going on vacation, what do I do about the pool while away???

[Pogo]

Hi all. Forgive me please, if this is the wrong place for this topic. I posted here by default and since I am a relatively new member to this pool maintaining philosophy. I had good results by it last year.

Here's the situation. I just had the pool relined and it's filling even as I type (I'm dreading that water bill! ) Also, I have just ordered my test kit. All I have on hand is an old test kit whose chemicals are going on 2 years old. Going on vacation next week. I'll be gone 1 to 2 weeks.

I don't want the water in my newly lined pool to turn to muck while I'm gone... What do I do?
Thanks all.

 

[zea3]

If you don't have anyone available to dump in a jug of bleach for you while you are away, do this:
Make sure you have added enough CYA to reach 30-40 ppm.
Raise the pool to shock level the night before you leave.
Put 3 or 4 pucks in a floater if you have one.
Put the cover on the pool if you have one.
Run the pump on a timer to keep the water circulating.
Test the water when you get back and shock if needed.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I concur with Zea's advice with the following exceptions. If you don't have a floater or tablet feeder, get one! Then fill it with enough tablets to last the entire time you're going to be gone. That's going to be about nine 8oz tabs if you're going to be gone two weeks. Don't add more than enough CYA to get you to about 25. Using 9 tablets will raise your CYA by 18 so upon your return your CYA will be 43. Also the Trichlor will lower your pH so I'd aerate to raise it before leaving.

Your best plan would be to have someone take care of it for you but the above advice is if you don't have someone.

 

[Pogo]

Thanks, y'all. I might could get someone to help but it would have to be a blind "dump ___ bottle(s) bleach in pool every ____ days. I do have a floater, have several actually. Plays hob with me when I try to read... oh- you mean in the pool (you have to be old enough to get that gag ). Kidding aside, I had one but it gave up the ghost. I'll be getting a new one or, in a pinch, use one of the wife's stockings.

1 1/2 to 2 weeks is the expected duration. I doubt anything will lower my water's ph enough to require me to do anything to raise it. That happens every time I add water. Don't have a cover but plan on getting one. Whether I can do so before leaving is yet to be seen.

 

[zea3]

Don't put pucks in a stocking! The chlorine will destroy the stocking long before the pucks dissolve and you will end up with pucks on the the bottom of the pool that could damage the liner where they lay. You can get a couple of chlorine floaters cheap at Wallyworld or Home Depot. I'm sure there is one of those near you, perhaps in Nachodoches or Tyler.