Filter water during day or night?

[TheOne]

My pool equipment only adds chlorine to the pool when the pump is running. Is it better if you filter the water during the day or night? I am not referring to pump run time or duration but when you run your filter cycle.

I have read what I think are positives for running it during both times. From what I understand the most demand for chlorine is during the day when the pool is actually more likely to be in use. I have also read chlorine is more effective at night since it doesnt have to deal with the bright sunlight. Does it make much of a difference either way?

 

[SeanB]

I run mine for half the time starting at 6am, and half at 6pm and it has worked well so far - kind of splitting the difference. Mostly I do it that way because those are my favorite times of day to sit and watch the water come over the spillway from the spa.

 

[NWMNMom]

We run ours on a timer during the day only. Because we have solar panels, when run during the night it tends to cool our water down so we only run it in the daytime.

 

[JohnT]

Even w/out solar it will keep the pool warmer when run during the day, and help cool if run at night. You should always have the pump running when swimming.

 

[Guest]

You have a SWG. Run it when you have the most chlorine demand to help maintain the levels. If you were manually chlorinating then there would be an advantage to run it at night since it would not be reduced by sunlight as quickly. Also, is your heater a heat pump. If so you will get the best heating during the day. If you want to break up the run time to run for a few hours during the day and a few at night that works also. If you run it at night and get a lot of chlorine loss during the day from the sun you run the risk of your FC dropping too low during peak chlorine consumption and possible algae outbreaks.

 

[Buggsw]

Wow! Great info Waterbear. I don't have SWG, yet, but I'm gathering all the info up for it.

Out here, in AZ with regular chlorine pools we run the pumps/filters at night and add chemicals at night - anyway, that's what the pool experts here recommend. According to Waterbear - that's correct.

 

[MaryLee]

You should always have the pump running when swimming.

Hmm......why is this?


I ALWAYS shut off the pump when the kids are swimming, which is pretty much all day. I still have that "main drain" fear, even though I know it's safe...

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

You should always have the pump running when swimming.

Hmm......why is this?

I ALWAYS shut off the pump when the kids are swimming, which is pretty much all day. I still have that "main drain" fear, even though I know it's safe...

Don't know the answer to the first part, but could you just use the skimmers only while the pool is in use?

 

[Guest]

actually, some of the donut pools tell you to turn off the pump while swimming because there is a danger of shock. If you have one of these be sure to read your manual to see if yours is one of them. Otherwise, it's really personal preference.