Pool opening 2024

[Newdude]

Can i try using just one and see if it works for my first time especially since it is big enoutgh for my 15 x 24 pool.

Yup. You need several wraps and how many depends on the wind and moisture. One roll is probably enough but I'm extra and would rather do it once seeing how it's so cheap. If it was $79 a roll, I might try just one.

Is it something easily put on by my pool person BEFORE the regular winter cover?

The cover goes on and then the top edge gets wrapped like a belt with the cling/shrink wrap. It's an alternative to the PITA steel cable thingie that many use.

The clips are option 3. They all serve the same purpose.

What were you doing all these years ? Was it working ?

How about using the blue tarps u can purchase at hardware stores. Would that be ok?

Yup. We are firmly divided here. Some love their fancy pool specific covers. Some go for the cheapest tarp they can find figuring it won't last but a season or two either way.

 

[dereksanders]

Most of the tarps I used for various camping excursions should be alright, so long as the are heavy duty. My pool cover was cheaper.

 

[monsterman]

Most of the tarps I used for various camping excursions should be alright, so long as the are heavy duty. My pool cover was cheaper.

Sorry for the delayed response. I do put a regular winter cover on plus a leaf cover over it. With the wire that the pool guy tightens with that metal piece??forgot the name. I just thought to put this UNDER the cover for better coverage over the winter???

 

[Newdude]

With the wire that the pool guy tightens with that metal piece?? Forgot the name.

The knuckle smasher 4000 ? I remember it well.

 

[dereksanders]

This year I plan on using 12 empty chlorine jugs filled 75% water hanging from mini bungees. Won’t have the need to crank down the wire near as tight. I expect it to keep standing water to a minimum. It got old siphoning the water all winter long.

 

[Newdude]

Won’t have the need to crank down the wire near as tight

Somewhere along life's journey I found a way to make a winch without the winch. I use the double loop trick often for anything I want tight.

Winter Wind

I have a 24ft above ground round pool. We live in rural sw mn. The pool has grain to the east and half of the south but the rest is fairly open and especially open to south winds. 2 years ago the wind go under the winter cover and ripped it off along with our top rail destroying the pool. we had...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[monsterman]

Will be hitting u people up soon in advice for slamming my pool for closing. Cannot believe its over already. But its always nice to have a little hand holding. Thanks again for a worry free summer

 

[monsterman]

It is about that time. Fall is definitely here. It was in the 50's last night. I need to close the pool this Saturday the 14th of September. So if I test the chemicals and the chlorine is let us say between 7 to 8-- what should I bring the level up to so that it lasts until May 31st of 2025. I know you will say to slam it. But this is much more months than just a regular slam. So how many gallons do you think I would need to hold that long if I put it in either the night before on Friday OR that Saturday morning? Also as you can see by my logs- my pH has remained at or about 7.3 for quite some time and only my TA went up a bit to 100 just today. Pool math said to add some acid (muriatic)but it did NOT say how much. Then it said to aerate to raise the pH. If I read that correctly-- OR should I just leave it all alone and just maintain the chlorine?
Also for some reason I had to go on my computer to see my threads- I could not seem to locate it on my iPhone on the web.
Now for next year- I MIGHT buy a heater but I need to ask you a NOVICE question first.
I have a friend who has a huge built-in pool and he uses a gas heater, he said he turns it on in the morning and turns it off some hours later once the pool has increased in temperature. he said his pool goes up about 1 degree an hour. He said the difference between the gas heater and the Heat Pump Is that the JHeat PUMP uses the ambient air and turns it warm in the pool and it takes many hours or days to get warm. He said that the PUmp heater is VERY efficient but costs a lot more to purchase. But he said the pump Heater can be left ON almost the whole summer to keep the pool warm and it would cost LESS money to do that than to use the Gas Heater sporadically. Can that be true??? I do not know how to read or decipher the electrical usage of either one. so I am just asking a generalized question about what someone here might do if they were shopping for a heater and if the initial cost would be outweigh by the potential savings over time by using either one.
I have seem gas heaters sell for about $2000 while the Heat Pump sells for over $4000. Please advise.
But please give me the low down on my closing chemicals ASAP so that I can prepare for next weekend. Thanks again to all for making my summer a fruitful one with my pool. You people are wonderful and I hope you all have a a great end of the year.

 

[Newdude]

what should I bring the level up to so that it lasts until May 31st of 2025. I know you will say to slam it

Ok then.

But this is much more months than just a regular slam.

So was last years closing and it went awesome. I remember you went 2 over slam, unsure exactly what time the guy was coming the day of the closing. So you added 2 extra for insurance in case he didn't come until late in the day and you lost some to the sun.

OR should I just leave it all alone and just maintain the chlorine?

Your TA and Ph are fine. Maintain the FC for the week as needed. Pass an oclt late in the week then bring it to SLAM right before closing.

In regards to the heaters, don't forget you'll spend a chunk of cash running upgraded electric to the equipment pad for a heat pump. You already have the gas line at the pool so as long as it's still usable, that will lower the typical install cost significantly.

 

[dereksanders]

It was 40 overnight here and it’s headed east. by Wednesday it will be back in the high 80s. I suspect I’ll be closing when I plant my garlic.

 

[monsterman]

thank you as always-- so if my FC is at 8 just about at closing-- I went on pool math and SLAM would be to bring it to 16. And as you say depending on when he comes- to add 2- do you mean to bring it to 18?

 

[Newdude]

And as you say depending on when he comes- to add 2- do you mean to bring it to 18?

Last time you were going to work and weren't going to be there when he came so you dosed a little higher just in case. 16 is fine because you'll be home on Saturday if you dose right before he closes. If you slip and hit 18 anyway, it's still all good

 

[monsterman]

hey guys- I would love to have you recommend some winter items. I do not need them right now but for the near future?
As for winter covers- does anyone have a favorite really good brand that you would recommend? My pool is 15' x 24' and From what I see in a lot of the brochures I only see 15' x 30' oval sizes. I will attach some pics and maybe you can help me decide. The pics I am attaching show the Buffalo Blizzard Supreme Plus cover has a 12 x 12 scrim( the higher the number the better)- and for 15 ' x 30'- only 89.99. Then there is the leaf cover I might need to replace soon...is there a difference? And how about the self or easy frain type of winter cover so that I do not have to use my sump pump throughout the winter to remove the water from the top of the cover? Are they really good and is the cover strong as well? And lastly that Auto Float Winter cover - never saw anything like that. Please look these over and give me some feedback. Thanks
Now for the last question--for my 15 ' x 24' above-ground pool with 11000 gallons what would be the optimum size of a gas heater? As you can see I attached some pics from Poolsupplies.com-- they sell Raypak brand with all different sizes of BTU--starting at 150K BTU for model 156A and then 206K to 266K to 336K and then 406K BTU sizes. starting from about $1900 up to about $3800.
So any ideas on size would be a great aid for me in making this decision when I am ready.

 

[Pauls234]

Did you need them last year when your pool was closed perfectly and opened to clear water this spring?

 

[Pauls234]

And optimal sized heater is largest you can afford. I have a 21k gallon pool and my 400k BTU heater gives me 2 degrees/hour. You should get about twice that with 11k gallons. And that is awesome because you don't need to maintain a temp all week if you aren't swimming.

As I've said in this thread before - on days I know kids, family etc are swimming I turn on the heat early morning and gain 10 degrees by noon - you can gain twice that so no reason to maintain temp on a random Tuesday that you aren't swimming.

 

[monsterman]

Did you need them last year when your pool was closed perfectly and opened to clear water this spring?

I luv your honesty- I guess I am just OCD and am already thinking of the future when the cover I have now becomes old and tattered which could be any time now-- who knows? So I just wanted to get some feed back