Fire it UP!!!!!
With an inch in the skimmer, you should be good to go! If it creates a big vortex and starts sucking air, wait a bit more, but you should be good.
I have a large rock in my basket to keep the basket in place when the pump cycles on/off - this helps break the vortex so it does not suck air.
My neighbour uses trichlor tabs when he's lower on water to do the same for him. For the amount of acid that dissipates off the tabs over any given period of time, you should never have an issue with pump seals etc due to acid corrosion, there just isn't a high enough concentration.
As for priming, an AG pool self primes beacuse the pump is lower.
Sometimes if there's too much air in the vac line and you just cleaned out your pump basket, it can cause the pump to have issues priming, I just run the pump first to get it full with water, then connect up the vac, it usually works.