new to BBB method of pool maintenance

[Sewingmom]

Greetings new friends,
To begin with, the pool was not closed down last year and was full of leaves. It still has some leaves in the bottom but yesterday discovered vacuuming to waste and sucked a lot more leaves out. (1.5 weeks ago I shocked the pool with 6 1lb bottles of Clorox Xtra Blue Shock with algae killing crystals.) I have gotten the pool to a milky state where I cant see the bottom. I do not understand how to use the Pool Math Chart that I located online. I do not remember the volume of water the pool holds. (10,000 gal ? for 24"round) Do I measure the real depth of the water or to the top edge of the pool?? I have ordered a Taylor test kit but it wont be here till July 1. I need to know where to start from this point. We are currently testing with an HDX water sampling kit, Looking at the test and looking at the back of the baking soda package, I decided that I needed to add 3 lbs of baking soda to the water thus the milky color this morning, My husband also dropped in 1 (3")chlorine tab. I am now going to add 9 lbs baking soda and (another chlorine tab in skimmer 1 hour after adding baking soda.

test kit readings today (before any additions )
chlorine 1.0
ph 6.8
total alkalinity is 30

 

[Sewingmom]

Decided not to add another chlorine tab to skimmer but added 1 gal. of Clorox. Yes it will dissipate in the sunlight but I hope the chlorine level and ph will be swimmable tonight. The water is looking better and better even with my haphazard chemistry management. I'm dying to get in the pool. When I do get in I will work at brushing the sides .
Sewingmom

 

[PrairieGirl]

Have you read pool school? There s a link in the bar near rhe top of the page.

I would stick with just chlorine for now. The pool math link also has a link for instructions explaining how to use pool math. Have you re checked your ph after adding the baking soda? I would suggest just sticking with the bleach daily until you can get your test kit, and stay away from the tablets and anything else.

Hopefully others will chime in.

 

[mbusd]

Greetings new friends,
I do not understand how to use the Pool Math Chart that I located online. I do not remember the volume of water the pool holds. (10,000 gal ? for 24"round) Do I measure the real depth of the water or to the top edge of the pool??

Here is the link to PoolMath: http://www.troublefreepool.com/calc.html

Scroll to the bottom and it will walk you through how to estimate your pool volume. You will then use that and your test results to calculate what you need to add to your pool. What kind of test kit are you using right now?

 

[Sewingmom]

mbusd, The test kit I have right now looks like it came from Home Depot. It is an HDx brand. It has a chlorine test that is supposed to give free chlorine values and CC values but is hard to detect the difference, it also checks bromine, PH, total alkalinity, and acid demand I am not sure when it was purchased or where.
I think I am beginning to understand how the Pool Math chart works.
the PH after adding the baking soda is still too low not quiet 7.2, and the total alkalinity was 110, FC was between 2 & 3, CC though may be a 2 there was a slight change from the FC to the CC.
The water was a beautiful blue this evening but just not clear, milky blue, but much clearer than earlier today I can just see a shadow in the center o the pool telling me there are leaves in the pool. Much less minute junk was floating in the pool. I will vacuum to waste in the morning.
edited to add; Prarie girl, I have read through pool school twice. I guess I want someone to hold my hand through balancing my chemicals and having a nice clean pool.
Sewingmom