Should I empty my pool now?

This is my first post. Background: Haven't completed my pool chart yet but will. Did buy the recommended HTH 6-way test kit last night and will confirm strip test tomorrow. I take care of my pool in the winter and pay the pool guy in the summer here in Mesa, AZ. I just took over.

We are way overdue to drain and refill the pool due to VERY high hardness. We moved in in 2006 and it hasn't been drained while we're here. My other half doesn't want to drain until we find the return to the sewer which we haven't been able to find. The city folks are no help. However, I now have purple coming back on the walls just this week that I took over and very high ph and alkalinity and figure it's not worth spending my time and money on chemicals until we get new water in the pool.

So 1) Drain the pool before I do anything else right? 2) Or is there anything I should do before I drain it besides completing my pool chart and submitting it including readings from my new test kit ?

Thanks.

P.S. Very glad I stumbled on your website Ben

Hi, and welcome to the forum! Just a couple of questions-- what is your hardness reading from both the pool and fill water ( with drops, not strips) and what do you use to chlorinate with?

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Originally Posted by aylad

Hi, and welcome to the forum! Just a couple of questions-- what is your hardness reading from both the pool and fill water ( with drops, not strips) and what do you use to chlorinate with?

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Janet,
Thank you for your reply and apologies for the delay in my response. Although I did use drops (for the first time) I haven't actually been able to get conclusive hardness readings. I was also able to get local advise to deal with acute problems that arose just as I took over the pool for the winter. (Purple on the walls which has mostly gone away now the more I brush it and a loose skimmer basket.)
To answer your questions as best I can right now.
1) Test tube water for pool only turned slightly pink and never turned blue even after 10 to 12 drops.
2) The fill water I believe is way hard right now because source is temporarily from well water as our canals are being cleaned this month. I tested x 2 and red didn't turn to blue after 20 drops first time or after 10 drops 2nd time. I've decided to retest in mid January and reply again. ( By then I'll have been able to complete my pool chart. Still need to figure volume of my kidney shaped pool.)
3) We float 3" chlorine tabs.

Janet,
Thanks for your kind welcome. I finally gathered all the information needed to fill in my pool chart for this site and just completed that. I've also been getting acquainted with my new drop testing kit I bought at Ben's suggestion.

To answer you questions: 1) I float Leslie's 3" chlorine tabs 2) Still unsure of hardness readings though. After 5 drops the pool water showed barely a hint of pink and there was no change towards blue after 12 drops. I have been told by both Leslie's and pool guy, we use except during winter, that the water in the pool is quite hard and needs to be changed. We haven't changed since we moved in in 2006. 3) Tested Fill water twice and it appeared to be off the chart hard ?? I stopped after adding 20 drops 1st time and 12 the second time. Plan to retest end of Jan when fill water will be coming from canals again and not from temporary well source.