Our IG pool was completed in August, we live in the Northeast and I’m in the process of closing our pool for the first time. I’m having a hard time deciding how much water I should leave in the pool? First off, I will be installing a safety cover and the manufacture requires no less then 18”between the cover and water. When I started the process I was told to drain the water 4 to 5” below the lowest return which was 14”. With this in mind I drained the pool accordingly. Since this time someone who I believe is knowledgeable told me to fill the pool back up to 9” below the coping and add a step pump. Being my first time closing the pool I’m very nervous and I don’t want to screw anything up. My biggest concern filling the pool back up to the 9” below the coping is the wall returns will be under water. The lines were blown out and new #8 plugs were installed. The skimmer openings are at 9” and both wall returns are at 14”. Someone else also told me as long as there is 15” gap between the bottom of the cover and the top of water I should be fine, what should I do?

You'll be fine with the water just below the returns

Do you have any reason to believe that the rubber plugs weren't correctly installed?

waste,

Thank you for the response. Other then not closing a pool before and/or installing a plug, I have no reason to believe there not installed correctly. I placed them in the 1 1/2" PVC and tightened them down by hand; I would say there is probably 1/8” of rubber bulging from the around the plug.

You (and all others here) are welcome to my advice

Sounds to me that you'll have no trouble with the plugs