Good morning, Iowan. Just a quick note that goes back to your original question about draining...with a vinyl pool, you don't want to drain any lower than leaving 1 foot in the SHALLOW end to keep the liner in place. Also, if you have a high water table, you'd want water changes to be even less. In a single session to maintain pressure against the walls.
With respect to your question about which way to go...its hard for us to assess without knowing if you have ammonia and if so, how much. I believe i recall it takes 8-10 times the ppm of FC to break ammonia, but unless you happen to have an aquarium at home, you'd need to get an ammonia test to find out if tats the issue (which I suspect it may be.)
If you drain half and DO have ammonia, you will still have to break it down. When you can't completely empty to replace, you use quite a bit more water to dilute.
Maybe if you went to an Aldis for budget bleach (unscented and NOT splashless) you could just do the 10 min. Test and break it down pretty quickly without extraordinary expense...just a thought.
Let us know what you decide with these considerations in hand. Be sure NOT to add any cya until you're holding FC per the ammonia test or it will just convert to more ammonia.
With respect to your question about which way to go...its hard for us to assess without knowing if you have ammonia and if so, how much. I believe i recall it takes 8-10 times the ppm of FC to break ammonia, but unless you happen to have an aquarium at home, you'd need to get an ammonia test to find out if tats the issue (which I suspect it may be.)
If you drain half and DO have ammonia, you will still have to break it down. When you can't completely empty to replace, you use quite a bit more water to dilute.
Maybe if you went to an Aldis for budget bleach (unscented and NOT splashless) you could just do the 10 min. Test and break it down pretty quickly without extraordinary expense...just a thought.
Let us know what you decide with these considerations in hand. Be sure NOT to add any cya until you're holding FC per the ammonia test or it will just convert to more ammonia.