would probably bring it down a little bit. Is it possible my chemicals are bad? I had two bottles of reagent (one open and one never opened) and I used the open one and got no result, so I used the unopened one and still got no result. I guess this means either my CYA has mysteriously gone through the roof or the testing kit is defective.
I then tested the pH and it was very high (more than 8 – bright pink water). This is also unusual as I usually have to add baking soda to raise it, not lower it.
I did buy a truck load of water to top off the pool this spring (we are on a well and can’t handle it). I bought a truck load. I’m not sure how many gallons but it raised the water level about 10 inches. Also my pool, while closed, is not covered during the winter which was pretty mild here this year, so I have a LOT of algae to deal with and I don’t know how this might affect the readings I am getting.
So, do you think my test kit is bad or is it possible my water is incredibly out of balance? I wanted to open this weekend but not sure if I should proceed with no confidence in the readings I am getting. BTW, out of desperation I even used a test strip my wife had for the hot tub and it also indicated high pH and high CYA.
Help!
When I tested my CYA, I got no reading (black dot never disappeared). At the end of last season my CYA was a little high (80-100) but I figured replacing the water drained during the winter (about 12 inches) would probably bring it down a little bit. Is it possible my chemicals are bad? I had two bottles of reagent (one open and one never opened) and I used the open one and got no result, so I used the unopened one and still got no result. I guess this means either my CYA has mysteriously gone through the roof or the testing kit is defective.
I then tested the pH and it was very high (more than 8 – bright pink water). This is also unusual as I usually have to add baking soda to raise it, not lower it.
I did buy a truck load of water to top off the pool this spring (we are on a well and can’t handle it). I bought a truck load. I’m not sure how many gallons but it raised the water level about 10 inches. Also my pool, while closed, is not covered during the winter which was pretty mild here this year, so I have a LOT of algae to deal with and I don’t know how this might affect the readings I am getting.
So, do you think my test kit is bad or is it possible my water is incredibly out of balance? I wanted to open this weekend but not sure if I should proceed with no confidence in the readings I am getting. BTW, out of desperation I even used a test strip my wife had for the hot tub and it also indicated high pH and high CYA.
Help!