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OMG I'm freaking out here! Just did my first CH test on our new plaster pool in Arizona (it's 110°F outside, btw). The instructions said it should turn blue at the endpoint, but mine went PURPLE after 20 drops! Is my plaster dissolving? Did I just waste $50k? My toddler's been screaming all morning and I haven't slept in 3 days... someone please tell me this is fixable before my husband gets home 😭

**First: STOP PANICKING.** Purple means your calcium hardness is through the roof. Arizona water is notoriously hard - mine tests at 450ppm straight from the tap. Did you test your fill water first? **Second:** High CH won't "ruin" your pool immediately, but it can cause scaling on plaster and equipment. Check your other levels (pH, alkalinity) because those interact. **Third:** Post your actual numbers. How many drops until purple? What's your pool volume? We need data, not drama.

Breathe, FloatFreak42! 🧘‍♀️ I had the same panic last month during my meditation retreat (yes, I brought my test kit to Sedona). Purple endpoint just means extremely high calcium. My test went purple at 32 drops = 800ppm! The desert minerals are intense here. **What helped me:** - Partial drain/refill with softened water - Adding sequestrant to bind excess calcium - Regular brushing to prevent scaling Your pool isn't ruined - it's just Arizona being Arizona! The plaster is fine as long as you manage it.

**Fascinating biochemical reaction!** The purple endpoint indicates all calcium ions have complexed with the indicator dye, and excess dye molecules are shifting the color spectrum. **Protocol:** 1. Verify with 10ml sample (multiply drops by 25 for ppm) 2. Test your source water - Phoenix municipal water runs 300-500ppm CaCO3 3. Consider installing a whole-house softener or RO system **Biohack:** High CH actually stabilizes pH swings in our extreme heat. Monitor LSI (Langlier Saturation Index) rather than chasing arbitrary numbers. My pool runs at 650ppm CH with perfect plaster after 3 years.

Okay, breathing... toddler is napping (miracle!). @SplashKing: It turned purple at 28 drops with the 25ml sample. Pool is 15,000 gallons, plaster is 2 months old. Other tests: - pH: 7.8 - TA: 90 - FC: 3 - CYA: 40 @PumpPro: How often do you add sequestrant? @FilterFan31: What's LSI and how do I calculate it??

**28 drops × 10 = 280ppm** (you used 25ml sample, right? That's 10ppm per drop). That's actually NOT terrible for Arizona! Mine's at 350. **Your numbers look decent:** - pH slightly high but manageable - TA in good range - FC/CYA ratio appropriate **Action plan:** 1. Lower pH to 7.4-7.6 with muriatic acid 2. Add 16oz of sequestrant (follow bottle instructions) 3. Brush walls twice weekly 4. Consider draining 18" and refilling with softened water next month **NOT ruined.** Just needs management. Welcome to desert pool ownership!

See? Not ruined! 🌵✨ I add sequestrant monthly (8oz per 10,000 gallons) as maintenance. After partial drain/refill, I did weekly doses for a month. **Pro tip:** Use a calcium scale inhibitor like Jack's Magic or Metal Magic. And brush, brush, brush - it's like meditation for your pool! The physical action prevents crystals from bonding to plaster. Your baby plaster is actually more vulnerable to low CH than high CH right now. The calcium in the water helps cure it properly!

**LSI = pH + TF + CF + AF - 12.1** (Temp Factor, Calcium Factor, Alkalinity Factor) With your numbers at 85°F water temp: - **LSI ≈ +0.3** (slightly scaling but acceptable) **Optimal protocol:** 1. Download PoolMath app 2. Input your numbers 3. Target LSI between -0.3 and +0.3 4. Adjust pH first (most impactful variable) **Fascinating fact:** Plaster continues absorbing calcium from water for 6-12 months! Your high CH might be beneficial during curing phase. Monitor rather than aggressively lower.

**THANK YOU ALL!** 🙏 I just: - Added muriatic acid per PoolMath - Ordered Jack's Magic sequestrant - Brushed the pool while toddler splashed in floatie - Husband came home to CALM instead of chaos! Turns out 280ppm is actually below Phoenix average! You all saved my sanity. Desert pool ownership is a journey... but at least I'm not alone! **Lesson learned:** Test fill water BEFORE panicking. And maybe get more sleep 😅