Sadly, none of that is useful at this point.
Okay... so... first step, make a shopping list.
You know you'll need Chlorine. Either Chlorox or store brand 8.25% or Liquid shock or pool chlorine that is the same but stronger. It doesn't matter which, as long as you know the concentration. If they're ashamed to list it on the jug, you don't want it. 9 or 10 jugs of chlorox; 8 should be plenty to start with if it's stronger stuff. Expect to need more later.
You'll need some baking soda. Walmart and Costco sell big bags. Grocery stores sell smaller packages. It doesn't have to be brand name stuff, as long as it's pure baking soda, sodium bicarbonate. You'll need about 13 lbs of it.
You'll need some Borax. Buy one box.
You'll also need a brush and a pole and maybe a leaf rake, and a vacuum setup. You might have some of that left behind. use the
Visual Encyclopedia to identify any mystery items.
When you return from the store (and you know you'll have spent less than if you went to the pool store) scatter the baking soda in the pool and brush it around with the pump on. After half an hour, retest pH and TA. If TA is above, say 50, you're ready to adjust pH.
Use
pool math to get the dose for the Borax. You will need the TA to get this right. Add that just the way they say in the
Pool School article. After another half an hour of brushing, circulation, and pulling debris out of the bottom. recheck pH. You might need more Borax, if you were below the bottom of the pH tester.
Once you have TA above 50 and the pH is anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8, have at it. Jugs away! Your target is 10 FC for your 20 CYA. Use
poolmath to tell you how much to dose each time. Take pictures.
Reread the
SLAM article a few times once you get started. It will make more sense once you start doing.
I'd recheck the FC level after the first hour. Expect it to have dropped considerably. If the CC is way high, you might have ammonia in the water. Post back and let us know. Although the solution is the same -- more bleach! Keep aiming for 10 FC.
