Answer:

The first step will be getting the pump and filter operational so that you are filtering the water as well as dispersing any chemicals that are added. The next step will be to balance the water in the following order 1. hardness 2. total alkalinity 3. pH. Hardness may be fine right out of the tap (200 ppm + needed), and do not fill with soft water. Alkalinity and pH may also be good, test and adjust as necessary. There should be treatment charts available on the packaging or in the test strip insert. The amounts for the various chemicals vary according to the particular chemical and concentration. They are not all the same. Once the balance is acheived, you would need to add a metal removing agent if there is any metal typically present in your source water before you add chlorine as once you add chlorine, the metals may oxidize causing cloudy water and staining. Then you are ready to add chlorine, following the dosage chart provided on the chemicals you received. It might not be a bad idea to shock once the pool is balanced. After adding chlorine, the water is safe to get in, typically 4 hours or so after adding that chemical. Again, test and balance to make sure you have acheived the proper levels. Run the pump with all chemical additions, unless otherwise directed on the packaging. You can also search of pool calculators online where you can enter your test results and get a generic prescription to help with specific dosages.