high PH+high chlorine

[waterbear]

There is a problem with the phenol red indicator at high chlorine levels. Some of it gets converted to a different indicator (chlorphenol red) that will give a purple color at low pH! (the pH range that chlorphenol red is used for is 5.2-6.8!) The better companies usually include either a chlorine neutalizer into the indicator or as a separate bottle. This works up to a point but if the chlorine levels are very high it is still possible that your pH will read somewhat higher than it actually is. I would trust the Taylor reading since they DO include the chlorine neutralizer in their phenol red indicator solution. Taylor documents this in the pool and spa water chemisty book that they include with many of their kits.

I would not recommend adding any acid. Your pH is fine! The pentair kit is a perfect example of the phenol red converting to chlorphenol red which turns purple at pH above about 6.6! All this (pentair) test is telling you is that your pH is 6.8 or higher!