Vacation time is when we use our chlorine feeder with trichlor pucks. I normally run the CYA at 40 ppm during the summer to give myself the very leeway I need for using the pucks during vacations. Our pump is on a timer and operates at night. We shock the pool with bleach and put the solar cover on before we leave.

If you don't have an automatic feeder you can put trichlor in floaters and attach them to the pool in such a way that they'll stay in the middle of the pool. They'll slowly dissolve. It's better to have the pump on to circulate the water but if you don't have a timer you might not want it running 24/7 during your absence.

We have nobody nearby whom we know well enough to ask for help with pool sitting. This method has worked well enough for us. And if you do return to a green pool, it's not the end of the world. You know how to clean it up using bleach and diligence.

Have a great vacation!