low ph and alkalinity issues

[canadianjovigirl]

Hi all.....

We have an 24' round above ground pool that we have had for 3 years. We have never had a chemical issue until now. Since we have had so much rain and flooding all around us we have not been able to get our pool water right. We use test strips and get the following reading:
Total Bromine: 20 High
Free Chlorine: 10 High
Total Alkalinity: 40 Low
pH: 6.2 Low
Total hardness: 100 Low

Kinda at at a loss as to where to even start with so many issues going on. We have tried adding the chemical to increase the pH, but to no avail.

Thinking it may be time to switch to a salt water system, with hubby always working out of town - and all these issues that i am assuming are from the massive amounts of rain we have had.

Any suggestions on where to begin - the pool place is 1.5 hours away so trying to avoid taking a sample there and getting talked into buying $500 in chemicals.

[PoolDoc]

membership updated.

1. Get a cheap local OTO / phenol red test kit (yellow / red drops) and USE it.

2. Start adding 20 Mule Team Borax, 2 boxes at a time (slowly, via the skimmer, pump on). Wait 1 hour, test, repeat till pH 7.0 or above. If you can't find borax, buy Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (soda ash = pH UP) and use 1 box at a time. Both should be available in the detergent section of Walmart or many other stores.

Try to find borax; besides raising your pH, using it will tend to immunize your pool against algae.

3. Order a K2006 test kit; in Canada, I think these guys may be your only source: http://piscines-apollo.com/index.html Report back as soon as you know your CYA level.

4. Do NOT worry about your alkalinity or calcium levels.