Frustrated!!!!

[Elisabeth]

I have not added any chlorine yet, which is concerning because I am afraid it is going to get away on me and then I will have an even bigger mess.

Can I start switching over to the BBB method once I have started with HTH chemicals?

Yesterday I did the return jet to create a rippling effect on the surface as well a water nozzle with the hose for about 20 minutes on the surface trying to get some rippling action.

I added 16 oz. of stabilizer.

Thanks for any and all your help.

[Elisabeth]

I forgot to add I am using a HTH 6 way test kit

[Watermom]

1 lb. of stabilizer should put you at 40ppm which would be a good CYA reading. When did you add it and how did you add it?

I assume you are using the 6-Way drops-based kit and not the 6-way test strips?

You better get some bleach in there now, like this morning. I'm surprised it's not turning green already with no chlorine. Go ahead and add a quart of bleach. Generic 8.25% Walmart bleach is fine and what many of us use. That should put you at about 6ppm of chlorine. For reference, in your pool, each cup will add about 1.5ppm of chlorine. Use that to help you figure out how much bleach to add each evening.

What are the "HTH Chemicals." (Please give ingredients.)

[Elisabeth]

Yes I have the drops based kit. I added the stabilizer I believe on Weds...unfortunately I threw away the bottle so I am not sure about the ingredients, it is the bottle that comes in the pool startup kit (it was purchased at Walmart).

So just to be completely sure, this morning I am adding a quart of generic bleach and 1 cup of Borax and test after a few hours to see what my PH is at?

[Watermom]

Yes. That is correct.

[Elisabeth]

So I added the bleach as directed and 1 cup of borax at 10 am Sunday morning, I then tested Sunday evening about 8 pm and had a CL of 3, PH of 7.2. I did not test AL .

Monday morning 9 am results
CL - 3
PH - 7.2
AL - 180
Hardness - I added the 5 drops of hardness indicator as directed by test kit and could not get the 25 ml of pool water of blue it only turned a yellowish color
CYA - at 30 which is as low as my test kits goes I can still see slightly the black dot.

after this test run I added another cup of borax.

My water had been nice and clear yesterday morning before adding the bleach but yesterday afternoon it started to turn on me and now has a slight green tinge to it. I am going to purchase another filter and get that put in as the other is quiet dirty. Hopefully that helps.

What should my next step be?

Again thanks for all your help...hopefully I can have the grandkids in the pool on the weekend to celebrate the end of the school year.

[Watermom]

Is your pool green and cloudy or green and clear?

Don't worry about the calcium hardness test.

Your pH is good. Keep some chlorine in there. For now, aim for 3-5ppm.

Don't retest the CYA anymore until about Wed. That will be a full week since you added it so it should all be dissolved by then. Report that reading. If it is still showing lower than 30, we'll have you add a little more CYA.