total alkalinity

[mick]

my alkalinity never seems quite right on my 3 way tester strips but my pool seems fine and my chlorine and pH is the right colour. Does this matter? any comments would be good. thanks.

[chem geek]

Unless you have a plaster/gunite pool or a pool with exposed grout from tile, then it doesn't matter. If your pH is relatively stable, then you are good to go.

Test strips are notoriously inaccurate except for Aqua Check test strips for borates and salt (chloride). They are very convenient, but not nearly as good as drop-based tests, especially the FAS-DPD chlorine tests found in the Taylor K-2006 test kit (at Taylor here and at Leslie's here and the similar but even better kit at tftestkits here).

What are your current measurements for pH, Total Alkalinity (TA), Cyanuric Acid / Stabilizer (CYA), Calcium Hardness (CH)? And what kind of pool surface do you have (plaster/gunite, vinyl, fiberglass, pebbletec, etc.)?

Richard

[Carol]

I put 9oz of an algae in my pool the first time. Then instead of 1oz a week later I put 9oz again. My water is cloudy. HELP!!!!

[Backglass]

I put 9oz of an algae in my pool the first time. Then instead of 1oz a week later I put 9oz again. My water is cloudy. HELP!!!!

Call me crazy, but I would try to avoid intentionally putting algae into your pool.

(I think you probably meant algaecide. )

The big question is, during this week, did you put anything else into the pool? It could just be a lack of sanitizer...algaecide is a safety net and without chlorine you will get algae anyway.

The only way to know for sure is to please post your test numbers so we can help.