Balancing water in our new AG pool - want to use BBB method

[TnVol]

Got the pool and pump/sand filter up and running - 24' round, 52" high. New liner installed as well last weekend. I've had utility water (about 2/3) and rainwater (about 1/3) fill the pool this last week as we have been getting the filter/pup set up. The pool was used, so I had to get a few parts for the pump/filter during this last week, including new sand. Got that all running today. Water is slightly cloudy right now, but not too bad. Kids have been swimming in it last week as well.

The pool came with a Hayward automatic chlorinator to which I added (3) 3" tabs when I started running the system about 6 this evening. The A/C is set on 2 ppm. (I may have made a mistake putting the tabs in before balancing the water. If so, how can I safely remove and store them for later use if needed?)

Initial water test and questions -
Used Aqua Chem 6 way test strips and then checked results on their site -

Here are results and recommendations -
Total Hardness - LOW
Total Chlorine - VERY LOW
Free Chlorine - VERY LOW
pH - OK
Total Alkalinity - LOW - VERY LOW
Stabilizer - VERY LOW

Aqua Chem's website recommendations -
4 lbs Stabilizer
18.5 lbs Alkalinity Increaser
1.5 lb pH Decreaser
5.5 lbs Calcium Hardness Increaser
2 bags shock
18 oz Algae Control initially, 4 oz per week thereafter

I would like to use the BBB method from the start, so I'm asking for recommendations based on the above results. I know it's just using the strips, but that's what I have on hand and they worked pretty well for me with our Intex 18' x 48" pool for the last 3 years (not the same strips of course :-). I balanced that water early on each year and it pretty much stayed that way through each season. Didn't know about this forum or BBB then, but I'd like to go that route with this pool.

Thanks
Tom

[PoolDoc]

1. Forget about hardness; unless you have way too MUCH, it is not an issue. Do NOT add "Calcium Hardness Increaser"
2. Continue to use tabs -- however the Hayward inline feeder is troublesome and restricts flows above 30 GPM.
3. Do NOT worry about low alkalinity, for now.
4. DO use borax and muratic acid (see link in my signature) to keep pH between 7.0 and 8.0.
5. Do NOT *ever* use "Algae Control" or similar products. They will make your pool WORSE.

Do use bleach nightly, at the rate of 1 gallon of PLAIN 6% household bleach. (Based on 18' pool with 3.5' WATER depth => ~6,500 gallons). Skip bleach dose if PM chlorine level is more than 2 ppm.

Order a K2006; test the water, and then tell us what you have. You can NOT run a pool properly without an accurate CYA test, which test strips can NOT provide. Once you have the pool under control, you can use the strips to 'guess-timate' your chlorine and pH levels, and make your K2006 last longer.

[TnVol]

Thanks Ben. I won't bother with the calcium hardness increaser or the algae control.

If one gallon does 6500 gallons, I would need to use 2 gallons since the pool volume is about 13,600 gallons. 24' x 52" (48" filled to 3/4 on skimmer opening), correct? How many days do you think I need to add the bleach? I have 5 or 6 bags of shock still on hand from last year. Would that be an equivalent? Might as well use up what I have if it applies.

thanks
Tom

[BigDave]

What's in the shock? Exact chemical names and percentages please.

[TnVol]

Trichloro-s-triazinetrione (available chlorine 48.6%) 53.5%
Other ingredients 46.5%

Also - once the pool is balanced, is there some kind of chart or matrix to follow on how much of each "B" needs to be used and on what schedule for a given size pool?

[PoolDoc]

Trichloro-s-triazinetrione (available chlorine 48.6%) 53.5%
Other ingredients 46.5%

Seriously diluted stuff -- do not buy again. Make SURE it doesn't have copper in it. If it does; give it away to some other poor sucker. (Do NOT throw it in the trash -- trichlor + ??? can have very BAD reactions.)

[Watermom]

The bleach calculator linked in this thread will be helpful for you. It has more than just a calculator for bleach. If you click on the upper left hand corner, there are calcs for other things as well.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?11418-bleach-calc

[TnVol]

Thanks