7-day vacation - use pucks or guesstimate on LC additions?

[volcano]

I've used TFP methods from day one so I've never used pucks-- but we're leaving town for a week next month and since I'm just getting the pool opened now, I've got the option to undershoot slightly on the initial CYA concentration and let pucks handle the chlorinating while we're gone.

In the past for travel, I've brought the pool up to SLAM levels before leaving and asked the housesitter to add 16 oz of bleach every ~three days-- I think this keeps our FC somewhere between minimum and SLAM levels (the pool isn't normally used while we're gone, so I err on the side of keeping FC high rather than risk it dropping below minimum levels). This year's housesitter might like to use the pool while we're gone, though, so I'd like to be a little more confident about the chlorine levels (without also asking the housesitter to also test the pool chem).

Here's what I'm thinking-- would appreciate it if someone wants to check my math and my logic here
1. Add CYA to 40 ppm. At this CYA level, should be safe to swim at FC between 5ppm and SLAM level (16 ppm), right?
2. Until we leave town, use LC to maintain FC around ~7ppm (my usual target).

Here's the decision point-- when we leave town, should I:
A. add some tablets (if so, how many? a 1-inch trichlor tablet (0.5 oz) adds 0.8 ppm FC according to PoolMath-- equivalent to ~7oz of 6% LC. But how long do tablets take to dissolve? I guess that'll depend on water temp. And is it okay for a floater thingie to be under the solar cover?)
B. or stick with my original method, raise to SLAM and then ask the housesitter to add a fixed amount LC at certain times?

I wish I had a better handle on how much FC decreases each day, but it varies quite a bit (I think-- I should monitor more closely in the future) on pool use, UV intensity, how fastidiously the solar cover gets used, etc.

Am I overthinking this? Should I just get some darn pucks for the week and assume all will be well?

 

[trivetman]

It can take weeks for a 3” tablets to dissolve in a floater. The 1” type might go quicker but still might be slow. You can use it to supplement but i would not count on it to provide enough by itself.

 

[jsygrls]

B. or stick with my original method, raise to SLAM and then ask the housesitter to add a fixed amount LC at certain times?

I use LC also, I use your strategy of having someone adding LC every third day, it works well, also If you know your cya level is good and can stand a puck or two in a floater go for it (I only do this floater if my cya looks a little lower than I normally like).

 

[koffey]

I went on vacation for 10 days with no one to look after my pool, I knew exactly how much ppm was lost over the sunniest days with the cover on and how much LC had to be added. Day I was leaving I added x10 LC and when I came back pool was perfect. The pump was off the entire time.

 

[Getitrite]

Fortunately, for me, our (now 17 year old) grandson is usually the cat/pool sitter when we go on weekenders or 3 -5 day out-of-towners. I replace my "normal" daily chlorine loss by fixing a labeled jug for him to dose, based on the amount of time we'll be gone. Now, with the SWCG maintaining at the top of my FC/CYA range , he's just the cat sitter.

 

[tikoh]

What's your calcium like? If your housesitter isn't super comfortable handling bleach, you could ask them to dump a bag of cal-hypo.

 

[volcano]

What's your calcium like? If your housesitter isn't super comfortable handling bleach, you could ask them to dump a bag of cal-hypo.

pretty darn high, probably! I'm about 30 miles from your location, sitting on glacial till and rocks full of calcium carbonate.

I'm not concerned about them pouring bleach, I'm just concerned about having to guess at the quantity. I thought perhaps the slow burn of pucks would reduce that concern, but it sounds like that's not necessarily the case.

 

[tikoh]

pretty darn high, probably! I'm about 30 miles from your location, sitting on glacial till and rocks full of calcium carbonate.

I'm not concerned about them pouring bleach, I'm just concerned about having to guess at the quantity. I thought perhaps the slow burn of pucks would reduce that concern, but it sounds like that's not necessarily the case.

If you were closer I'd do it for you

How much do you normally add per day? If it were me, I'd make sure you're at the high end when you leave and then see if they can add 8oz or whatever is normal for you per day.

 

[BMerrill]

When on vacation don't have to worry about maintaining a minimum chlorine level. The SWG goes a great job.

 

[volcano]

If you were closer I'd do it for you

How much do you normally add per day? If it were me, I'd make sure you're at the high end when you leave and then see if they can add 8oz or whatever is normal for you per day.

I didn't keep super-close notes last year (just used the Poolmath app to calculate how much was needed but didn't always record the addition), but my recollection is that it varied quite a lot based on how much the pool was uncovered and used. I'll keep better notes over the next few weeks! And maybe increase the CYA a bit (I usually target ~40 ppm) to slow the FC burn-off by UV.

 

[V___25]

B.
If your house sitter is willing, have them add LC to a pre-dosed amount. I have an amazing friend who house, dog, and pool sits for us when we go away. She has full access to the pool as long as she's willing to chlorinate every day for me.

 

[NCMike]

Last year my SWG quit right before a week long vacation. I raised to slam level AND used pucks while gone. My reasoning was the FC will start burning off as soon as I hit slam level. The pucks dissolve slowly enough that I'm not worried about them pushing me over slam level. I used 2 floaters and when I got back II was still close to target FC range.