Answer:

Test the water and balance the in the following order 1. hardness 2. total alkalinity 3. pH. The hardness may be fine right out of the tap (200 ppm + needed). 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 package. 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 are ready to add chlorine, following the dosage chart provided on the chemicals. You will need to shock the pool first to establish a chlorine level, then keep it going with whatever chlorine you will use. 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.