getting started, first summer

[BigDave]

I agree with you, shock with unstabilized chlorine (bleach or cal-hypo), keep FC at 15 by testing / dosing two or more times a day. When it's time to leave, tbas in a floater wil help you lose less ground while your gone. Unless, of course, you're completely clean, have less that 0.5 CC and lose no FC between sunset and sunup - then you're done. Well, still maybe a tab while your gone to keep up with the sun.

[Watermom]

Are you planning on leaving your pump running while you are gone or on a timer? I know right now, my trees are dropping so much stuff in the pool that it would be risky to do so for fear of my skimmer basket plugging up. Do you have a neighbor who you could get to pour some bleach in and run the pump for a few hours a couple times while you are gone?

Welcome to the Pool Forum, by the way!

[nolensville]

Thanks for the help. Other than places I missed brushing the pool already looks great.

I was planning on leaving the pump running. Our trees dropped everything a few weeks back and my skimmers are staying clear now. If I leave it on a timer, how often should it run every day? Does the amount of time change depending on season, temperature, etc?

[Watermom]

Since it is still cool and your pool temps are probably not very warm yet, I'd probably do 4-6 hours on the timer. Do you have somebody that can come by and dump in a bottle of bleach for you after a couple of days while you are gone?

Do you still have visible algae? Run another set of numbers. When are you leaving? If it were my pool, I think I'd shock the pool right before I left and then maybe leave some trichlor in there for residual. Or, just leave the trichlor out and let a neighbor come by and pour a bottle of bleach in there mid-week. Make sure they know to do it while the pump is running.