opening pool - water test results

[PoolDoc]

OK. 190 ppm CYA.

What that means is that you'll either have to drain the pool OR you will have to run a NORMAL level of chlorine 15 - 20 ppm.

Downsides:
- the ONLY way to test your chlorine is with the K-2006 (C model has 3x the test reagents -- get it, if you don't drain!)
- you'll need a $75 pH meter to test your pH (high chlorine screws up the pH test, though maybe not with CYA=200ppm.)
- dealing with algae will be a little tricky, and you'll need to keep a $20 bottle of sodium bromide on hand for that purpose
- if you have your water tested by a dealer, you'll get weird responses, ranging from head scratching (Not sure what's going on with your water) to panic and hyped up sales attempts (OMG! Drain today or die! And, buy $1,000 of our chemicals to help clean up!)

Upside:
+ chlorine usage will be VERY low.
+ you'll be able to dose chlorine 1x per week (go from 15 ppm to 20 ppm)
+ vacations will be easy (just dose to 25 - 30 ppm -- and take off. As long as the pump runs, and you're back within 10 days, you should be fine!)
+ your water chemistry will be VERY stable.
+ If you also use borax at 50+ ppm, you will have even MORE stable water chemistry, reduced chance of algae, and very high water quality

Your choice, though. If you drain, drain to 1/4 level, so you don't have to add stabilizer

The Best Guess page, linked in my sig, explains some of the chemistry and the options.