I live in PEI, and have always done just that -- I never pump off the cover (and my water is free!) - I just net off most of the leaves (I also do this in the fall, so there are few), yank the corner of the cover and pull it off. I generally open just after the temp stops dipping below freezing at night, so the algae doesn't get a chance to start. I then start the pump, pour in the bleach, and run the Kreepy Krawley for a few days to cleanup the needles and small leaves that have fallen off the cover, making sure to clean out the basket and backwash the filter frequently. In a few days the water is crystal clear. If I am opening later, as I am doing this year (waiting for someone to install a new pump) I pour some bleach on top of the cover at regular intervals to keep the algae at bay.
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