I had a pool company close for me last year (my first year) and they added a TON of bleach (6 big jugs of 12% if I remember right) and one quart of Algecide. Since I am doing it myself this year:

A good cleaning and vacuuming, taking pump apart and putting it in basement, taking the quick connects off covering the skimmer with aquadoor and the return with the screw in plug, covering etc.

Can I just do what they did but not go so crazy with the bleach (IE add 1 quart polyquat and about 6-8 5.25 gallons of bleach)? I think this would put me at about 15-20 ppm CL instead of the 30-50 I estmated they put me at.

I have a 14k gallon above ground. My cover showed no distress from the tremendous amount of bleach they put in last fall and my water was crystal clear when I opened it up in the spring.