Water problems in small, small pool

No need to apologize for asking questions. That is why we are here!

In your pool, each 1/2 cup of 8.25% bleach will add approximately 1.5ppm of chlorine. You can use that as a reference for how much you need to add each time you test. You do not need to dilute it. You can simply pour it slowly into your skimmer (if your pool has one which I think it does) or you can pour it slowly in front of a return jet, being careful not to splash it on you or the liner. That is it. Very simple. I typically wait 3 or 4 hours after I add before I would test it again but my pool has 18,000 gallons. In your pool, I think you could easily have it mixed in within and hour or so. Two to be sure.

It is best to test the chlorine and add bleach if necessary in the evenings after the sun is off the pool. With CYA at 150, you probably won't need to add it again for a couple of days. Test it the next evening and see where your chlorine is and then decide if you need to add more. If not, test again the next evening. You just want to make sure you can make it through the next day without ever dropping below your minimum based on your CYA reading.

Don't hesitate to ask more questions if you need to. That is how you learn. (Does that sound like a teacher?? ;);))

OK. That is very helpful. From what you have said I should be checking and adding daily since bleach will dissipate rapidly.

But what do I do if we are gone for a week or two? If I add the chlorine tablets, which will maintain a chlorine level while we are gone I assume I will just drive up the CYA levels even more. If I use bleach before we go the chlorine level will drop to 0 since no one will be adding it during our absence. Is there an alternative such as bleach tablets which would dissolve slowly?

Thanks again

Here's one option:

Super-simple-pool-chemistry-recipe-for-Intex-type-pools-start-up-amp-routine-care.

EDITED TO REFLECT WATERMOM'S POST BELOW.

Recipe above applies only if you drain and refill. I misunderstood, thinking that you'd already decided to do so. For an 1800 gallon pool, that's what I'd recommend. It's not worth saving the water, for the amount of tweaking you'll have to do.

Mike,
I think PoolDoc may not have read through your thread. You do NOT want to use that recipe mentioned above. It is meant for pools that have a fresh fill with no CYA in them yet. In your pool, you do NOT want to use dichlor as it will add CYA and you definitely don't want that!

If you are gone, do you have anybody who can come by every 2nd or third day and add some bleach? I think you will find after you test for a week or two that your pool isn't gonna need chlorine added every day. So, if you can hire a neighborhood teenager or whatever to come by a few times a week and add a pre-determined amount of bleach and clean out the skimmer basket, that is probably your best bet. If you really don't have anybody, you can use some of the pucks for a few days, but, yes, they are going to push your CYA up and your pH down.