I know NOTHING! Where do I start?
Hi and welcome! For a first-timer you've done GREAT and avoided MOST of the pit-falls, and not caused ANY damage with the few you've hit. With help, you'll stay right on track
1) I'd start by adding 1/2 of that gallon of bleach immediately...right now. It should raise your FC to about 7ppm, which is OK for now--more below on CYA.
2) Then take a water sample to a pool store and see if their numbers are similar to yours.
3) THROW or give those "double-acting" tablets AWAY! NEVER use them! They contain copper as the "extra ingredient" and copper will give you nothing but trouble. They are GARBAGE and, IMHO, I think HTH is highly irresponsible in marketing them.
4) Is the "Super Shock" Cal-Hypo or Di-Chlor? If it's Cal-Hypo you might be able to use it--but only if your Calcium Hardness level is low (You didn't report that #--for vinyl we don't care about CH, unless it's high).
But if it's Di-Chlor, you cannot use it now--save it for when your CYA is low and your pH is elevated.
Meanwhile, plan on using Bleach or Liquid Chlorine. 1 gallon of 6% bleach adds EXACTLY 6ppm of FC to 10,000 gallons of water. Since you have 4,400, just under half that, 1/2 gallon of bleach should do the same--maybe a tad more. If you use 5.25% bleach, it adds 5.25ppm per 10,000 gallons, etc.
5) If the CYA number is correct then you will need to keep your daily FC between 3 and 6 and shock it to 15 whenever there's a hint of a problem--the level of "7" I suggested above is fine for now--as long as the water is still clear.
6) If the CYA is lower, you are still fine at that level.
7) If you see any signs of algae--bits of green on the bottom or greenish water, immediately add bleach to get FC to 10 to 12 ppm if your CYA is actually below 30, and raise FC to 15 if CYA is between 30 and 50.
8) The pool store WILL try to sell your calcium to raise your calcium level. Resist. Calcium is useless in vinyl pools but they push it anyway. They may also push phosphate removers and use scare tactics to get you to buy them. Resist. Phosphate levels are, in most pools, highly irrelevant. "Oh, your phosphate level is 500ppb! you need remover!" Nope. You can have SIX TIMES that level without a problem.
9) You CAN buy only one algaecide: PolyQuat 60%. It will say as it's ONLY active ingredient "Poly....<something long and unpronounceable>.... 60%" That's that stuff. Anything else? NEVER buy it! It doesn't matter what the PolyQuat 60% is called. Sometimes it's "Black Algaecide", sometimes "Mustard Algae Treatment", whatever. As long as it's only ingredient is Poly .... 60% that's the stuff--it's usually a lot more expensive--about $20/bottle, but you only use about 1/2 to one ounce at a time, and only as a preventative.
10) Order a proper test kit on-Line from Taylor Technologies, Amatoind dot com, or Leslies on-line. From the first two get the Taylor K-2006 or K-2006C kit. From Leslies get the FAS-DPD Chlorine Service Pack Test Kit--it's their version of the K-2006. Do not get the K-2005 or a "DPD" test kit--it must have the FAS-DPD test. Expect it to cost between $50 and $70 and it's worth its weight in gold or platinum! Then you'll always be able to get better test numbers than the pool store.
Have fun with the Intex! I had a 15' for 3 years and we enjoyed it very much. I learned enough about pool care to feel confident to go to the 40'x16' I have now. I even got my first FAS-DPD kit while I had the Intex...still have it somewhere!
Carl
With us living in a rural area, I figured the water was very hard.
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