First time store test

[Trk3263]

Today I decided to take my water to a local pool store to be tested for comparisons. They said my salt was low at 2600 and my CH was at 39. My main reason for going was to make sure I was doing my CYA correctly.
ere is what the store got:


I had checked my salt yesterday and my test showed 3200. We did have a bunch rain over night (about 3.5”) but the pump ran for a few hours before I took my sample from more than a foot deep. I am wondering if I could be doing something wrong with my salt test (K1766). i came home and added 40lbs of salt and a few hours later after the pump ran a few hours I tested again getting 3600
I am getting the chalky color and normally get a slight flash of the red brick one, maybe two drops before I get what I feel is the true brick color indicator.
drop 15:

final drop 16:

They also said I need to raise my CH even though it is a vinyl pool. They told me something about the vinyl staying secured or something and they recommend a CH of 175-225? I tested it later this evening and I show it at 50 which is what it was a few weeks ago. Now I would guess their 39 and my 50 may be similar since they use a machine to test they could get it more exact and our drops are in multiples of 25 of that makes sense.
Thank you for all your help.

 

[Trk3263]

Also my RJ45+ before I sent it in for warranty work and they found the cell to be bad was showing the salt average at 2600 but again the cell wasn’t working correctly. I don’t have it back yet but want to make sure the salt level is correct when I get it back next week.

 

[mknauss]

Stop going to the pool store for water chemistry. It will just confuse things. Trust your testing.
Vinyl liners of 20+ years ago had calcium in them and thus you needed to have more calcium in the pool water. No longer applies.

 

[Hootz]

That is the correct stage to read your salt level. Sometimes you will see the change but it will go back to the cloudy yellow...the point at which it remains the solid "salmon" color is where you stop and count your total drops. I'm not sure if you use a speed stir or not. The speed stir makes this test much easier.

 

[Trk3263]

That is the correct stage to read your salt level. Sometimes you will see the change but it will go back to the cloudy yellow...the point at which it remains the solid "salmon" color is where you stop and count your total drops. I'm not sure if you use a speed stir or not. The speed stir makes this test much easier.

I am very close to getting one. Just seems it would be more consistent and easier with several of the counting tests.