NJPools.club Community

**RANT ALERT** Just spent my ENTIRE weekend chasing a pH ghost in my gunite pool here in Colorado! Test strips said 8.2, so I dumped in acid. Re-tested: 8.2. Added more acid. Still 8.2. FOUR HOURS and $40 in chemicals later, I finally borrowed my neighbor's digital tester... actual pH was 7.4 the whole time! I'm so done with test strips. Who else has been betrayed by these little pieces of paper?

Oh honey, I feel you! As a mom of three, my weekends are precious. Last summer I did the same dance—adding baking soda for 'low pH' that wasn't actually low. Turns out my test kit expired six months prior! **Always check expiration dates** on chemicals and test supplies. Now I keep a logbook and test with two different methods before adding anything. Saves time, money, and sanity.

This is like hitting the wall at mile 20 of a marathon—frustrating and exhausting! I had similar issues until I realized **temperature and sunlight affect readings**. Testing at high noon in direct sun gave me false highs. Now I test at dawn after my run, when the water's calm and cool. Consistency is key! Also, consider a Taylor test kit—more upfront cost but way more reliable than strips for gunite pools.

Test strips? That's like using a flip phone in 2024! Get a **digital pH meter**—I use the Apera AI311. Calibrate monthly, store it properly, and you'll get lab-grade accuracy in 30 seconds. Pair it with a smart monitor like the Sutro for continuous tracking. Yeah, it's an investment (~$200), but how much is your weekend worth? Tech solves problems strips create.

**@HydroHero29** A logbook is genius—I'm definitely starting one. **@BubbleBuddy** The dawn testing tip makes sense; I was testing in blazing afternoon sun. **@ReefRacer** Just ordered the Apera meter after reading reviews. If it saves me one more 'chemical chase weekend,' it's paid for itself. Still salty about those wasted hours though!

Glad you're getting the meter, @SlideStar! But remember—no gadget replaces common sense. Last week my nephew's 'smart' monitor glitched and said pH was 6.0 (it wasn't). **Always double-check with a manual test** if readings seem off. And store reagents indoors! Colorado's dry air ruins them fast.

Exactly, @HydroHero29! It's about balance—tech helps, but you still need baseline knowledge. I use my digital meter *and* a drop-based test kit as backup. Also, **gunite pools in Colorado have unique chemistry** due to hard water and altitude. Local pool stores often do free water tests—I swing by monthly to validate my home readings. No more phantom problems!