reading pH test kit (K1000) results

[kateinvt]

Hi-
I am concerned about accurately reading the the pH results on my K1000 test kit. The lower levels of pH listed (6.8 and 7.2) show that the tested water should be an organge-ish color, approaching yellow. My water just gets light pink, without a hint of orange or yellow. Is that normal? Should I assume lighter pink is the equivalent of lower levels of pH, even though the color is not at all like the color shown in the pH column of the kit?

I've been working to decrease the TA (it was 110, now staying steady at 90; all other measurements were within normal limits) in our pool by adding Muriatic Acid. The pH has gone down, as is supposed to occur, but it doesn't seem to get down to the orange-is yellow color that would indicate 7.0 as recommended. I'm wondering if I really need to keep adding acid (I've added a gallon already) or if low pH measurements sometimes show as light pink rather than the orange-yellow shown in the kit.

Thanks!

 

[ajw22]

What was your pH before you added the gallon of acid?

What % acid are you using?

1 gallon of 31% acid will lower pH by 1.4 and lower TA by 23. It looks like you got the proper TA response from 110 to 90.

I would aerate the water until you get the pH back up above 7.8 before you add acid again.

 

[kateinvt]

What was your pH before you added the gallon of acid?

What % acid are you using?

1 gallon of 31% acid will lower pH by 1.4 and lower TA by 23. It looks like you got the proper TA response from 110 to 90.

I would aerate the water until you get the pH back up above 7.8 before you add acid again.

What was your pH before you added the gallon of acid?

What % acid are you using?

1 gallon of 31% acid will lower pH by 1.4 and lower TA by 23. It looks like you got the proper TA response from 110 to 90.

I would aerate the water until you get the pH back up above 7.8 before you add acid again.

(Sorry, computer problems slowed down my response)
My pH started out in 7.8 range and was fairly stable, but TA was high and we were experiencing dry skin and a white film on our skin after swimming. That's why I decided to try lowering the TA. Unfortunately, the Muriatic Acid brand I used didn't seem to have info on the label about %. I've just bough another gallon of a different brand and it's 31%.

I thought that I'm supposed to add acid until I get pH down to 7.0? My K-1000 test is confusing to me-- the test water doesn't seem to get down to 7.0 (unless a really light pink is equivalent to the orange and yellow shown as markers of low pH. I'll go test water now and take a picture-- that might help explain my question more clearly.

 

[duraleigh]

the colors going from low pH to high pH are.....

yellow 6.8 and lower
yellow orange 7.0
orange 7.2
orange red 7.4-7.5
red 7.6-7.8
red violet 8.0
violet 8.2 and higher

Easy Peasy

 

[kateinvt]

the colors going from low pH to high pH are.....

yellow 6.8 and lower
yellow orange 7.0
orange 7.2
orange red 7.4-7.5
red 7.6-7.8
red violet 8.0
violet 8.2 and higher

Easy Peasy

here's what mine look like. Hard to tell from the photo but the color of the tested water is light pink. what's your best guess about where that falls in the range? I'm at a loss.

 

[Mike1162]

I'd say you're at 7.3 - 7.4.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

Can TA even cause dry skin? I would leave it alone. Plus, by bringing PH down, you are getting it closer to the acidic side, and low PH as well as high PH can definitely cause skin irritation.

 

[duraleigh]

Look at the color descriptions I posted....

Is it yellow? Of course not

Is it orange? is it orange red? No

Is it red? Red violet? Now we are getting close, right?

Is it violet? probably went too far.

So, you are matching the SHADE not the INTENSITY and that SHADE to me is pH 7.8

 

[kateinvt]

Look at the color descriptions I posted....

Is it yellow? Of course not

Is it orange? is it orange red? No

Is it red? Red violet? Now we are getting close, right?

Is it violet? probably went too far.

So, you are matching the SHADE not the INTENSITY and that SHADE to me is pH 7.8

Huh. Thank you- I hadn't been thinking of it in terms of shade.

 

[Dopeypoolguy]

the colors going from low pH to high pH are.....

yellow 6.8 and lower
yellow orange 7.0
orange 7.2
orange red 7.4-7.5
red 7.6-7.8
red violet 8.0
violet 8.2 and higher

Easy Peasy

Thank you , I was looking for an exact match instead a a different hue of orange