Only had the pool for about a month now (new install). Installer filled it with our garden hose despite telling us he would be trucking in "pool water." Alkalinity has been sky high since day 1. I have been using AquaChek 7-way pool strips and the highest it goes is 240 which it always reads. Pool installer "opened" the pool for us which I thought would also include complete balance of chemicals. He did initially put 1/4 gallon of muriatic acid in which didn't even touch the alkalinity. Ph was also sky high every strip (8.4 of more). Said to give it some time. We were also left with a salt level of 4800 which I addressed by draining pool water and replenishing using garden hose (which I believe is usually high in alkalinity). Salt is now around high 3900s. I got tired of "giving it some time" after a week and half so installer was by and he put 3/4 gallon muriatic acid in. I tested 24 hours later and little to no change on the ph/alkalinity with the strips. 3 days later I added 1 1/4 gallons muriatic acid. 18 hours later took sample to local pool store for first time and they read a ph of 6.8 and alkalinity of 145. I added clorox ph up powder per instructions with a target of around 7.2. 4 hours later and 24 hours later strip test showed around 7.2 ph and around 200 alkalinity. Not trusting the strips I ordered a Poolmaster 5-way dropper kit. 48 hours after ph up being added dropper kit shows ph of 7.5 and alkalinity of 260. 260!! Either the test is way wrong or how the heck did I go from pool store test at 145 to home kit test of 260 48 hours later? I know bringing down high alkalinity is a lengthy process because of the back and forth between bringing it down and then ph up and then down and up... but I'm sort of at a loss right now.