I decided to just cover with the leaf net last winter and I'll probably do it again.

I've got two mature maple trees within 20 feet of the pool and mucho leaves in the fall. We also get harsh winters in Upstate NY and even tho the net was frozen solid it didn't appear to be any worse for wear when I took it off this spring.

One thing I think I'll add to the mix is a basket of some kind inverted over the main drain. The net wasn't perfect and the water was not clear when it came time to open. When it finally did clear to where I could see the drain I found alot of debris clogging it and restricting the flow. I"d like to know it's sucking efficiently when I start it back up.