Closing on a new house and green pool

[kunkel27]

So moving into a new house, with a lovely green pool as a first time pool owner. I grew up with a pool, and mostly understand the care and terminology. The pool is green right now, with visible dirt/algae. My questions/options that I have:

1.) Should I just let the pool go, as is, over winter? Then just clean and drain it in the spring? I imagine the algae and dirt will get worse.

2.) Can I just cover the pool, green and all, and expect to open the pool to be the same green in the spring? Will the dirt and algae be the same?

3.) Go through the crappy process of getting it blue and clear again and then cover the pool for the winter?

4.) Drain pool completely and cover it? Cover wouldn't stay since no support...Drain the pool completely and leave empty and uncovered?

We are in North Texas, with a very low water table. So no worries of popping a pool out around here. We do get freezing temps, but I'm not worried about the lines bursting at this point.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Not to start off on the wrong foot, but generally people that have had experience in the past maintaining a pool were not doing it following the proven methods that we teach here. So, I highly recommend you read up in Pool School starting with these:
ABCs of Water Chemistry
Recommended Pool Chemicals
How to Chlorinate Your Pool

On to your questions:
1. Either way, you are going to need to follow the ShockLevelAndMAINTAIN Process to clear up the pool. Whether you do it now or in the spring is up to you. Realize there there are only a few reasons to have to drain water, they are if your CYA or CH are too high. A full set of test results from one of the Recommended Test Kits is required to know the path forward.

2. It will get worse if you ignore it. But, the SLAM process will still work in the spring, just may take a little longer.

3. Again up to you, deal with it now or later.

4. I would not drain it. Not ever a good idea to drain a pool and leave it empty. This could result in the pool being damaged or someone falling it and hurting/killing themselves.

 

[JVTrain]

There's really a trade off here. If you do nothing or just cover it, it will get worse. Covering with an opaque cover will limit algae growth but the bacteria and other undesirables will LOVE it. The upside being you don't spend money on maintaining it until warmer spring temperatures. You'll "save" money on that. However, in the spring, the pool will be worse. Whether that degree of worse is going to cost you more in the spring than it would to get clear now and just maintain is unknown.

I would address it now. At least then, you know it's taken care of and it's not an eyesore. If you do want to tackle it now and want to follow the advice here, do some self-educating starting with the links that jblizzle posted and then you'll need a recommended test kit. See comparisons of the recommended test kits here: Pool Test Kits Comparison Cliffnotes: TF-100 is the best value

Don't drain it completely, that's for sure.

Add the details of your pool as detailed in this article: Read before you post This way you can get better help from members here.

 

[kunkel27]

Thank you guys for the insight. I will get a TF-100 on order and work on updating my profile in the meantime.

I imagine I will just leave the pool as is for now over the winter. Leaving it uncovered as you suggested. It will get worse you say, and how worse is unknown. Is there anything I can do now to mitigate it getting worse? As in, keep the green mess where it is at now, without worsening. I've got plenty of other things going on since moving in.

If not, I guess I will do the SLAM method above, and try to keep it clear over winter. (Daunting, doubtful music starts playing)

 

[jblizzle]

It really is SLAM it now or ignore it and wait until spring. There is not really a way to maintain the current level of green without just throwing money away.