2nd year with Intex 10x30 pool.

2nd year with my pool. Hoping this year ends better than last year, which was a slimy mess. Kids are in it everyday and I did well, for almost 2 months. Then, I just couldn't get it fixed. Hoping being on here will help me out. I have a small pool- so it is hard to find people with answers to my questions. This I think is the solution! I have a cheap Hydrotools testing kit, which drops, that did not come with directions- but I see most people put 5 drops in, is that correct?
Also confused on how to fix things. What is the pH is high and CL is low? That is how it was quite often last year even though I put in chlorine tabs and bleach almost daily.
TIA!!!

1. Drain, spray off, and refill your pool.

2. Begin following the Super Simple Recipe *as* you fill => http://pool9.net/ssr/

3. Drain and refill your pool at least monthly. With only 1,100 gallons, the ratio of people 'goo' to gallons of water is all wrong, and the best / cheapest fix is new water.

Okay- just filled for 1st time. Following the directions. Making it up to two cups. But as soon as I ran the numbers with the test kit the next morning- the choline level was great the pH was high. How do I fix that?

1. Get a gallon of distilled water at Walmart.
2. Mix 1/2 cup of pool water with 1/2 cup of distilled water. (Must be *distilled*!) Re-test pH

There are 2 possibilities: (a) your pH is actually high OR (b) your previous pH test was invalid, because the chlorine was over 5.0

The pH test in cheapo OTO/phenol red kits is only dependable up to chlorine levels of 5.0. Above that, and you may get a false high reading. Distilled water doesn't change pH much, but will dilute the chlorine.

If it's actually high, you'll need to get a bottle of granular pH down and use that. The SS Recipe may need modifications for pools as small as yours; I really never planned if for such low volume pools. When the pool is that small, dosing becomes more difficult and the effects of a single swimmer on chemical levels can be large.