New pool owner, trying to get my chemicals balanced

[Watermom]

Just a couple of quick comments for you:

Actually, the test strips are terrible at giving an accurate CYA reading.

Your pH at 7.6 was fine. No need to have added the muriatic acid.

I have a feeling the pool store had a K2005 kit and not a K2006. They are not the same thing and you don't want a K2005. The reagents should still be fine next year.

[mitchryan912]

Just a couple of quick comments for you:

Actually, the test strips are terrible at giving an accurate CYA reading.

Your pH at 7.6 was fine. No need to have added the muriatic acid.

I have a feeling the pool store had a K2005 kit and not a K2006. They are not the same thing and you don't want a K2005. The reagents should still be fine next year.

So... test strips in the trash when my K2006 arrives? It was definitely a K-2006. The woman who's been doing my testing even opened it up and showed me everything inside it.

Does keeping pH lower help with drying out skin? I was getting SUPER dried out when pH was testing out closer to 7.8, but I wonder if TA being as low as 65 could have been the culprit as well?

[PoolDoc]

Water dries skin -- removes skin oils -- regardless.

High chlorine (FC > 25% of CYA) leaves my skin feeling 'dry' and 'tight', so that might be what you were experiencing. But I don't think everyone's skin is the same in that regard.

Many people report that their skin feels 'less dry' when they begin using salt (NaCl > 2000 ppm) or borates (> 60 ppm). Some people have added salt, just for the feel. Again, their 'dry' skin may not be the same thing you are experiencing. Regardless, I'd try borates first. Salt does increase corrosion, and I'm not sure it's worth it, if you don't have a SWCG.

The saponification (oil => soap) of oils *is* affected by pH, but I don't know if the the difference between 7.4 and 7.8 or 8.0 would be enough to notice. However, it surely won't hurt to lower your pH and see.