Closing pool - questions about chemicals

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M

meestahmarc

Well-known member
Jun 7, 2018
156
Paramus, NJ
Pool Size
32000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hi.

This is my 4th year closing the pool. The actual process of closing the pool went smoothly. Pool water was clean and water balance was good.

My question is this, and I hope this is not a contentious subject. What's the point of winterizing chemicals? shocking the pool, the chlorine will just burn off in a matter of several days. My CH was good and other things in balance. Just feels like it's a gimmick by pool companies. Despite having a good safety cover, my water will be dirty and have leaves in it at the start of the year.

In the past I've added a little stain and scale or algaecide, but now I'm like what's the point!

please she's some light!
 
meestahmarc said:
What's the point of winterizing chemicals? shocking the pool, the chlorine will just burn off in a matter of several days.
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Not if your water is cold. We typically say don't close until it's at least 60F, but the lower the better. Some wait until close to 40F. Many owners do their pre-close SLAM, so the FC is quite elevated. For those that use a cover to reduce UV, the FC holds quite well. Many open their pool to find they still have FC. Not everyone, but many do. They key is to eliminate as much organic material as possible with the water as cold as possible. Open early and you have a good chance of avoiding an algae outbreak.
 
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oh... I typically close it early because of the leaves and busy with school, etc. I open late like almost July... my pool water was heated too, so it's about 80 degrees. Do you think I am going to have a problem.
 
meestahmarc said:
I typically close it early because of the leaves and busy with school, etc. I open late like almost July... my pool water was heated too, so it's about 80 degrees. Do you think I am going to have a problem.
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That's almost always a recipe for algae. Just no way to avoid it by having the water dormant that long with warm water. A closer's creed: "Close late - open early." Do a pre-SLAM before closing, cover, and your chances of having a clear pool are greatly increased.

Your signature is blank, so feel free to update it with all of your pool and equipment info. See mine as an example. It will help us answer your questions.
 
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thanks. I guess the water will cool quickly now that at night it's into the 50s. The cover is quite dark and my chlorine levels were high the day I closed it, but not at shock levels. I guess i shall see come next year.

even though my pump is off and my cover is on, do you think it's worthwhile putting in my remaining liquid shock? I have about 10 gallons remaining. bought 36 gallons at start of season, didn't use that much. Stemmer pp did nicely.
 
You can add chlorine later if you wish. Others sometimes do as well if it's not too difficult to pull the cover back and gain access to the water. If you have vinyl, you want to be careful to add any chlorine slowly and brush if possible so it doesn't settle on the liner. Some people might drop a small submersible pump in that area to help move the chlorine. Just depends on your situation, the weather, and how comfortable you are throughout the winter season adding a bit more chlorine. While most probably just close and walk away for a few months, I know some owners who add a little chlorine later around Dec/Jan if the water is still accessible.
 
I'm in Michigan with probably similar weather. and I wouldn't close this early, we had 86 degrees yesterday and this weekend is going to be mid 80s. We close mid October and open in mid May. I always open to clear water.
 
Suppose to be 90 tomorrow and again coming this week here in lovely O-H-I-O,, I just topped off the pool and added some chlorine. Chilly nights definitely lower water temperature, but if its 90 out I can hang with it
 
I typically close with a SLAM level of 16 and then open to clear water and a FC of 4, I do not use any other chemicals, just liquid chlorine. I do wait until October to close and use a solid (not mesh) cover so that all helps. We will usually get a few swim days in October because I have a heater and as long as air temps are at least 70, it is comfortable, and somewhat of a novelty for the kids to be swimming amongst all the fall colors and leaves. I am fine with jumping into a fairly cold pool after my regular runs too, so more reason to keep it open longer (for me).

One thing you can do is close and open in phases....I will get the cover on as step 1, but leave the plumbing and pump in place for several more weeks so I can continue to circulate. And then do the reverse in spring, especially if things warm up earlier than usual - get plumbing back in place, and top up the water level, but still leave the cover on. This way, I don't necessarily have to find a full day I can dedicate to the process, just need a few hours here and there.
 
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Pauls234 said:
This way, I don't necessarily have to find a full day I can dedicate to the process, just need a few hours here and there
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+1 and then some. I devoted a few hours a weekend for a month at both ends of the weekend. The equipment was the first to get going and the last to be put away. In the early, and I mean earrrrrrrly spring, it might run covered for a few weeks if the weather was real wet. And in the fall it might run covered for a month if the leaves were bad but the temps were still above 60.

Each weekend I’d pack/unpack more things. Tables/chairs/umbrellas, pool toys, etc. It was much less of a chore because I could spend 30 mins on Saturday and an hour on Sunday, Or 4 hours if I was free and adventurous that day. Or skip it altogether on a busy day because I already got half of it done previously.
 
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interesting thought about leaving/getting the plumbing going when the cover is on. I am around less now that school has restarted so pool wouldn't get used anyhow. I might dump in my leftover liquid chlorine and circulate a little with my sump pump and a hose... beyond that, I suppose I'm good to go. thanks for all the thoughtful comments
 
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This will be my second MN winter not covering for winter, mesh cover is shot never ordered a new. This has also been my first summer just using Liquid Caroline. My plan is to maintain through to at least early October. At that time I plan to slam to min of 20 and winterize it which I hire out.

I really l;Ike the idea aof a small submerged pump and adding Caroline until it freezes up. The doing the same in the spring to circulate early around mid April once it is thawed out.

Thanks to everyone on this site, I learned a ton.
 
Brilis said:
If you close the pool early and have a dark cover, (no light really getting in) and you do have some algae growth won't it die off in the winter? Thanks
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Around 60 degrees it goes relatively dormant and waits. It will be ready to get the jump on you in the spring if you don’t open in time. Early season SLAMs are far easier as they aren’t fighting the exponential growth once the algae wakes up. Those last couple of growth cycles are the difference between ‘my testing says the water is off’ and ‘pea soup’.
 
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