Hello again everyone. Just got the pump hooked up yesterday and got the pool running, when we sprung a leak on the filter and the little glass thing broke off and water went everywhere! So needless to say, that put a stop to things until we went to the pool store today to buy another little glass thingy (not sure what you call it). So I thought I would take my water in to be tested while I was there.
The lady said she would not test the water unless the pool was running for 24 hours. (Of course I lied and said it was) I just wanted to know what the numbers were so I could post them on here. They charged $15.00 per test if you don't buy chemicals from them.(rip off)
So of course a little lie again and said I had to check what supplies I had at home before I bought more.
Here are the readings she gave me and also their Ideal Range:
Test Results Ideal Range
ph 9.0 7.4 - 7.6
Alkalinity 70 100-120 ppm
Calcium Hardness 170 150-275 ppm
Total Disolved Solids 213 <3,000 ppm
Langelier Index 1.1 -0.3 to +0.3

Free Chlorine 0.0 1.0 - 3.0 ppm
Total Chlorine 0.0 1.0 - 3.0 ppm
Combined Chlorine 0.0 0.0-0.2 ppm
Stablizer 40 25 - 75 ppm
Bromine 0.0 2.0 - 4.0 ppm

They told me to add 3 kg buffer sprinkle around pool tonight
Tomorrow another 3 kg buffer sprinkle around pool
Tomorrow night 3kg shock
Next morning 2 litres Algon around pool

So my question is how do I figure out what 3 kg of shock is in bleach?
Is buffer baking soda? and what would 3kg of buffer be in baking soda?

Any help would be appreciated. I would really like to go with bleach this year instead of buying that expensive shock.

Thanks all
Mary