Oh Gods. I just went to Wal-Mart and bought about 5 jugs of the large ultra bleach there (over 1 gallon size). When I got back home and tested the water, there was only about 1 to 2 TC in there, and the old stick was gone (I had turned the skimmer back on). With my CYA, that is no good. I used the bleach calc, and poured the recommended amount of bleach slowly into the skimmer to raise the level up to 6 to 7. I then proceeded to aerate the pool by making a large ruckus. I can already see a difference! It is a bit more sparkly.

While swimming, I also noticed some patches of brown stuff on the bottom that looked like supa fine dirt bits together. I had just vacuumed this morning. I would swish it about, and it would disappear only to reappear when I would return to that part of the pool later (I was the only one swimming). Could I have had the beginnings of an algea? Even while using the ankyl-something algea preventative?

And may I ask why only poly-quat algeacide? Do I even need an algeacide? (Sorry so many questions, this is my first year ever having a pool.)

Going to shock up to 20 ppm with regular bleach this evening.

I have another question. If the pool is clear but CC is high, do you only have to raise the chlorine up to shock level overnight and then let it drift back down by next day?