In need of help - total newbie and numbers seem off

[Nori71]

So, first off, I am so thankful that I stumbled on this forum! I was actually terrified to set our pool up until I found this site! Anyways, we set up a little pool for the kids this summer. We bought it through Amazon where it listed that when it was filled to 80% it was 1179 gallons, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KQ70LK/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, but when I looked on the Intex site it appears that it is closer to 1779 gallons at 80%. Which one sounds right? I ran my bbb numbers on 1800 gallons since I assumed that Amazon made a typo. Filled it Saturday and added bleach, baking soda and borax according the the numbers I plugged in Sunday night.

I don't have the fancy 6 way tester that is rec here yet. I ordered it last night. I have the only thing they had at Walmart which are the hth 6 way test strips. When I went out this morning to test it reads:
TH: 0
FC:0
pH: 8.4
TA: 40
CYA: 30-50

What's up with the FC being zero? The pH is way too high. Is it ok for kids to swim anyways??? I guess the TA and CYA are ok? What is my next course of action?

Thanks in advance for helping me out here. I am planning to spend more time perusing the forums. I already know that I want to buy a SWP for next summer if this pool thing goes ok this summer.

-Nora

 

[Casey]

Test strips are unreliable and I'll tell you why. You did not list adding CYA and it says you have a level of 30-50 and you do NOT! Tap and well water have no CYA!

I am suspect of the pH for this very reason.

Did you test your numbers (?) before you added anything to the pool?

Hope you get your test kit soon. Which one did you order?

If you could, it would be beneficial to you to read Pool School. You have no chlorine because you have no CYA and the sun has burnt it off. You will learn this in Pool School. Your test strips are fibbing! :lol:

 

[Nori71]

I checking shipping and it will arrive between Friday and Monday. :-( Taylor Complete FAS-DPD Pool Water Test Kit K-2006

I did buy a hth pool start up kit, but I didn't use it. I totally missed that part. I did spend some time at Pool School, but obviously not enough. I will add it tonight. I knew something had to be wrong since the amount of bleach the pc told me to add (like 11 oz) didn't possibly seem like enough on it's own.

My tap water is 7.2 pH, TA 40, CYA 0.

I have visited Walmart, Target and Freddies and no one has any drop testers in stock!