Alkalinity issues in a Coleman 18' x 4' pool

Hello

I have a Coleman 18 ft x 4ft deep pool (round)

I can't seem to keep the TA up right now it's at 40. I'm thinking it may be the chemical I am using (Clorox brand 😒).
It says I need 6 lbs of increaser.(yay no scooper,so how many cups would that be?). I put in 2 to start with...last summer I used hth brand I had zero problems.

I'm seriously contemplating the bbb method is it easier? I have no clue how many ppm my pool is(it doesn't say, but it's a flowclear .14 hp model number 90401E. If that's any help.)

This is a new pool from last year too so I'm still figuring stuff out.

Thanks for any help.

18'x4' round => 6,600 gallons; PF=18

1. Clorox brand products are often a problem. This includes ALL of their chlorinating products.

2. Why do you need higher TA on a small vinyl pool? The ONLY thing TA does for such pools is stabilize the pH. If your pH isn't wandering all over the place, your TA is not a problem.

3. What you DO need to know are your chlorine, pH, and CYA (stabilizer) levels. Your best bet is to get the HTH 6-way from Amazon or Walmart. Read the instructions CAREFULLY and then read them AGAIN. That kit will only test CYA 3x, before the chemicals are used up.

4. Compared to pool store methods, or Clorox / Arm&Hammer / HTH / PoolTime / etc 'methods' or guides, BBB is cheaper AND easier..

But there's a learning curve and you MUST be able to test your water. No testing? No BBB.

5. I'm working on standardizing 'recipes' for various pools, with pool-specific doses. Do you want one? Have you gotten a testkit?

My test kit is just the hth liquid one my chlorine is at a 1, my ph is a 7.2, TA is a 40(which is low right), hardness is 110 and my cya is about a 30.

Every thing seems fairly normal. I know some are on the low side (I have to wait for payday to get the stuff I'd need) thats why I was wondering about the TA. Its been bouncing bad, which is why I was thinking it's the chemical brand.

Yes, I'd like a standard dose chart.