I have the PH down to 7.4 but the chlorine has not lowered. My test kit goes to free chlorine of 12 but my level is somewhere over that. The water color is really orange so I'm guessing it's around maybe18 or so. Do you still want me to add bleach? I did not order a test kit because I already have one I ordered about 2 weeks ago. Do I want to vacuum the pool at all? What about back washing, or will that remove to many of the chemicals just added? I did notice a slight change in my water entering the skimmer. Before adding the metal chemical it was brown and yellow tinged. Now it's got like a slight cloudy film. Could that mean there is also dead algae in the pool? I didn't think so because usually when chlorine is fighting algae or something it drops and mine holds really steady. I don't get much of a drop at all.