need help and advice on pool opening

Big hello to you all!

Before I begin, just wanted to let you know how great it was using my pool last summer after converting from Baqucil to bleach! Lots less work and sparkleing clear water! Amazing-I converted my neice and am still working on my cousin.

Ok, here are my readings with the HTH test kit: Chlorine-not even registering on the tester; PH-8.2; Alkalinity:50ppm; hardness-50ppm; CYA-40ppm. Volume of the pool is 8496 gal and we are just uncovering and topping the water level now.

Aside from pouring in a couple gallons of bleach, what else do you reccomend?

How does your water look? If it is clear, then I wouldn't add but 1.5 gallons to start it up. That would take you up to about 10ppm. I assume this is a vinyl pool? If that is the case, don't worry about the calcium hardness reading. Your ph is too high. Add a cup of muriatic acid slowly in front of a return jet. (1 cup at a time.) Wait several hours to let it circulate, then retest and redose until you get your ph down to 7.4-7.6. Also, add a little baking soda to the skimmer while the pump is running to raise your alk to 80-125. Probably start with a cup at a time. Add it slowly and break up any clumps. Adjust it in the same way as the ph, add, wait, retest, redose. CYA is good, don't want it any higher. Don't use any dichlor or trichlor to chlorinate with. Just use bleach.