First time opening

[jokael]

We always fill the pool up to the proper level so we aren't dealing with a 18inch drop of the cover, it seems to just slide off except where the water has collected

I saw a video somewhere, where they tied strings/rope across the pool in a zig-zag pattern (before putting the cover on), to avoid the cover bulging down.
I'm definitely gonna try it this year. Looked like an easy fix.
We had an inflatable pillow last year, but that was a mess, since the cover just dropped around the pillow instead.

 

[Mdragger88]

I saw a video somewhere, where they tied strings/rope across the pool in a zig-zag pattern (before putting the cover on), to avoid the cover bulging down.
I'm definitely gonna try it this year. Looked like an easy fix.
We had an inflatable pillow last year, but that was a mess, since the cover just dropped around the pillow instead.

The cover needs to rest on the water or when it gets water on it it will pull on the walls potentially caving them in. This is true even if you use ropes under the cover if the pool water level is too low. Every gallon of water on top of the cover weighs 8+ lbs. Example: every inch of water on/in my 33’ round pool is about 541 gallons so 4,333 lbs. per inch of depth.
At just 1” of water on the cover, Thats alot of weight pulling on the top rails/walls if it is not supported underneath by the water in the pool.
Keeping the cover pumped off all the time is the most ideal but it doesn’t always happen that way.

 

[jokael]

The cover needs to rest on the water or when it gets water on it it will pull on the walls potentially caving them in. This is true even if you use ropes under the cover if the pool water level is too low. Every gallon of water on top of the cover weighs 8+ lbs. Example: every inch of water on/in my 33’ round pool is about 541 gallons so 4,333 lbs. per inch of depth.
At just 1” of water on the cover, Thats alot of weight pulling on the top rails/walls if it is not supported underneath by the water in the pool.
Keeping the cover pumped off all the time is the most ideal but it doesn’t always happen that way.

Our cover has drain holes in it - maybe that's why we haven't seen any issues, even though we've drained the pool to below the outlet when removing the hoses for the winter.
No matter what, our cover would never be able to rest on the water, as an Intex pool has holes underneath the top bar, leaving a good 5-7" from waterline to top bar, even when filled to the brim.

 

[Mdragger88]

Our cover has drain holes in it - maybe that's why we haven't seen any issues, even though we've drained the pool to below the outlet when removing the hoses for the winter.
No matter what, our cover would never be able to rest on the water, as an Intex pool has holes underneath the top bar, leaving a good 5-7" from waterline to top bar, even when filled to the brim.

I had the same cover for years on my smaller pools. - it rested on the water. I capped my intakes & outlets so the water level could be higher. (With the little black “hats” that come with the pool- many people throw these away thinking they are packing material)
Understand that the winter pillows are just meant to be something that compresses (gives) in case of the pool water freezing. Similar to the function of a gizmo or empty bottle that goes in the skimmer for winterizing. Contrary to popular perception, The pillow is not meant to keep the cover up higher or prevent rain water collection from occurring.

 

[jokael]

I had the same cover for years on my smaller pools. - it rested on the water. I capped my intakes & outlets so the water level could be higher. (With the little black “hats” that come with the pool- many people throw these away thinking they are packing material)
Understand that the winter pillows are just meant to be something that compresses (gives) in case of the pool water freezing. Similar to the function of a gizmo or empty bottle that goes in the skimmer for winterizing. Contrary to popular perception, The pillow is not meant to keep the cover up higher or prevent rain water collection from occurring.

Ok. Here they are marketed as "prevents water and debris from weighing down your cover". We don't have very cold winters here - last winter we had only a handful days with temps below freezing, and only enough to freeze maybe 1/2" of the water.

 

[raysaint]

The above posts seem like they are from another thread?

 

[raysaint]

So my equipment piping solution was, I found foam pipe wrap in a large enough diameter to mostly go around the pipe, it should keep the sun off them.
My PH is still staying high, even tho my ALK is slowly going down.

 

[Mdragger88]

So my equipment piping solution was, I found foam pipe wrap in a large enough diameter to mostly go around the pipe, it should keep the sun off them.
My PH is still staying high, even tho my ALK is slowly going down.

Can’t see your poolmath logs
What is your current ph & ta?
How often are you checking ph?

 

[raysaint]

Can’t see your poolmath logs
What is your current ph & ta?
How often are you checking ph?

I don't have logs, I'll look into them.
So far this year, after I add muriatic, I waited 2 or 3 days to check Ph, figuring if I checked a few hours after, it would be down, but I wanted to see if it was staying down.
This time I added muriatic in the evening, and tested in the morning. Results were:
PH = 7.4
TA = 90 (still slowly coming down)
CYA = 50
FC = 5.0 (I'll bring that up and adjust as needed)
So I'll check PH in a couple days and see if it is staying down. I assume my lower TA will help.

 

[PoolStored]

So I'll check PH in a couple days and see if it is staying down. I assume my lower TA will help.

Yes, it will. I would, now that your TA is 90, not force pH down into the low 7s. Let is sit at 7.8, 7.9 or even 8. When it hits 8, reduce to 7.8 and see how long it stays there.

 

[Mdragger88]

Once my ta is 60-70 my ph never moves.
The perks of a vinyl pool - at least in my case. My fill water ta is about 110.

 

[raysaint]

Yes, it will. I would, now that your TA is 90, not force pH down into the low 7s. Let is sit at 7.8, 7.9 or even 8. When it hits 8, reduce to 7.8 and see how long it stays there.

Roger that. (is that strategy to help avoid bringing TA down too much?)
How far will TA continue to come down (even if I keep PH in high 7's)?
Does it ever reach a point and stay there?

 

[PoolStored]

Roger that.
How far will TA continue to come down? Does it ever reach a point and stay there?

I would ignore TA at this point and just manage pH. If it likes 7.8 or 7.9, leave it alone, don't try to lower it.

What is the TA of your fill water? I'm assuming in Ontario you have enough rain you don't need to fill the pool...

 

[raysaint]

I would ignore TA at this point and just manage pH. If it likes 7.8 or 7.9, leave it alone, don't try to lower it.

What is the TA of your fill water? I'm assuming in Ontario you have enough rain you don't need to fill the pool...

I've never tested my fill water (which would be our town water out of my hose, which I have to top up with now and then.)
We have lots of humid dry weather stretches, so I top up maybe once every 2 weeks, or sooner, about an inch. I don't let it get lower than an inch below my proper skimmer level. I can't count on rain to top it up.
Just had a big rainfall, and I need to pump a bit out, it's at the top of the skimmer. That doesn't happen too often.

 

[raysaint]

Tested my PH, 4 days after adding acid, and it's about 7.8. So it rose from 7.4 to 7.8 (with TA at 90 4 days ago).
I may bring it down just a hair, to help bring TA down a bit more, from 90 to maybe 70. Then PH should stabilize.
Or should I leave PH alone for a few more days, then test to ensure it's not continuing to rise?

 

[PoolStored]

Or should I leave PH alone for a few more days, then test to ensure it's not continuing to rise?

^^^This. pH may be stable at 7.8 with TA 90. Or it may be stable at 8.0 with TA 90. Let it rise to 8.0, then bring it back to 7.8...

 

[raysaint]

I added muriatic 3 days ago, tested PH this morning, seems to be about 7.8 at the most. I tested TA, and when adding the last drops, the water turns deep pink, added one more drop and it turned more red. What is considered red in this test kit? Deep pink was 80, red was 90. So TA didn't come down hardly at all.
Should I bring PH down a bit once again, to lower TA a bit? And that would stabilize my PH?

 

[Mdragger88]

The test is over when there is no further change. Sounds like 90 if 10 drops looked the same as 9 drops.
You can certainly continue to work actively on lowering TA if you wish or just let it ride & lower ph as needed like @PoolStored suggested.
Up to you.

 

[raysaint]

The test is over when there is no further change. Sounds like 90 if 10 drops looked the same as 9 drops.
You can certainly continue to work actively on lowering TA if you wish or just let it ride & lower ph as needed like @PoolStored suggested.
Up to you.

9 drops made it more of a red color, 8 drops made it deep pink. Just wondered if deep pink means red to this test kit. I guess that small change means it is 90.
I'll probably try to lower PH just a bit, just to be more in the middle of the range; that allows for any rise due to rain (rain increases PH?)

 

[Mdragger88]

To reiterate- its not about the shade of the color- its about adding drops until there is no further change. If you didn’t do that you ended the test too early.