Newbie just beginning to understand "free" and "total" chlorine. . .

[BigDave]

If you do bypass and add pH 4.9 water to your pool, be sure to have plenty of Borax on hand.

[Hainsworth]

Thanks BigDave!

Will do. Intereseting to note that last year, when all fill was 4.9, we never had a pH reading below 7.7. I guess that a little bit of 4.9 made up for the SWCG pH creep. I'm only using "fill water" for incedental loss due to splash out or evaporation when it's dry so it's not too much (fow now). Didn't need any fill at opening because mother nature did if for me over the winter , and it opened at 7.5!