In ground pool
20,000-25,000 gallons
sand filter

After reading the forums all day, I've realized we've been doing pool maintenance all wrong. (CYA levels were through the roof) Out of desperation we just drained, power-washed and are refilling the pool. I want to start things out right though.

I just got sold 3 gallons of stabilizer and a bucket of Chor-Brite-- which I've just realized is going to put me back on the path of high CYA levels. I plan to return it all to the store.

I'm thinking I want to get (cheaper) solid stabilizer and then use bleach for the chlorine. I do have about 20lbs of tabs leftover that I'd like to use, so I thought I'd figure that into my overall CYA needs. If I aim for lower CYA levels, I figure the tabs will bring it the rest of the way up, eventually. Right?

Using the pool calculator, it estimated 7-8 lbs of stabilizer and 182 oz of bleach. I think I may start with the 4 lb bucket of stabilizer and recheck the levels after a week to see how it works and add more if necessary.

My question is... does that sound about right? I'm going to buy a really good pool testing kit, but I may have to order it online. So I don't currently have any water test result numbers to share. (unless I take a sample of the new water into the store, which I can when I return this stuff)

Also, we're having problems with black algae. I scrubbed as much as I could with bleach before we started refilling and it really helped. Part of the problem is the plaster is cracking and needs to be redone, we just have to put that off for a couple more years because of the expense. But the black algae LOVES the cracks! The guy at the shall-not-be-named pool store said it would be easier to treat the black algae when the pool was refilled. (I'm not sure I can trust him anymore though!) What's the best way to combat the black algae?