New Pool Owner, Starting BBB method & Other Test Kit

[BigDave]

Everything CarlD told you is right on and I hate to contradict him, but, low (potentially very low) pH is hazardous to concrete, plaster, PVC pipe and fixtures, any metal, almost everything that touches your poolwater. Very few poolwater chemistry problems warrant a FIX IT NOW but unreadble low pH does.

Follow CarlD's instruction to bring the pH in range, order a K-2006, and start reading all you can at poolsolutions.com and here (but not logged in as a trial user).

Don't panic! Learn and follow the poolcare method taught here and you'll have control over the pool in no time.

[PoolDoc]

Very few poolwater chemistry problems warrant a FIX IT NOW but unreadble low pH does.

What he said . . . so, add a box of borax daily, till your pH exceeds 6.8 WHILE you are working on the other bits (getting kit, learning, etc).

[CarlD]

I yield to Big Dave's knowledge on hard-sided pools. Get your pH back up! But vinyl pools are even more sensitive to low pH and too high FC levels (not a worry for you).