Dear Moderators:
I'm using the HTH 6 way test kit. I've just tested the water here in sunny NH @ 1:30 pm and here are the results.
Total Chlorine/Total Bromine Test no color
(add 5 drops of OTO and invert to mix)
According to the Pool Calculator (see the link in my sig) you need to add 1 qt of bleach (1/3 of a jug of regular clorox), ASAP to get some FC in your pool to prevent algae. This amount will get you to 2 ppm FC. Is your water clear? If not, you need to go higher with the bleach, say to 10ppm which is shock level for a pool with no CYA, which would be about a jug and a 1/3 of another jug.
PH test 8.3
(add 5 drops of phenel red)
You need to go to Home Depot or Lowes or similar hardware store and buy Muratic Acid, 31.45% strength. Add 11 oz and allow to circulate 1 hour, then retest. Don't bother to retest if you shock your pool, high chlorine will give you a false reading. Wait till the FC drops to retest (if you decide to shock)
TA test 150
(add 5 drops of alkaline indicator and it should turn green and it did, and then add drops of the alkaline titrant until it turns red, it took 15 drops)
Don't worry about this for now. You can adjust it later when you are more comfortable with the routine of pool maintenance
Total Hardness Test 30
(add 5 drops of hardness indicator and it turned red, then it took 3 drops of hardness titrant for it to turn blue)
You can add calcium later..... this should be about 150 but it's not urgent.
CYA Test
(fill to 7 ml with water to be tested & then add cyanuric acid reagent to 14 ml line and mix for 30 seconds. Transfer cloudy (mine was clear) water to the CYA tube with black dot on bottom until the dot disappears from top view (mine didn't disappear)
You have no CYA. Add 40 ounces of CYA/Stabilizer, sold at pool stores or Wal-Mart. It takes several days for a week for the granules to fully dissolve and register on tests. So don't backwash your filter (if you backwash) and don't retest for another week.
Is it possible to help me with these figures? I can always drain pool and refill if you guys thinks it's necessary. Sorry to be such a pain about this. I didn't realize how serious the chemical work was for a pool until I sat and read the pool school and all the information you folks have on this site.
Thanks again,
luvmypool