New Home/Pool Owner. Cloudy/Algae Present, Have Readings, will bleach...

[DallasGuy]

Okay, moving in day today, and I've got this cloudy pool sitting in the backyard I'd love to be able to cool off in!

Done my best to catch up on the algae battle here ahead of time, but trying to sort out next/best steps to getting this sucker cleared up. I'd say somewhere around 30-40% of the pool bottom has algae present on it. Green, maybe some mustard?

The pool is an inground sport pool (3/5.5/4), approximately 15,000 gallons.

I ordered the test kit from Amazon, but it hasn't arrived yet. Took the walk of shame to Walmart to pick up the HTH kit recommended here. Took three sets of readings this afternoon, here's what I came away with:

Total Chorine: 1.0 PPM.
pH: 7.4
Total Alkalinity: 90
CYA: 80
Calcium: 90

So... from the fighting algae sticky, it sounds like pH, alkalinity, and CYA are all within range. Before I embark on the 'Best Guess' shock treatment plan, it seems like I need to know Free Chlorine. Is there a way to test this without waiting days by the mailbox for Amazon to deliver?

What should be next steps for me?

Thanks in advance,

-Frustrated but eager to learn/act homeowner.

[Watermom]

In your pool, each gallon (4 quarts) of plain, unscented 6% bleach will add around 4ppm of chlorine. With a CYA of 80, then your shock level will be about 20ppm. So, add 5 gallons of bleach.

Until your good kit arrives, you can force your kit to read chlorine readings higher than 5ppm with a dilution method:

Testing Without a Good Kit

(Not super accurate, but better than nothing until you get the K2006.)

Over the weekend, every time you test, add enough bleach to get back to around 20ppm. Run your pump 24/7 for now and clean your filter as needed.

[Darkside]

dont forget to brush, brush, and brush often to kick up all that algae off the bottom. also brush around light fixtures, steps, etc.... you want to brush out any of the green stuff that may be hiding.