Old pool new to me - can't keep water balanced

I have a painted concrete pool - pretty old. This is our second year having a pool and I'm struggling to keep the levels correct. Thank goodness I found you guys - everytime I got to the pool store, every solution is $100 or more. I can't afford it and have considered just covering the pool and never swimming again. My kids would hate me - but I'm incredibly frustrated and now broke.

The pool is 27,000 gallons to the best of my knowledge. I am trying to clear it up. I can't keep chlorine in it. We were at 155 alkalinity level, so I put in a gallon of muriatic acid. I had my water tested today prior to adding the gallon on Muriatic Acid and had the following results: Free Chlorine .05 ppm; Total Chlorine, .05 ppm; Combined Chlorine, 0 ppm; ph 7.2; Hardness 151 ppm; Alkalinity (w/ stabilizer correction) 155 ppm; Cyanuric Acid 4 ppm; Copper 0.1 ppm; Iron 0.1 ppm; phosphates 100 ppb

In addition to adding the Muriatic Acid, I also added 2 lbs of Power Powder Plus Shock from Leslie's. Those levels were before adding the acid and the shock. I know I need to get the water tested again after adding the new chemicals. Any other suggestions?

1st suggestion: Stop going to Leslie's.
2nd Suggestion: You need to add more chlorine. Try liquid chlorine.
Your cyanuric acid is way to low. For a pool your size you will need at least 6 pounds.
Adding the stabalizer/conditioner is going to protect your pool from losing chlorine so much.
I don't believe Leslie's ever tries to tell you to use it because then you will come back into the store to buy more chemicals.

First thing is that you need a test kit so you can test the water yourself. The test kit that we think is by far the best is the Taylor K2006 or 2006C (better buy). Not available locally but you can get it through this link that takes you to Amazon: http://pool9.net/tk/

But, in the meantime, go to Walmart and see if they have the HTH 6-Way drops-based kit (no test strips!) and get that. If they don't, get an OTO/Phenol Red kit (yellow and red drops) instead. Use it to test and then post your numbers. Also while you are at WallyWorld, get several jugs of their generic 8.25% bleach, a couple of boxes of 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle) and a gallon of distilled water.

Test your water yourself and then post your numbers and someone here can try and help you further.

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