NJPools.club Community

Ugh, I feel you! I'm running on 3 hours of sleep because my toddler decided 2 AM was pool party time, and now I'm staring at this purple test strip like it's mocking me. My chlorine is through the roof (thanks to over-chlorinating after a diaper incident last week), and my pH test keeps coming back purple instead of the normal colors. Is my test kit broken? Do I need to buy a new one? I'm too tired for this chemistry lesson!

Welcome to pool ownership! This is actually a common issue with high chlorine levels. The chlorine (especially free chlorine above 10 ppm) can bleach out the pH indicator dyes in test strips or liquid test kits, causing false high pH readings (that purple color). **Traditional solution:** Wait for chlorine to drop below 5 ppm before testing pH accurately, or use a pH meter if you must test now. I always recommend natural methods like aeration to lower chlorine instead of more chemicals!

Quick fix: Your pH test is inaccurate due to chlorine interference. I deal with this between back-to-back meetings. **Action steps:** 1) Test chlorine first - if it's >10 ppm, pH results are unreliable. 2) Let chlorine dissipate naturally (sun helps) or partially drain/refill if urgent. 3) Retest pH when chlorine is lower. Pro tip: Digital testers avoid this issue but cost more. Gotta run - spin class in 20!

So it's NOT broken? Thank goodness! But wait... if I can't trust the pH test, how do I know if my water is safe for my kids to swim in tomorrow? The chlorine burns their eyes if it's too high, but if the pH is off too, that's also bad, right? This feels like a vicious cycle when you're sleep-deprived.

Exactly right - pH affects chlorine effectiveness AND comfort. High pH (>7.8) reduces chlorine's sanitizing power and can cause scaling; low pH (<7.2) corrodes equipment and irritates eyes. **For safety:** If chlorine is very high, wait 24-48 hours before swimming anyway (it's harsh on skin). Use this time to let levels normalize naturally. I've found adding baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) for pH adjustment once chlorine is lower is gentler than harsh pH increasers.

Efficiency update: Tested my pool during lunch break. **Data point:** Chlorine at 12 ppm gave false pH reading of 8.2 (purple). After 4 hours of sun exposure, chlorine dropped to 6 ppm, pH tested accurately at 7.5. **Recommendation:** Track chlorine hourly if sunny, retest pH when <5 ppm. Consider a chlorine neutralizer (sodium thiosulfate) for faster results, though Olivia might disapprove. Back to work!