1. Yes, you can do just that . . . as long as the scale doesn't bother you AND you don't get a heater or an SWCG. High calcium can cause problems with either one.

2. If you're in Las Vegas, you are probably pretty safe draining the pool. I'm assuming you on dry sandy soil? (I don't know; sorry, but Las Vegas has always been at the bottom of the list of places I'd like to go, just below Newark, NJ ) My only concern is that you'll STILL have high calcium, and have a hard time removing the scale.

3. You'd want to allow 2 weeks. I think it would be less, but I don't know for sure.

If you're ready to swim, and the scale isn't a problem, why don't you just lower the TA, and then make a decision this fall about whether you want to go further? This page will tell you how to do it: http://www.poolsolutions.com/gd/lowe...p-by-step.html