Open date on East Coast?

[moonie]

The wife and I started this conversation this past weekend. I would love to open the pool early and get ahead of the algae bloom however we have a 2 year old Newfoundland that loves to swim and not much way to keep her out of it.

I really need to get a safety fence put around it lol.

To say she loves to swim is an understatement, she uses the safety cover as her personal water trampoline... They even have webed toes and swim side stroke not doggy paddle like other dogs, unbelievable how fast she is in the pool.

 

[mommark]

To all of the members on the East Coast when do you usually open your pool? I know people say to open early, but when exactly?

Not quite on the east coast, but Mid Michigan, we just opened our pool!!

 

[EastCoast]

First week of May for me on north shore of Long Island.

 

[KPAPool]

I'm opening right now. This is the earliest I've ever opened in the 4 or so years I've had the pool. I'm impressed with the clarity of the water this time. We have an in-ground plaster pool. Water temp is 54. We have a pool & spa that share equipment so it is nice to open early and be able to use the spa, and have some time to get everything perfected well before pool parties start.

 

[ZcottD]

Usually mid may here in CT, but sometimes may gets hot early and that changes it.

 

[CJadamec]

Last year I had the pool around 85 by April 30th for our first swim.

Started refilling the pool up to the top of the skimmer last weekend and checked under the cover. Added some chlorine as I was filling with the hose to keep the levels up. I should have the winter cover off and plumbing hooked up this weekend, Its been colder here this year than last spring. Not sure if we will have the weather for a swim that early this year but the pool will be ready.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

CJ - we still have ice in Litchfield, how about you?

 

[CJadamec]

No ice down this way. We had a much more mild winter than you guys did in the hills. Every time you got snow we had cold cold rain down on the coast. It was one of those years where the weather patterns brought warm ocean air into the coastline with every storm. The spring has been on the cool side of things but we haven't had any temps below freezing in a couple weeks. Low 30's in the morning but nothing freezing.

All of our trees are starting to bud and the grass is starting to grow.

 

[Murray16]

I opened a couple weeks ago because I like looking at the pool rather than the cover. Water temp was 52, but I don't plan on swimming until the days get in the 80's. I could heat it now to whatever I wanted, but don't want to spend that $$ with nights that are still cold.

As for your Newfoundland, you could only let her in the yard on a leash and walk her around. Kind of a pain for you and/or wife, but you could get a jump on the algae and it will clear up quicker. We've had to do that with our dog when she had her cone of shame for a wound on her paw.

 

[ja123]

Actually surprised to hear that so many people open this early. Looking around at the pools in my area no one opened yet. Plan to open probably early May

 

[jimim]

We have 20 pools in my development and I’m the only one who opens early. They all think I’m nuts.

 

[bmoreswim]

We have 20 pools in my development and I’m the only one who opens early. They all think I’m nuts.

You are only nuts if you are swimming now with no heater! They are welcome to open later and likely green. It's the P.O.'s choice right?

Not directed for you Jimim, but...

Do you enjoy looking at your opened pool versus a closed pool? Do you have dogs that like to swim? Do you like opening to clear water? Do you like solving equipment issues before losing swimming days?

All good reasons to open early.

The biggest con to opening early is pollen and tree debris. But that's what robots, skimmers and hair nets are for.

 

[jimim]

Plus 100 to the above. I like opening to clean water with less possible plaster issues. Most my neighbors open to swamps. But to them it’s normal.

 

[Geebot]

I'm in Chicago and opened a few days ago. Definitely not swim weather yet, but I get a lot of pleasure just looking at the soft shimmer of the circulating crystal-clear water out of my family room windows (as opposed to the leaf-covered safety cover). So I prefer to let the pool be its best self for as long a season as possible.

 

[winnw]

In Central CT, we opened April 17th, water temp 52, but it's clear and looks great!

 

[gerg887402]

Actually surprised to hear that so many people open this early. Looking around at the pools in my area no one opened yet. Plan to open probably early May

I have already been in 3 times the last two weeks here in NJ. No heater.

 

[Rich D]

I have already been in 3 times the last two weeks here in NJ. No heater.

Ahh, a true member of the polar bear club... What was the temp, and more importantly how long did you stay in?

 

[gerg887402]

Ahh, a true member of the polar bear club... What was the temp, and more importantly how long did you stay in?

60 degrees. Jumped in and jumped right back out. Had to cool off after some yard work.

 

[Rich D]

I considered this last weekend at 58 deg and asked the wife to man the rescue pole in case the "right back out" did not go as planned. She refused and said I deserved to freeze and drown if I was stupid enough to try.. I Will share your results with her and see if she will reconsider...

 

[moonie]

Opened the pool Sunday, removed the cover, water was clear with a brown bottom. Have SLAM'd since and it is coming along nicely. No combined chlorine, but the CYA is 0 so I'm losing quite a bit during the day. Today the above mentioned Newfoundland realized the pool was open and made a mad dash for the pool, she made it... Time to build that towel rack to dry the dog towels lol.