What Chemicals do I really need to close the pool in a climate like Oklahoma

[caliskier]

Hi all,

First year to close, not sure what chemicals I need to buy. Just want a list of chemicals I need to go buy Wife and i have been searching a lot and get differing opinions. I assume that is because it is coming from folks with different pools in different parts of the country.

25,000 gallons
Liner Pool
Oklahoma City Oklahoma

Leslie wants me to buy all this...
http://cdn.lesliespool.com/wimages/product_image/kitdeluxe.jpg

Thanks for any help, don't want to spend $100 for stuff I do not need. Leslie is a nice gal and all, but she tends to give me more help than i need.

 

[jblizzle]

How cold does it get?

There are no special closing chemicals. You just want to start with adequate chlorine. Adding polyquat 60 algaecide is optional. And if it gets really cold where you are going to be blowing out piping, you may want some anti-freeze.

Have you read the closing articles in Pool School? See the sticky at the top of this forum.

 

[caliskier]

Thanks Jb. We will get a week straight that will hold below 30 degrees in the winter, and probably 5 to 10 individual days where you will not get out of the teens, but then the next day will be in the mid 30s even 40s. Our winters are cold to mild if that makse sence. i.e. you need antifreeze here. I did look at the topic on closing and watched some videos. I just wanted the list of chems i need to buy, I think you did that for me here. Algaecide, Shock, and antifreeze. Here is what leslie recomends, but sounds like a bit much...

Ultrabright – Water clarifier (this is the stuff that is like FLOC)
Algae Control – obvious
Chlor Brite – this is just granule chlorine
Fresh’n Clear – Details below, website was not clear what this stuff was made of, but this is what it said
• Chlorine-free shock
• Eliminates contaminants and organic waste
• Eliminates odors
• Prevents algae
• Frees up existing chlorine
• Fast dissolving
• Doesn't change pH levels
• Works in chlorinated and brominated pools
Pool Magic + PHOSfree Pool Magic+PHOSfree contains natural enzymes that break down non-living organics to make opening and closing fast and easy. A quick clean up to start off the season and to prevent non-living organic staining and phosphate build-up. Dosage: 1L per 25,000 gallons
Metalfree - Natural Chemistry Metal Free eliminates trace metals that can cause staining and discoloration while preventing scale build-up due to calcium and other minerals that can clog up your pool system. Keeping your pool and components free from trace metals, calcium and other minerals will help the longevity of your pool equipment while keeping the pool clean of unsightly staining and discoloration. Keeping your pool clear of staining and damage from scale build-up will allow your to enjoy your pool for years to come.

 

[jblizzle]

I did not say "shock". I said adequate chlorine ... like from bleach.

If you do a search on the forum for just about all of those chemicals, you will see that we do not recommend them ... they are just trying to make money.

 

[caliskier]

Ok, thanks for your help, eventually I want to go the BBB method but not able to learn it now that i am closing. I agree, they are just trying to make money

 

[jblizzle]

It is a simple method. Use a recommended test kit test your own water and then use PoolMath to only add what the pool needs.

Plenty of people here to help when you have questions.

 

[pooladdict]

As Jason said, you need...

Chlorine to shock it two days before closing, polyquat 40 or 60 the day befire you close and some antifreeze the day you close.

The pool magic an phos free is a total joke, read how much phosphate it will remove....a whopping 300 ppb.

Gimme a break, the pool chemical manufacturers love to come up with stuff to empty wallets.

I just received an email from a supplier and I paraphrase , we now have over 16 products aimed at salt water pools, let us show you how to increase sales....grrrrr

 

[caliskier]

/

I just received an email from a supplier and I paraphrase , we now have over 16 products aimed at salt water pools, let us show you how to increase sales....grrrrr

WOW!

BTW, I asked the leslies guy, just to see what he said, about the Bleach method? BBB, he said that and mariatic acid will destroy your liner. So I was curious about that, if the BBB method is only for plaster pools

 

[chem geek]

That's baloney. ANY concentrated chemical placed directly on a pool surface can be a problem to varying degrees, though certainly concentrated acid is one of the worst. However, adding a chemical slowly over a return flow with the pump running and then lightly brushing the side and bottom of the pool where the chemical was added will ensure thorough mixing and not be a problem, not even for vinyl liners. Likewise with bleach though that is less harsh than acid.

There have been literally tens of thousands of vinyl liner pools whose owners have reported on this and other forums over more than a decade with no reports of liner problems when the chemicals were added properly as I described. The same is true with not needing calcium in vinyl liner pools. In properly managed vinyl liner pools, it's the UV from sunlight that tends to degrade them more than anything else.

 

[caliskier]

That's baloney. ANY concentrated chemical placed directly on a pool surface can be a problem to varying degrees, though certainly concentrated acid is one of the worst. However, adding a chemical slowly over a return flow with the pump running and then lightly brushing the side and bottom of the pool where the chemical was added will ensure thorough mixing and not be a problem, not even for vinyl liners. Likewise with bleach though that is less harsh than acid.

There have been literally tens of thousands of vinyl liner pools whose owners have reported on this and other forums over more than a decade with no reports of liner problems when the chemicals were added properly as I described. The same is true with not needing calcium in vinyl liner pools. In properly managed vinyl liner pools, it's the UV from sunlight that tends to degrade them more than anything else.

This is good help, going to use the off season to learn the bbb method and make repairs on my old system