I'm getting ready to close up our pool in the next week or two and was re-reading PS and noticed that it said adding a polyquat algaecide was optional. I was just wondering how many people actually use it and does it make that much difference one way or the other. We've had a sparkling pool all summer thanks to TFP and BBB, so I definately want to continue to follow the recommendations of fellow TFP'ers. Thanks!
Closing - add a polyquat algaecide or not
- Thread starter stephanie4136
- Start date
I used it the first year and opened to a clean pool,didn't last year and opened to a clean pool. So the choice is yours. 
I look at it this way - if you maintain adequate fc over the winter, it's not necessary! However, if there's a chance that the fc may fall while the pool is covered, it's a nice insurance policy 
Ted-
How do you maintain fc over the winter without adding CL or without the pump running? This will be my first time closing, so I know nothing . We bought our pool last year but did not close it because we bought a house and had it taken down and put in storage until it was reinstalled this past spring. I'm not expecting to open a sparkling pool, but I'll do whatever I can to get as close to sparkling as possible. I haven't used anything in the pool this season other than bleach and CYA, have never needed the baking soda, borax or muratic acid I bought, so I was just wondering if adding algaecide could possibly make anything different next year. Thanks.
How do you maintain fc over the winter without adding CL or without the pump running? This will be my first time closing, so I know nothing
. We bought our pool last year but did not close it because we bought a house and had it taken down and put in storage until it was reinstalled this past spring. I'm not expecting to open a sparkling pool, but I'll do whatever I can to get as close to sparkling as possible. I haven't used anything in the pool this season other than bleach and CYA, have never needed the baking soda, borax or muratic acid I bought, so I was just wondering if adding algaecide could possibly make anything different next year. Thanks.
Is this the right stuff?
http://www.saveonpoolsupplies.com/shopp ... nfoID=1453
or
http://www.saveonpoolliners.com/Pool-Ch ... e-60-Plus/
http://www.saveonpoolsupplies.com/shopp ... nfoID=1453
or
http://www.saveonpoolliners.com/Pool-Ch ... e-60-Plus/
It should say "Poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene dichloride 60%" as the Active Ingredient.
If it says "Poly" and "60" in the name, that is most likely the correct product.
stephanie4136 said:Ted-
How do you maintain fc over the winter without adding CL or without the pump running? This will be my first time closing, so I know nothing
Algae is likely to grow more rapidly when the water temp is above 60 degrees and the chlorine hits zero. So if you don't get very cold temps over the winter (the water doesn't freeze) some just pull the cover back a bit and add some chlorine and stir it with the pole brush or use a submersible pump to circulate the chlorine a bit...
stephanie4136 said:Ted-
How do you maintain fc over the winter without adding CL or without the pump running? This will be my first time closing, so I know nothing
Stephanie - if you have a solid cover and closed with sufficient cl and no organics, the cl will maintain itself
If you have a mesh cover or one that will allow debris into the pool, you can either pull a section of cover off and test during the winter (when the pool isn't frozen) and add more, with the assistance of a small pump, or similar to help circulate the water.However, not all winters are the same - I played golf 3 years ago on Christmas eve wearing shorts and a tee shirt! it was 63* on Martha's Vineyard
You close a pool when you expect the water to freeze (or at least come close) for a while and, if you have a mostly mild winter, all your winterizing chems may well be used up quickly That's why I like the 'insurance' that poly 60 provides. I advocate peeling back a section of the cover and testing the water once a month during the winter (*this does not work with an iced over pool :lol: )This is just my take on it, it's your pool and you can care for it as you will
Just as a point of reference, whereas my covered pool uses somewhat less than 1 ppm FC per day with 86F-90F water temperature, during the winter (again, covered) it loses less than 1 ppm FC per week at 45F-55F and perhaps less then 1 ppm FC every 2 weeks. I don't think one can make it all winter with a single shock of chlorine, but one should be able to go for a month or two before checking levels and perhaps adding more and stirring/brushing to mix (assuming the pump is off; in our case, we can keep the pump running albeit less frequently since we aren't in hard-freezing climate).
PolyQuat gets broken down by chlorine and also gets filtered out since it's also a clarifier. So adding an excess for the winter closing and shutting down the pump could have it last quite a while at cooler temperatures, but I don't have any hard data to support that. The Buckman Labs recommendation for use of PolyQuat to close pools is here.
PolyQuat gets broken down by chlorine and also gets filtered out since it's also a clarifier. So adding an excess for the winter closing and shutting down the pump could have it last quite a while at cooler temperatures, but I don't have any hard data to support that. The Buckman Labs recommendation for use of PolyQuat to close pools is here.
I use a poly 60 on safety cover closings UNLESS it's an ultra-loc or simliar cover that open up clean regardless. We have installed a few more Loop Loc IIs standard dense mesh covers this year and I will be able to make a judgement call if the poly 60 is needed with the Loop Loc II's. I don't use the poly 60 on water bag covers.
Sometimes it really helps (for example a new customer is like wow it's never been so nice!)
or sometimes it looks like it really doesn't do anything.
Sometimes it really helps (for example a new customer is like wow it's never been so nice!)
or sometimes it looks like it really doesn't do anything.
Butterfly said:
Thanks, Butterfly. I did find some locally at a Leslie's poolstore. Still trying to decide whether or not to buy it, or just depend on the chlorine alone.