I just found this forum this morning and have been reading ALL DAY! Very Informative and helpful! I will be bookmarking!

Anyways, the closest I have ever come to owning a pool is filling up the bath! It only requires bubbles so I was able to manage that .

We just set up an Intex Ultra 16' x 48" with like a 5900 gal capacity.

Water is almost full as we speak. When I get off work I will be heading to Walmart to get the BBB and a test kit...

I some what understand what to use for which problems thanks to this forum. My first question is...once testing is completed what is the first chemical I add? Do I start with my bleach? How do I know how to add for the levels to be achieved? Once I add the required bleach how long do I have to wait to add the next thing - Borax or Acid? I am hoping I only have to use Borax. I have city water which is actually filling my pool and causing a brackish color. I read that was normal even with city water....hoping thats correct. Kinda scary to know I make my babies bottle with that water...

Anyways, after getting in my bleach and other chemicals needed. When do I add the Stabilizer? A friend told me not to use bleach but to use the chlorine from walmart that contained a stabilizer just because it would help it to stay longer... My pool is in FLORIDA in the direct sun!

After adding cholorine WITH stabilizer (if anyone knows the name please feel free to post it) and then the borax assuming it will need to be brought up, how long do I have to wait before we can swim?

If we do the bleach with stabilzer tablets, how long after the tablets are put in can we swim? Is it a matter of a time frame or the actual numbers evening out as needed? If using tablets and bleach, do I just continue to 'sock' the tablets and use them AS NEEDED every few weeks or what?

Sorry to be so long winded and ask so many questions? I've learned a lot on this board but didn't seem to understand this part!