Opening A Pool With Very Limited Time

[Pool Guy Again]

I am opening a pool at my other house which is 1000 miles from where I live in the center of this country. I will be on my way through that neighborhood next week, so I thought I would open it myself ( and save a few hundred bucks ), then I will turn it over to a pool service for the summer. I won't have information about the water color or Ph until I get there.

I had planned to remove the cover, pop the plugs, button up the pump drains, and the DE tank, and fill to the skimmer level. and turn on the pump.

I will have very limited time at the first visit. As I leave the first visit, I plan to drop shock. It is about a 35,000 gallon concrete & painted pool. I may not have time to take a sample to a pool store, but I will have test strips with me to make an estimated appraisal of the water condition.

This pool is on the East Coast, after dropping bags of granulated chlorine shock, I am off to Conn. I will be back to the pool in about a week, I guess to adjust Ph, and maybe shock again if needed.

Does anyone have any comments about that plan?

Because I am bringing my own shock ( Sam's is much cheaper than retail ) . What do I risk if I over shock ? The house is empty, and will remain empty for the forseeable future, so I don't have any human sensitivity issues.

Is it OK to shock and then come back a week later to adjust the Ph? I think the pool service likes to creep up on it, but I don't have a problem dropping 15 bags, unless somebody tells me I am being stupid .

Bring it on, I have thick skin, and can make adjustments as needed.

Thanks to all !

[chem geek]

You can take a look at this info on pool opening.