Has anyone put a "cover mate" under your mesh safety cover at closing?

[eripaulie]

I'm thinking about buying a "cover mate" cover to put on the water under my mesh safety cover when closing. I'm in Michigan and would like to close my pool earlier this year, probably in September.

I have no problem clearing my green pool when I open in May, but due to closing it earlier in the fall I thought it might help a little to reduce the swamp factor in the spring.

If anyone has tried it:

1. Is it heavy or hard to put onto the water?

2. My pool is oval shaped. Does it come in a square and can I cut it to shape with scissors?

 

[Swampwoman]

Hello back from the Mitten

I've not used it but if it helps block the light it's likely worthwhile. Mesh in our neck of the woods just doesn't seem to block enough light and our temp variables exacerbate.

But I did want to say that if you chose to wait til mid Oct. and opened in late April, you wouldn't have to deal with green at all I'm not sure if you're familiar yet with the TFP close reccs, which are to close after the water temps are below 60 and one before the water is higher than 60.

Until I started operating yearround with a pool done last year, I opened crystal clean this way each year

I know leaves can be a pita, but a leaf cover can help nail that.

 

[Pool Amateur]

I am still learning but I inherited a pool with a mesh loop loc cover which I believe to be a safety cover not a winter cover. The first year of winterization I did not think about it and had a pool company close the pool and they did not say anything, but I opened to a green mess, glad I knew how to SLAM it only took a week to clear it and all was good, but I read that this was not the norm. This year I put a solid tarp over the mesh. It worked in that when I opened, the pool was clear. But rain water sagged the both covers down to where I am pretty sure the mesh was in the water and I do not think that was good for longevity of the mesh cover. I pumped it off frequently but still not good. This year I plan to put the tarp under the cover and let it float on top of water and will pump water off 1-2 times during winter then all of it just before I take it off. I do not know what a "cover mate " is I am just going to buy a large tarp, larger than the surface so it can have some depth and does not get drug into pool and allow rain water contaminated withe dirt and leaf organics to mix with pool water. If you are talking about "this cover mate", I do not like the price and it will allow the the waters to mix. so when leaves and dirt get on the mesh cover and rain now falls on that dirt and falls through and onto the cover mate, that dirt which will contain organics will mix with pool water and allow algae to grow. Also I can buy a tarp way larger for half the cost. I am also going to buy a large enough tarp that if I ever need to do a total water exchange I will have the tarp to do that.

I am interested to hear opinions about my Idea vs the cover mate I linked above.

 

[eripaulie]

Thank you for your replies!

Hi Swampwoman. Yes I am familiar with the recommendations of closing late and opening early. Ive tried several different variables with timing. I found that unless I open it super early in April, it only takes a few days of hot sunny weather to make the pool green. I decided that taking 5 days to clear the green is worth it rather than taking care of the pool daily for a month when it is cold and no one swims in it. I want to close it way earlier than normal this year because I have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and want to free up some of my time! Im sure it will be hot and sunny after I close it in August, yes this Michigan weather is weird. I just had a hail storm two weeks ago when it was 90 degrees out. (oh boy, THAT was a mess!)

Hi Pool Amateur! When I moved into this house spring of 2009, the prior owners had a solid tarp underneath the safety cover. I think they had the safety cover over the top because they had little kids, it is full mesh. The water was drained pretty low. So when my pool people opened it all of the green swampy stuff all went into the water anyways when they removed the tarp underneath. Not only that, I had to pay at least 200 dollars to have water trucked in. I decided after that to just use the mesh so the rainwater just filled the pool for opening. The tradeoff is yes, green water, but its no big deal to clear it. In the spring if the water level is too high I just open a corner of the mesh cover and pump some of it out.

I thought about the "tarp over the top" of the safety cover, but I figured it would just blow around, get water and leaves on top of it, and be more of a hassle for me. (I am a single Mom and not very handy so I take the path of least resistance!)

So I figured I would maybe give this cover mate idea a try because I think it just floats on the water and rises with the water level as it rains and snows. I will probably give it a shot and see what happens.

 

[Pool Amateur]

Let me know what happens next spring, I read in another thread where the newer mesh is supposed to keep out the sun and therefore not be an algae problem. So maybe just blocking the sun will be good enough, I thought the addition of organics might also be a problem, I do plan to pump off all the water in spring before I remove tarp underneath so that the water on top does not mix with the water on bottom. I drain down to just below returns for winter, I do not have a problem with fill water. Are you on well water, is that why trucking in water? Best wishes on getting back to good health soon, I am sure your positive attitude will help.

 

[eripaulie]

Thanks pool amateur on the best wishes for my health!

Yes I am on a well. I top off with my hose but wouldn't ever fill with this water. I only trucked in water that one time when I bought this house, used only the full mesh cover since then. I'm sure the "partial" mesh cover might work but I don't have the money to buy that.

In my experience,( I'm no expert by any means; however I've been using the TFP methods here since 2010 with great success), I feel that with my fully mesh cover it is the sunlight and warmth in April that causes the green when I open. I just don't have the time nor patience to close way late and open way early to prevent it. Yes I have some leaves, worms, and dirt when I open, but it only takes about 5 to 7 days to clear with the SLAM method.

I only want to try this "cover mate" because I want to close it earlier than usual this summer due to my health. I'm hoping it blocks the sunlight enough to do the job, but we will see! I'll let you know in the spring!

 

[pookiesunshine]

what about using a tarp (or solar blanket) over the mesh cover but only in the late fall and early spring when the water temp is above 60? just to block the sun. i have not tried it...yet.

 

[Pool Amateur]

I had tarp over the top last year, but need to pump off frequently and much of the time the water weight sags the mesh cover in pool that is why I will use tarp underneath as outlined in post#3, unless someone convinces me the "cover mate" will do the same job of opening to a clear pool. It is double price of tarp. I would use a 20x40 tarp floating on top but think it might sink, curious to see if "cover mate" has any special flotation properties different from that of tarp. So any input on whether it is important to keep the water separated vs just block light and special flotation properties of cover mate would be appreciated.

 

[Swampwoman]

I want to close it way earlier than normal this year because I have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and want to free up some of my time!

Sendin' ya the light from West Mitten

Two years ago, hubby ruptured his bicep and had surgery, and I blew my knee. No comparison, but lugging a carboy of chlorine became logistically comedic. That's when I decided to switch to SWG

Once you've kicked the nasty C's butt, you might enjoy same! Doesn't solve the overwinter issues of our wiley weather, but makes late season operation a breeze, notwithstanding leaves.

 

[dschribs]

Bumping this post to see if anyone else has opinions on the Cover Mate.

After three years of opening to algae - I finally realized that just using my mesh cover is not going to cut it.

 

[Pool Amateur]

I have not opened yet but used a large tarp floating on top with it being large enough to have the edges of the tarp up on the pool (used a 40' x 60' tarp, pool is 20' x 40'. it cost $50 on amazon) I have peaked under and perfectly clear so far but still pretty cold around hear. Will probably open in a few more weeks, will try to remember to check back in. The new mesh covers are supposed to be better and not let the algae grow or so they advertise but mine grew a bunch the first year when not completely covered by solid tarp and the company that closed used algacide, l closed the past 2 years no algacide and no algae last year and no algae so far this year.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Has anyone put a "cover mate" under your mesh safety cover at closing?

Bumping this post to see if anyone else has opinions on the Cover Mate.

After three years of opening to algae - I finally realized that just using my mesh cover is not going to cut it.

They are a huge pain, I used to do those.. The water that accumulates on top is like 4” algae sludge, pain in the neck to handle store.

Timing is everything for dosing/treating the pool..

 

[eripaulie]

Re: Has anyone put a "cover mate" under your mesh safety cover at closing?

I started this thread last summer asking about the covermate. I never did get the covermate, just closed the pool like usual with just the older mesh cover. I then decided to open the pool on June 4th, 2018! Oh boy, I was really shaking in my shoes because here in Michigan it was in the 90's on Memorial Day weekend. I could smell the swamp that weekend and wished that I had made the appointment to have the pool people open it in April like I usually did.

This is what I did do, however. About 2 weeks ago I pulled up two corners of the cover, one in the shallow end by the steps and one in the deep end. I put a submersible pump on the step in the shallow end then hooked a garden hose up to it. I put the end of the hose in the deep end. I added 4 total gallons of 12% chlorine over the span of the day and ran the pump letting the water somewhat mix with the hose.

On opening day, only 4 days ago, it really wasn't so bad! Today it is ready to swim, I passed the overnight test two days ago while slamming! Here is a photo of Monday's opening and today just a few minutes ago.

 

[kellyfair]

Beautiful! Love your large deck!

 

[tbenton]

I'm thinking about buying a "cover mate" cover to put on the water under my mesh safety cover when closing. I'm in Michigan and would like to close my pool earlier this year, probably in September.

I have no problem clearing my green pool when I open in May, but due to closing it earlier in the fall I thought it might help a little to reduce the swamp factor in the spring.

If anyone has tried it:

1. Is it heavy or hard to put onto the water?

2. My pool is oval shaped. Does it come in a square and can I cut it to shape with scissors?

I know your post is old but just saw it. We bought a 'covermate' years ago and its like a miracle with the mesh cover over it. Its like thick bubble wrap but not heavy and just floats on the water and not hard to get off either. We had to replace our mesh cover two years ago and Loop Loc makes a much tighter mesh now but we have not gotten brave enough yet to not use the cover mate.

 

[Shellirave]

I inow this is an old thread, but wanted to chime in. Our pool came with a mesh safety cover and one of those mesh mate floating and covers as well. Our pool guy said the mesh mate was a pain I'm sure because it was just an extra step but when we did use it I felt the pool did open clearer. We typically close end of September and open end of April, which I know is part of the problem as we are here in New York and tend to have Indian Summers in the fall and spring has been getting hotter earlier. Two years ago we upgraded to What we were told was the better of the loop lock covers as it was supposed to block more sunlight. I believe that was BS, as we stopped using the mesh mate because we thought the cover would be better and the last two years we have opened to a swamp. Now I'm trying to find a new mesh meat cover and can't seem to find one I'm wondering if I should not even bother and just deal with slamming the pool and taking a week to clear it. Anybody else here have a loop lock extreme and feel that they upgraded and it was a waste of money?