A.G. Pool closing algea question

[kvath072]

Hi, I am new to this site, I found it while I was searching for tips, but I seem to have come across what I think is a problem. This is going to be my 4th year closing my pool and have never had a problem except for the occasional rip in my cover, but this year after investing in season tickets to my favorite football team and the season starting with work i kind of neglected my pool for a few weeks. I finally had a day off and I vacuumed my pool that had lots of stuff on the bottom, i have a vinyl abve ground pool. when i was vacuuming i noticed that a lot of the algea was stuck, staind, or grown into the bottom of the pool. I shocked my pool and fixed the ph, which seemed to help a little, but i was wondering if it is bad to close my pool like this or should i fix this now? but overall i am kinda lost on what to do.

any help would really be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[duraleigh]

First, Welcome to the forum. You will find hundreds of good tips here to maintain your pool but, importantly, if you keep reading and asking questions, you will understand what's going on in your pool.....how that algae got there in the first place and exactly what to do about it.

My assumption is you live far enough North to have a hard freeze but tell us the city and state in which you live and we'll have lot's of closing advice.

 

[kvath072]

Thanks,

and yes I do live pretty far north. I live 30 minutes away from Cleveland Ohio, right in the middle of the snow belt. so i do get a hard freeze and we do get a lot of snow.

 

[PaulR]

If the stains are organic (algae) then chlorine and vigorous brushing ought to take care of them. And if they are algae, leaving it there for the winter won't make it any better and could make it worse by springtime.
--paulr

 

[duraleigh]

Yeah, I agree with Paul....I'd get your pool cleaned up first. You will likely open in Spring with a much easier situation to deal with and use far less chemistry getting your pool in balance.

 

[Casey]

I agree. The longer algae get's to sit on the bottom of the pool, the harder it is to get it off with elbow grease <brushing> and needs elevated chlorine levels for a period of time, not just a one time dose.

Check out the Pool School link on the top right of every page or in my siggy. Good luck and try not to ignore your pool. You'll thank yourself but if you do ignore it, you may kick yourself.

Welcome to TFP. Now get to work! :lol:

 

[cubbybeave08]

kvath...same thing here...with camping trip and Notre Dame games and working two of three weekends, I neglected my pool a little for three weeks...I shocked before I put the solar cover on the last time I used it to swim which was like the middle of September...The cover is cut into 4 pieces which makes it easier to roll up and remove for swimming...However, this leaves gaps that allow leaves and gunk to get into the pool. I don't know if it was algae or if it was just leaf stains from decaying leaves. But I had to do just what has been suggested. I spent all day last Sunday scrubbing and vacuming the bottom. I shocked and adjusted Ph back into normal range. Then covered with winter cover, even though I hadn't drained down the pool. I covered it to keep the Crud out, and then I started draining the pool...Once I was down as far as I could with the pump pumping water out the waste valve, I unhooked the return from the heater and then let it drain down below the return. Today I pumped out another four inches and buttoned everything up nice and tight. But I think you should clean things up now...so you don't have troubles in the spring...It was fairly simple to clean up.