Question about CH Test Coloration

[CarlD]

Scaling from LOW calcium?????

Usually it is from too high calcium and too high T/A

[jmarcum]

That was something I read. I'm definitely not saying it's accurate. The way they explained it was calcium would be pulled from the plaster if the level in the pool was too low. I take it from you reply though that it likely not true. :-)

[CarlD]

Pulling calcium from the walls is true if calcium is too low. But scaling is from too high calcium.

[jmarcum]

Ah okay. Gotcha. I think I may go to the dreaded pool store tomorrow just to compare their readings of the water to mine. I'm curious to see how closely I am interpreting things. :-) How about that other thing I asked above....My PH was low so according to the pool calculator, which BTW I like so much that I bought the app today, so I added the suggestion amount of Borax. How long should I wait to retest ph? I ask because I went ahead and retested after about 2 hours and now the Ph is off the chart high. I'm hoping that is because I am just too impatient.

[CarlD]

what is your pH? Anything between 7.2-7.8 is do-able and not too bad

[jmarcum]

As far as the pH goes my test before adding the borax was 7.0. The calculator said to add 67 ounces so I did. Two hours later the reading was so dark that I'd say it's over 8.0.

On the calcium test it took me a little while to figure out what you meant when you said "old reagents" I bought this kit during the winter but I did leave it ouside all winter. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do that until recently. This is the color "red" that I get...

[jmarcum]

I know the lighting is terrible in my house but this is the color after 40 drops...