In article ,
"Kyle Boatright" wrote:
Disagree. I took our 20,000 gallon pool from dirty and green to clear and
balanced in a couple of days using the $65 start-up kit from the local pool
store. Refilling the pool would have cost $80 in water plus whatever
additional chemicals would have been required to get the "clean" water
balanced.

I should have prefaced my answer to a certain part of the country.
Although - here in Tallahassee - water is cheap - I keep my pool
"swimmable" all year around - and do not empty it. Even over the winter
holidays - some of the guests from "up north" like to swim in cold water
just to brag and say they did :-)

I should also have commented - that in some places where the water table
is high - emptying the pool can cause damage to it.