CYA is cyanuric acid and is kind of like 'sunscreen' for your chlorine. Without it, the chlorine in your pool will be lost fast especially on a hot, sunny day. For most pools, we suggest a CYA reading of around 40-50. You can either add it separately or use a stabilized form of chlorine such as trichlor pucks or dichlor shock powder, both of which have CYA in them as well as chlorine. What are you planning to use as your source of chlorine? Trichlor tabs would be a good choice for you. (See the other thread linked below as to why that is.)
To adjust pH, you use 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) to raise it and muriatic acid to lower it. (There is a link in my signature explaining how to use muriatic acid.)
Here is another thread where Ben just made a post for another member who is also dealing with metals. It might help you to read it as well.
http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthr...3958#post93958
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