Keeping a Swimming Pool Healthy and Safe.

Letting swimming pool service go for more than a week  is not "saving green by going green", but will cause it to turn green and cost more money to get the swimming pool healthy and safe again.  Basic swimming pool service includes water quality testing, chemical balancing, vacuuming, cleaning pool tile, cleaning pool filter, emptying pool scimmer basketsand pool pump baskets.
-Water quality testing and chemical balancing (water balancing) is essential for killing algae and microoganisms as well as keeping the swimming pool walls looking nice and protecting filtration, heater and circulation piping.
-Vacuuming a swimming pool not only removes unsightly debris from the bottom but deprives algae the nutrients it needs to grow.
- Cleaning the pool tile at the water-line or gutter tile must be done on a regular basis to maintain a clean, sanitary pool.  The scum line is a collection of oils and dirt creating a home for bacteria. Often algae growth starts in the grout between the tiles and the oily material provides the nutrient base.
-The filtration and circulation are the means for providing clean and clear water. Filteration is important because it removes contaminants that can promote the growth of bacteria and algae. Cleaning the pool filter at least once a week will keep the circulation system flowing properly.
- Removing debris from the scimmer basket and pool pump basket keeps the circulation system flowing properly and prevents algae growth.
Using this basic swimming pool service will provide a healthy, safe and fun swimming environment.

Draining an inground swimming pool is extremely dangerous.

This is probably one of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make. For most cleaning, even when your pool looks like a toxic waste dump, you don't and SHOULD NOT drain the pool. When one drains the pool and there happens to be water under the shell (like in the rainy spring when people want to clean up the pool) the entire pool shell can heave. This is because the water under the pool creates an upward hydrostatic force (through buoyancy) and the pool is lifted out of the ground .

In some cases the only reason to partially drain a pool is to dilute the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) or even stabilizer. These typically only require a partial draining. 

The only reason one should drain a pool is if you have a repair to be made and should only be done by a licensed pool professional.