Leaving pool unused/unattended for 7 days from now - any advice ?

[chessie]

Last minute panic - sorry...

Must return to UK tomorrow for urgent family reasons.   Will mean leaving pool unattended for 1 week - and high temps forecast for weekend onwards.

Pool is 12ft x 24ft x 5ft....has the fantastic Zeolite;   pH is balanced, chlorine is 'ideal' according to tester at 3.4 Br and 1.5 Cl.  Anyway the red is the right shade, and the yellow is the right shade using the simple 'drop' tester !

Pool was only filled 10 days ago so water's fresh.   Has bubble cover on top, and has been used in the past week.

Is it OK to leave bubble cover on surface - and NOT put winter cover on ?

Do I need to 'top up' the chlorine level bearing in mind Meteo are predicting return to hot temps (Dept 47) start of next week - or should I be able to get away with leaving pool as is for one week,  with no pump/filter running ?

Sorry - I'm just a bit 'bovvered' about lots of things - and this is the last item on my list !!

Any help much appreciated - thanks - (and ASAP - would be even better !!!)

Chessie

[Polly]

First basic question: why can't you leave the pump/filtration system working?

Second question: is there anybody nearby you know, who knows about pools, who could keep an eye on it for you?

[Théière]

Hi Chessie,

Can you run your pump on a timer, a simple brico job for 6 hours a day?

You can and should put a cover over to protect the pool from too much U.V. which will lower the chlorine usage.

It will be ok to add extra chlorine to 5ppm level as this will gradually reduce over the week.

The drop tester is OK but actually only measures total chlorine not free chlorine, but more of that later.

How are you dosing the chlorine?

[chessie]

Great - thanks both for responding so quickly.

Impossible to run pump/filter combo - no time to do anything about timer etc....this is a 'no notice, no time' short visit to UK.   So good idea - but can't be implemented.    Anyway, I'm not sure I'd be happy about pump/filter running with no one here to keep an eye...

Chlorine - dosing done by using two floating things - I've put 2 large tablets in each one;  1 tablet was 'quick dissolve' for initial start-up when pool was filled, and second tablet is one of the slow dissolve ones - usually last about a week (at least did in previous pool of similar size) - so that's 4 large galettes in total.

So to summarise - top up the chlorine - presumably put another couple of tablets in each float - and hope they don't sink....!! 

Put on the winter cover;  oh dear, I'm not sure I'm going to have the time;  is it essential ?    Or can I get away with boosting chlorine level and leaving bubble cover in place ?

What's the worst that could happen ?

Thanks for your help and your time - which I'm rapidly running out of ...!!   (and yeah I know - don't end sentences with 'of'' - but mind's going blank right now !!)

Chessie

 

[Théière]

The winter cover is best as it blocks UV and is even more important as you cannot run your pump as it will help prevent evaporation too.

Buy a timer next time you go shopping essential equipment!

The worst is it will turn into a swamp and need remedial treatment but we can deal with that and if you load your chlorine floaters I think you'll get away with it but you need the cover on.

I stayed online to answer, off to bed in 15 mins if you need to ask anything else.

 

[Polly]

I don't understand why you feel you can't leave the pump & filtration running if you're not there, what's the problem?

I agree with Teapot : get a timer plug for the system if it doesn't come with a timer built in

[Théière]

Without the cover on Polly the evaporation could take the level down below the skimmer and the pump could run dry in a week and that would be bad. Better with an auto fill of course but who fits them [Www]

With the cover on evaporation would be minimal and all would be well.

[Polly]

He could set it on filtration via the sump only.... if he has one

BTW we care for several pools which have refills!

[chessie]

Hi everyone -

Thanks Thiery for staying on-line after I asked question - didn't have time to respond then - so will say big thank you for your kindness in 'waiting for response'.

I'm always amazed at how helpful everyone is when someone sends out a plea for 'emergency' help or advice.

We've returned, after fairly traumatic visit.

The floating 'thingies' had 1 extra galette added (making a total of 1 quick dissolve and 2 longer lasting tabs in each = total of 6 in all);   just didn't have time to put winter cover on, just left the blue bubbly summer cover...and kept fingers crossed.

Have looked at pool - and it's CLEAR...clean, no signs of any green algae, or anything.   Obviously there's 'bits' of debris, leaves etc on the bottom of the pool - but there doesn't seem to be anything to worry about.

Will go and check chlorine levels shortly;  weather's grey and cool at the moment so chlorine level should be OK;   water level doesn't seem to have dropped so not much evaporation either.

So all my fingers and toes crossed, and prayers to the Patron Saints of Swimming Pools - and your advice - seems to have worked - and fortunately no green swamp to sort out.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to respond my panicked questions - very very much appreciated at a time when I was practically tearing my hair out with other worries.

'You've all done very well' !!!!  - (anyone remember that phrase ? !!!)

Chessie

[Swissie]

So glad to hear you've got back safely - and that the pool seems to be fine. Having spent 2 decades running back and forth from one country to 'tother to deal with family emergencies - I know only too well how stressful it can be. Hope you can relax a bit now and enjoy the Summer. Best regards    Swissie

[Théière]

Good news Chessie, when you test your pool try and test for cyanuric acid CYA as that will be getting close to level your require 30-50ppm if you continue to use gallets you will have and over stabilsed pool which will become hard to look after and require some of the water to be changed and the associated costs etc.

[Simon]

'You've all done very well' !!!!  - (anyone remember that phrase ? !!!)

Are You Being Served - Mr Grace I think?

A rather tedious BBC Sitcom with jokes based on crude innuendo (Mrs Slocombe's Pussy etc.)