Thanks very much for the answer and warm welcome. The "starter package" i was given from the installers included a granulated shock that they recommend i mix in a bucket with water and add to the pool. Will this alone be sufficient to prevent early algae growth, or should i supplement it with bleach? I very much appreciate the knowledge and experience harbored here, but I'm having trouble getting over non use of the included materials my installers have me. I fully agree that i need to get a better test kit, add i am wary of relying on the strips we were given. My plan right now is to shock the pill and stay running the filter. I did use a test strip and it shows that my house full is pretty close to where it should be, with the exception of slightly high ph (about 8). However i realize that my test may be in accurate and doesn't show any metal levels