Hey, butt out you two, she's mine!! Uh, what I meant to say was, if it's not obvious already, folks here will be fighting over answering your questions!
You start here, reading Pool School:
www.troublefreepool.com
Pool School is a collection of articles that describes pool care basics, and the TFPC method.
Personally, I like the ebook version, because it reads end-to-end without having to hop around from webpage to webpage, trying to keep track of where you are and what you've read. The eBook and the link above are the same set of articles, so you won't miss anything using one or the other. This link seems to still be active (requires a Kindle or a Kindle app):
@Leebo will correct me if I'm wrong about the eBook still being available.
You might not "get" everything the first time through, so you might read Pool School more than once. I did. Most everyone here has, so don't worry if it all doesn't make sense the first time through.
The Pool Math app (different from Pool School) is more like a calculator/note book. You use one of the two test kits you've already found to run a few pool water tests, and then enter the test results into Pool Math. Pool Math does all the calculations, based on your pool type and size, and tells you exactly how much of what to put into your pool. Pool Math also tracks what you've added. So you can reference that in the future. You can capture notes. It can remind you when to brush, or clean your filter, etc. Pool Math is not required to run a TFP pool, but it makes it soooo much easier. As pointed out, the in-app purchase unlocks more features, and also helps fund the app development. You won't use if for long before realizing what a great tool it is, and what incredible value it offers.
You'll only need a handful of chemicals, which can be purchased from big box stores or even the grocery store, without pool store markup and cryptic brand names, which only disguise the fact that the "chemicals" they sell are mostly things like bleach, baking soda, borax, etc. Some of the pool store chemicals are more than common chemicals, but you really don't want them in your pool. I've been using the TFP method for over four years and I've used only four things
all that time: chlorine (same thing as bleach), Muriatic acid, Cyanuric acid (crystal form) and salt. That's it. No clarifier, no shock, no mysterious pool stores potions. I've never changed out my water. I've never had an algae outbreak, my pool has been perfectly sanitized the whole time, and the water is crystal clear.
So clear I can see the tiny pebbles in my pool's finish 7' down. I can tell you it's very comforting knowing that those are the only things I'm swimming in.
You don't need ozone or UV or mineral treatments or ionizers or any of that junk. If you're interested I can share why that is, or you can find lots of info about those treatments here at TFP. But if you've got money to burn, you can invest in a saltwater chlorine generating system and cut your maintenance chores to the bone. Many of us here have saltwater pools and swear by them (myself included). SWGs are nothing magical, they just make chlorine, in essence the same chlorine you buy at the store. Except it makes it fresh daily, and you never have to lug chlorine jugs around.
Hope that helps. And welcome aboard.
give us $1,000s of dollars to ruin your summer and guess what? Give us more money and then replace your water.