questions after initial test results

[patplh]

i opened the pool to a murky dark green swamp, which was expected, since i closed with lots of leaves and algae. i started off by circulating the water a bit and fished out as many leaves as i could without going insane. i have always started with almost no CYA, so I went ahead and added enough 12% Bleach to go to shock level (10). I circulated the pool since i had to be away for a few hours and came back 4 hours later.
It's now pitch black out and these are the results I got
FC 6 (or was it 7, my husband distracted me)
CC .5
TA 80
CH 120
pH approx 8.4 or 8.6
CYA 0 (still see the black dot)
1) Bring FC back to 10 tonight
2) Tomorrow, pick up Calcium Chloride to raise CH to 250, and acid to Drop pH to 7.8 with muriatic acid or dry acid
3) Pick up Muriatic acid or dry acid to drop pH to 7.8
4) Pick up stabilizer to raise CYA to 30-50
5) Continue getting the leaves out

A few questions:
- My CH is really low for a gunite pool so I need to add quite a bit of Ca to bring it up. Should I consider picking up Cal-Hypo, which I've never used. I understand it's quicker at killing algae, but more expensive.. OR should i just stick to Ca Chloride.
- Is it strange that my CH drops over the winter? It worries me that the level is so low thru the winter and that Ca could be leaching from the plaster.
- is there an order of importance when it comes to these chemicals? Shocking is most critical now, right? I assume Calcium is the next important and then pH? Can I add all these chemicals at the same time?
- This is my 3rd full season with this pool and we've always used BBB, but our CYA has been notoriously low. Would I be crazy to consider using trichlor pucks for most of the season? i found myself dealing with algae a lot last season due to not being able to juggle two kids and pool maintenance :-D I'll still test and make sure my #s are in range.

Thanks for the help, as always!!

 

[jblizzle]

A couple notes.

First priority should be to get the pH down and before you raise the FC level. The pH test is not accurate for FC >10ppm.

Shocking can go a little better if you get your CYA in the 20-30ppm range to protect the FC from the sun.

While using Cal hypo or the pucks can kill 2 birds ... it can be trickier to adjust your levels as there are multiple effects. Since you are aware of the interaction, it could work if you are careful ... although sticking with liquid bleach you know is affective.

Posted with Tapatalk ... sorry if I sound short ... hate typing on phone

 

[Butterfly]

First adjust pH down to about 7.4.

Add about 30 PPM CYA via sock method and resume shocking to 10.

After the CYA has dissolved from the sock, increase shock level to about 12.

Brush and dip leaves. They are eating your chlorine.

I suggest you use calcium chloride separately to raise CH. Do this last, after the pool is balanced and on a day that you are not adjusting anything else.