First time closing the pool with TFP advice, and it went down very well. Have a 30k IG gunnite pool with a sand filter. I am posting this just in case any other newbies wanted to learn from my experience, and the experienced folks can kindly point out my errors. All of this that was done correctly was taken from the pool closing sticky, the errors are all my own.
1) Thursday night: Cleaned/degreased the sand filter with cleaner left by the previous owner
2) Friday night: Added 6 gallons of bleach to bring chlorine up to SLAM level. Overshot by 5 ppm...oh well. I know I am supposed to give it a full day at SLAM level, but the pool has been pristine for quite some time, and I was not worried.
Everything else on Saturday
3) Check chlorine level. Only a .5 drop, so we are good to go.
4) Drain pool. I wanted a good clean of the filter, so I used the backwash setting on the filter. I jammed a pool vacuum hose in the skimmer and dropped it in the pool so I could drain about 4 inches below the skimmer.
5) Remove return eyeballs and spa handrail.
6) Blew out and airlocked pool main drain and spa drain. I have a rubber stopper with a air compressor fitting that blew out the lines no problem. Pancake compressor, 9 foot deep main drain.
7) Blew out the return lines from the skimmer with the air compressor. I tried to use a shop vac at the pump, but did not work. No problem blowing out the pool lines, just took some time. Much harder to blow out the spa returns because they have that little bypass hole in case people block the returns when the pump is running. So I had all the kids stick their fingers in the little bypass holes-then I was able to blow out the returns.
8) Cut up pool noodle and fill skimmer basket and throat.
9) Cover pool with 15 year old falling apart Meyco mesh cover. First attempt had it upside down of course - I thought the Meyco branding would face up, shows what I get for thinking. Really need to get a new one, but I can think of better ways to spend 5k on the pool
10) Spend the next 6 months enjoying lower electric bills and planning more projects. Upgrade to VSP? Automate solar heater? Chlorine injection system?
1) Thursday night: Cleaned/degreased the sand filter with cleaner left by the previous owner
2) Friday night: Added 6 gallons of bleach to bring chlorine up to SLAM level. Overshot by 5 ppm...oh well. I know I am supposed to give it a full day at SLAM level, but the pool has been pristine for quite some time, and I was not worried.
Everything else on Saturday
3) Check chlorine level. Only a .5 drop, so we are good to go.
4) Drain pool. I wanted a good clean of the filter, so I used the backwash setting on the filter. I jammed a pool vacuum hose in the skimmer and dropped it in the pool so I could drain about 4 inches below the skimmer.
5) Remove return eyeballs and spa handrail.
6) Blew out and airlocked pool main drain and spa drain. I have a rubber stopper with a air compressor fitting that blew out the lines no problem. Pancake compressor, 9 foot deep main drain.
7) Blew out the return lines from the skimmer with the air compressor. I tried to use a shop vac at the pump, but did not work. No problem blowing out the pool lines, just took some time. Much harder to blow out the spa returns because they have that little bypass hole in case people block the returns when the pump is running. So I had all the kids stick their fingers in the little bypass holes-then I was able to blow out the returns.
8) Cut up pool noodle and fill skimmer basket and throat.
9) Cover pool with 15 year old falling apart Meyco mesh cover. First attempt had it upside down of course - I thought the Meyco branding would face up, shows what I get for thinking. Really need to get a new one, but I can think of better ways to spend 5k on the pool
10) Spend the next 6 months enjoying lower electric bills and planning more projects. Upgrade to VSP? Automate solar heater? Chlorine injection system?
It might help others to see the following:
