Hi folks - wish i had found this forum before being socked at the local pool store - ugh! Anyway, lesson learned.

I just got our first little pool for my toddlers - a Summer Escape vinyl 8' round 30" deep with a small pump. Holds 650 gallons. I will be picking up my Walmart HTH test kit tomorrow, but am using Pool Time test strips in the meanwhile. Ch.orine is fine but both alkalini and PH were measuring very low, so I added about 6 oz baking soda dissolved in water first. Half hour later and PH is showing Very High (8.4).

What should be my next step, or should I just wait it out? I'm not letting the babies swim until it's safe for them.

Many thanks for this fantastic forum!