New here. A bit overwhelmed.

[Mwil3]

It is ok to add chlorine. As I suggested, take it to about 6ppm but just don't "shock" the chlorine up high. You might need to reread this thread. There has been a lot of information given and sometimes it is hard to absorb it all on the first read. Hang in there. You'll get it. Let us know when you find out about your well water.

OK. I'm sorry...I was a bit confused (I thought that "shock" was Chlorine)
When you say "plain bleach" do you mean just "plain bleach"? Like from walmart?

[Watermom]

"Shock" is a verb -- something you do to your pool, not a product. When we say to shock the pool, we mean to super-chlorinate. You do NOT want to do that right now until you find out if you have metals in your well water.

When I say plain bleach, I mean plain, unscented laundry bleach. Clorox or better yet, generic from someplace like Wal-mart where it is cheaper. Most of us here on the forum use bleach as our source of chlorine.

[aylad]

OK. I'm sorry...I was a bit confused (I thought that "shock" was Chlorine)

Just to clarify, as Watermom said above, "shock" just means to raise your chlorine level to a level that will kill algae. What product you use to accomplish that with is your decision. I know it's confusing--pool stores package powdered chlorine and call it "shock", but it's just chlorine in large amounts. You can use

Dichlor--usually what is in the packaged "shock" and will raise your chlorine but also has the side effects of raising your CYA and lowering your pH

Cal-hypo--also packaged as "shock" and will raise your chlorine and calcium (calcium is not needed in a vinyl pool, no matter what the pool store people say!, but will not cause problems for you unless your hardness gets above 250 or so, and then it can cause milky water)

Bleach--plain, generic bleach with no additives, scents, etc. available at WalMart that will raise your chlorine but not affect your other chemistry numbers. Most of us on the forum use this because it's the most readily available, cheapest form of chlorine that doesn't mess with your other chemistry numbers

Liquid chlorine--same as bleach, but usually in 10% strength, where bleach is either 5.25% (regular) or 6% (ultra).

So--you need some chlorine (up to 3-5 ppm) in the pool to keep from growing algae, but you don't want to "shock" your pool (up to 10-12 ppm) until you know if you have metals in your water, because high doses of chlorine with metals in the water cause the metal to fall out of suspension and cause staining. (See the Metals forum if you need more info on this).

Hope this helps..

Janet