You need to stop using the pucks in the chlorinator anyway, until you know for sure what your CYA is--and it needs to be tested with a dorp-based kit, not strips. By using the pucks, you are increasing your CYA, which can cause you other problems down the road.

I wouldn't worry too much about your pH right now--the high chlorine levels frequently skew the pH tests, so that you get false results. In any case, 8.0 isn't that much of a problem anyway. I'd leave it alone until you get your pool cleared up.

If you have metals in your water (I'm wondering if that's not what caused the orange floaties in your test block), you probably need to get some metal sequestrant in the pool to keep the chlorine from causing the metals to stain your liner--has the pool store ever tested for metals?

Janet