Can you safely use Bens method if your PH is already pretty low? Here are my numbers from this morning:

TC - 3
PH - 7.2
ALK - 280
Hardness - 410
CYA - didn't register, water wasn't cloudy, black dot never disappeared

Pool is newly built so we only started with chemicals yesterday. Shocked pool yesterday with one bag of shock (68% cl) that said it's good for 10,000 gallons (which is what we have ~ 15x30 oval with 46 inches of water).

Main goal is to lower alkalinity (which is from my well water so any water that I add will be high alk). Used 2 cups of muriatic acid yesterday (1 cup at a time about 4 hours apart). Have been running the return on top of the water to aerate. No change noted.

Any ideas?