Shutting Pump Off & Covering For Vacation. Tips?

[Steveromo]

Hi Gang. Saw dozens of vacation posts (including mine from '14.) But this time I am in a different situation. I MUST shut down my pump for the 8 days away in late July. So I plan on capping off the skimmer and eyelet and covering with the winter cover. Would like to be able to leave stairs in and work cover around them if possible - that may leave a smidge of the water exposed. Most posts say leave pump on a timer but I cannot. I'm basically going to close, then re-open in one week. But unlike winter closing, temps should be in 80's-90's for the week.

What should I do chemically & with equipment before I leave?

Current readings are: Ph=6.8 / FC=5 / Chlorine-Bromine is very high (orange on test tube) / CYA=100 / Alk=40 / Hardness yielded no results (color did not change after 15 drops!) / and pool store told me that Phosphates are very high. (I had incident upon opening and have been struggling to get levels to normal since.) Still learning the chemistry aspect of pool ownership but I've had clear water every season using a weekly shock treatment and chlorine tablet routine - this is probably why the Cl-Br levels are way up.

Thanks to all for help past and present (and future!!!)

[swimdaddy]

If you are not able to run the pump for 8 days, and you are already struggling with algae and getting pool chems right (pH is low, CYA is high), chances are you will have more problems when you get back.
1. Get your pH up to mid 7's, that way if it fluctuates a little while you are gone you good.
2. Use some polyquat algaecide to clear your pool, with your pool I wouldn't use more than 2-3 ounces
3. Polyquat will drop your FC, so then get your chlorine levels up to shock levels.

I don't know why you can't run your pump, and you don't really need to close your pool.

[Steveromo]

Thanks swimdaddy! It has not been a good summer so far (look at my recent posts!!!) My pump is also having issues and I don't trust it running 8 days unsupervised. I've also had a windy storm blow leaves / twigs / debris into pool and if that happens while away the skimmer would definitely fill and then low flow into pump equals disaster! Will take my chances with the chemistry and possibly get new pump upon return. As for polyquat, how/when do I dispense? 1 day prior to shut down and allow to filter or after shut down across still water? Thanks!

[swimdaddy]

I would use polyquat 1 or 2 days before because you chlorine will drop, so you need to give yourself time for that to happen and then bring chlorine back up to shock levels, which with a CYA of 100 is going to be around 25 ppm. For your pool, that would be around 2 bottles of 8.25% bleach to raise from 0 to 24 ppm (doing math in my head, correct me if I'm wrong).

[Steveromo]

Back from trip, no problems to report!! Added 3oz of Poly 3 days prior, shocked 1 day prior. Shut pump and covered for 8 days. Removed cover with no water issues upon return. Thanks for the tips!!

[FormerBromineUser]

Yay! Good job, Swimdaddy and steveromo!

[JimK]

Sweet!