Main Drain queston

Is it really all that necessary to have the main drain running at all times?

I have an inground pool that I am trying to get up and running and unfortunately the handle to he main drain has broken and I am in the process of searching for a replacement.

Does anyone know where the best place is to buy a Jandy handle for the main drain?

Will not having the main drain on have any effect on the chemicals I am using to get the pool up and running? Or should they still be able to do their job?

I had to dump in 30+ pounds of alkalinity up into the pool this morning and am hoping that with the main drain not operational, that the chemicals will still do their job.

The skimmer is working just fine as are the jets so I'm hoping that everything will run its course.

If your pool water is OK (ie, algae free) right now, and you maintain adequate chlorine levels (see Best Guess link below), you should be fine.

If you are cleaning up a swamp . . . you're going to need that main drain.

BTW, you might want to post your test results . . . and what you've been told to put in . . . and your gallons and pool type. 30# of alkalinity is rarely one of the first things you need to get a pool "up and running" . . . but pool stores love to sell it, especially if you don't yet know that it's just $0.40/lb baking soda.

Ben