Richard,
Thanks for the reply. I have been adding acid about every two or three weeks whenever the pH got up to 7.8, but I'll relax while the water is cold, and let the pH rise.

On a related note, after reading "The Great Tetraborate Experiment" thread, I ordered some borate test strips, and plan to add borax up to 50ppm. It seems that you and some of the other advanced chemists in this forum are using some more advanced equations with the test results posted by us beginners. Based on the water chemistry I have posted here, what should I do regarding adding borax? I understand that I will have to add even more acid to counter the pH rise caused by the borax, but I don't want to cause great swings in the pH. Is it possible to add borax and acid in the correct proportions to maintain a good pH balance?