6% sodium hypochlorite vs. 68% calcium hypochlorite for start up?

[Watermom]

Sounds like Ben has you on the right track, but just wanted to stop by to say hello and welcome you to the Pool Forum!

[Mtheuck]

Chlorine level is very high....BEAUTIFUL shade of dark yellow. pH, on the other hand is quite low. I used both the OTO and the 6 way strips and had it tested at my local pool store...they also told me alkalinity and pH were both very low and their prescription was 10# alkalinity increaser and 2# pH invader...which I have NOT done yet. I have 2 boxes of borax, some stabilizer, and the remainder of the pool chemicals from last year listed above. My water is no longer green, but is cloudy and there are dark spots on the floor of the pool. Next step?

I forgot to give you the levels...duh! pH is at about 7.2, alkalinity is somewhere between 0-40.

[Watermom]

Did you order a Taylor K-2006 kit?

If your pool is cloudy, it sounds like you have dead algae that you need to filter out. Run your pump 24/7 while you are trying to clear the pool.

Your pH is a little low at 7.2, but fortunately not critically low. Go ahead and add a half of a box of Borax slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, breaking up any clumps. Wait at least 3 hours or so to give it time to circulate and then retest. Aim for 7.4-7.6. Redose if you need to. Alkalinity increaser is just expensive baking soda. You add it in the same way as the Borax and it can be added at the same time. But, you don't want to add 10 lbs. of it at once. Overall, you'll probably need more than 10 lbs., but just do gradually to get to your goal over a few days.

You need to test your CYA with a disappearing dot test (not strips) before we can advise you whether or not to add stabilizer. Keep your chlorine high.

(Need that good kit! It will make your pool care much easier!)