Re: running your pump. I put a timer on mine, and I run it from 6:00am to 11:00am, and then again from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Approx. 9 hours a day. It keeps the water crystal clear. I also use an Aquabot to clean the pool (I haven't used the hand vacuum since we installed the pool) - and I throw it in about once or twice a week for a few hours each time.