Risks with high alkalinity?

[chem geek]

I don't use calcium, and haven't for a long time.

Jeez, it would help if I read a post more thoroughly! Rangeball, I would still be interested to know what your calcium level is in your pool and, if you don't mind testing it, in your fill water as well (unless you recently refilled your pool). My guess is that the CH is rather low which is good in your case and explains why you aren't seeing scaling nor cloudiness. [EDIT] I just read Tom's (waterbear's) post which surmises you have high CH -- at any rate, now I'm really interested in your pool's CH reading. [END-EDIT]

Richard