Hi, everyone... I'm going to be closing the pool for the first time and I'm a bit confused. I'm in South Texas, but the weather has cooled enough that it's too cold to get in during the evening and our schedules don't allow any day time swimming. It seems silly to mess with daily upkeep when we're done for the season, so I'm looking to close it down.

The way I understand it, I need to do these things:
* vacuum/clean
* keep at shock level for 24 hours
* unhook hoses, etc., dry out and put away, close valves, etc.
* cover

Things I'm unsure of:
* Do I leave the water level alone or drain some?
* Do I put algaecide or anything else in?
* Will I need to add bleach, etc during winter? If not, what is to keep the water (with no bleach and no filter) from turning into an ugly, nasty cesspool over the next few months?

Thanks for your help.

Maria

Hi Maria

There is some good info at these links:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/temporary_pool_guide

http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/temporary_pool_guide

We are expecting highs in the low 80s the next few days here so we will be swimming today. Our 1st pool and going to see how long we can keep it fully open, but we don't plan on a full close.

Ps. Have you looked at solar covers?