New AG pool owner with questions

[iBrew]

Thanks for the info! The pool is a 54" steel-sided pool. I'm told the pool comes with a test kit, but I'm certain it isn't a good one. I'll get the K-2006 as soon as I can, but in the meantime the wallyworld kit will do. I'll test the water coming out of the hose by tomorrow and post the results here.

Eric

[PoolDoc]

Yeah, using an SWCG with a steel sided pool is possible, but voids the warranty due to corrosion concerns

[iBrew]

Ok, so I went to Walmart and bought the only test kit they had... It's a cheap'o 3-way, but it will have to work until the good one gets in. My pool is going to be installed tomorrow so, I filled up a glass with water from the hose I'll be using. Here were the results from that test kit:
CL - 1.5
BR - less than 1.3
Ph - 7.6

Any tips on getting this thing up to speed? I've got the baking soda and I'll get a few gallons of bleach (6%, right?). When I add the bleach and stabilizer, will that 'shock' the pool?

[PoolDoc]

"Shocking" usually just means "getting the chlorine to a kinda high level".

Your fill water looks like it may be easy -- as long as the inside of your toilet tank is not DARK brown / rust color, you should be OK.

If you want to swim ASAP, do this.

#1 - hang the stabilizer in a sock in front of the return. It's slow to dissolve, and you'll lose it if you have to clean the filter before it's completely gone.
#2 - go to a pool store if you have to , but get some polyquat (see www.poolsolutions.com/gd/polyquat.html) and add it AS SOON as you begin filling. It's safe to swim in, at any concentration, but will prevent algae and contribute to sanitizing the water.
#3 - start the pump as soon as you can, and put the sock in place.
#4 - add 1/2 gallon of bleach to the pool the first evening it's full.
#5 - unless something funky happens with the water -- possible if there's something weird in the water -- start swimming the next morning.