I gave an example with round number off of the top of my head. It had no relation to any sort of real world pool. In my pool a liter raises my FC about 1.0
First timer advice/thoughts for AGP
- Thread starter raysaint
- Start date
I gave an example with round number off of the top of my head. It had no relation to any sort of real world pool. In my pool a liter raises my FC about 1.0
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
You got it right on 1 & 2 
You’re paying them for the mechanical part not to handle the chemistry.
Once you see how crazy simple it is you probably won’t ever let anyone else do it again anyway.
I had to really drill that home to my pool installers & tell them multiple times I would take care of the chems. I had my husband watch them like a hawk so nothing got added while I ran to the store as it was filling. I was able to switch out the dumb perma salt system for wedding cake steps upon purchase of the pool but still ended up with zeolite in my filter & a box of chems that I will never use that are still in my shed.
You’re paying them for the mechanical part not to handle the chemistry.
Once you see how crazy simple it is you probably won’t ever let anyone else do it again anyway.
I had to really drill that home to my pool installers & tell them multiple times I would take care of the chems. I had my husband watch them like a hawk so nothing got added while I ran to the store as it was filling. I was able to switch out the dumb perma salt system for wedding cake steps upon purchase of the pool but still ended up with zeolite in my filter & a box of chems that I will never use that are still in my shed.
Thanks for validating my thoughts on the chemical aspect of closing.
Once the piping is uncoupled to bring inside with the pump & filter, anything need to be done to the bit of pipe left coming out of the side of the pool from the return & skimmer? One pool store told me to leave as is so any water could run out if it got that high. Not sure how the water level will rise over winter, with a cover on it. Maybe he was referring to condensation that could freeze?
Once the piping is uncoupled to bring inside with the pump & filter, anything need to be done to the bit of pipe left coming out of the side of the pool from the return & skimmer? One pool store told me to leave as is so any water could run out if it got that high. Not sure how the water level will rise over winter, with a cover on it. Maybe he was referring to condensation that could freeze?
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
Water weight on the cover will cause the water level below to rise as water on top of the cover displaces it.
I cover the ends of mine with a bit of screening held in place with a zip tie. Otherwise the squirrels tend to jam them full of acorns.
From what I assume, the cover will be tight across the top of the pool, and not sitting down in on top of the water level. So there will be a few inches of space between cover and water surface. I could be wrong.
If the cover sits on water surface, I'm not sure if there's enough overhang on the cover to secure it with the cable.
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
I always had the cover resting on the water with a little play inside, which when water is on the cover, will not put inward pressure on the pool walls. The cover is meant to lay on top of the water. I bought the 34x18 cover for my 32x16 oval pool. Its hard to get that perfect with a fence all the way around the pool.
This is not how a cover works. In fact it is the total opposite of how a cover works. A cover is not that tight. I doubt that you could get a cover that tight in the first place, but if you were somehow able to do so, with the first rains, it would pull the walls of your pool in.
A winter cover for an ABG rests on the water in the pool. It is not suspended above the water.
Covers are designed with overhang. A cover that is for a XX' diameter pool is actually XX+4 to 6 feet in diameter.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
That'll make it more difficult to pull/push snow off it, as I had planned. And if I put the leaf net on top, how to pull it off and not lose all the leaves.
Closing question! Weather this week has been horrible, pool company coming tomorrow morning. Planned to vacuum today, slam tomorrow morning; too nasty today, so my new plan is: Do my chlorine slam & algaecide tonight, it circulates all night; shouldn't lose any chlorine potency overnite, and water temp is around 40 degrees. Tomorrow morning, scoop the maple leaves off the bottom and vacuum hopefully before they get here.
The small ash leaves don't sink and are plentiful, but they've been going into the skimmer; I've been emptying the skimmer 3 or 4 times a day for a couple weeks. But my pump is humming, probably because the leaves impede water flow into the pump. When would that be damaging?
The small ash leaves don't sink and are plentiful, but they've been going into the skimmer; I've been emptying the skimmer 3 or 4 times a day for a couple weeks. But my pump is humming, probably because the leaves impede water flow into the pump. When would that be damaging?
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Well, it's closed. Vacuumed this morning, 7:30 a.m., water was freezing. Watched the pool company, I think I can do it myself next time, with a helper for the cover.
For the leaves that fall on the cover, gonna use the wall brush, pull them to the edge, and pick or leaf vac them out.
They left the cover slack in some spots, said it'll help absorb water weight and reduce side pull. But the wind is already billowing a couple spots. I went all the way around and pulled the cover down more under the cable, it was rubbing on the pool supports.
What do you think of shrink wrapping the perimeter/bottom edge of the cover, to reduce wind getting under it? Pool guy said just keep water/snow on it.
For the leaves that fall on the cover, gonna use the wall brush, pull them to the edge, and pick or leaf vac them out.
They left the cover slack in some spots, said it'll help absorb water weight and reduce side pull. But the wind is already billowing a couple spots. I went all the way around and pulled the cover down more under the cable, it was rubbing on the pool supports.
What do you think of shrink wrapping the perimeter/bottom edge of the cover, to reduce wind getting under it? Pool guy said just keep water/snow on it.
A pic of the cover. The inside sides are on that 45 degree angle and no slack really; won't that make weight on the cover pull in on the pool sides?
Not much overhang on the outside to allow more slack on the inside. I think the cover on the inside should be up against the pool side, down to the water level, so weight pulls down on the top rail. Maybe I'm over-thinking, or paranoid. Probably both.
Not much overhang on the outside to allow more slack on the inside. I think the cover on the inside should be up against the pool side, down to the water level, so weight pulls down on the top rail. Maybe I'm over-thinking, or paranoid. Probably both.
Attachments
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Scootch the rope up & allow a little more slack to go into the pool.
If the cable is secured the cover won’t fall in the pool.
Here’s a pic of mine. On the sides where the deck is there’s very little excess cover hanging over, it’s always like that & never has gone in the pool.
If the cable is secured the cover won’t fall in the pool.
Here’s a pic of mine. On the sides where the deck is there’s very little excess cover hanging over, it’s always like that & never has gone in the pool.
Decoy205
Silver Supporter
How do you keep your water so high? I dropped mine 2” below skimmer and it seems way lower.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Mine is right under the bottom of the faceplate. The top return still has a little water on it, I may drain a little more but I was done flooding the yard that day
I am able to keep my water pumped off pretty much all winter because even if we have some freezing/snow weather we usually get above freezing days before & after so it allows me to keep the water in the pool higher. Often times even at Christmas we have a random 75 degree day.
Up north you likely need to account for more precipitation that you won’t be able to remove for a while because of the temps.
Re; Removing the leaf net. You get two people. Start at one end, with a person on each side. Walk down the pool, folding the net over onto it self.
You pool looks fine. If you get a lot of wind whip, you can put shrink wrap around it. I just keep a bit of water (or snow) on mine.
During the fall, I pump water off of my cover. That way the leaves can blow off. Otherwise they collect in the water and rot, and then opening in spring is not so nice.
I do not lower my water at all. I put in a skimmer plate, and plug my return. I try to keep water off of the cover, in order to keep as much pool water in place as possible. However once ice forms on my cover, or snow accumulates, then whatever happens, happens.
My pool looks just like Mdragger's except I have a flotation pillow in the middle of mine. Not to provide any cushion from ice, but to make any rainwater flow to the edges, so it is easer to get it to pool for the pump.
You pool looks fine. If you get a lot of wind whip, you can put shrink wrap around it. I just keep a bit of water (or snow) on mine.
During the fall, I pump water off of my cover. That way the leaves can blow off. Otherwise they collect in the water and rot, and then opening in spring is not so nice.
I do not lower my water at all. I put in a skimmer plate, and plug my return. I try to keep water off of the cover, in order to keep as much pool water in place as possible. However once ice forms on my cover, or snow accumulates, then whatever happens, happens.
My pool looks just like Mdragger's except I have a flotation pillow in the middle of mine. Not to provide any cushion from ice, but to make any rainwater flow to the edges, so it is easer to get it to pool for the pump.
- Jun 1, 2018
- 14,088
- Pool Size
- 26000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I am able to take my leaf net off by myself- it just lays there on top of the cover. In December or so, I make sure the cover is pumped off 1st & then dump the leaves over the edge, shake, and then put it back in place. I use the same “taco” method as when removing the solid cover. Leave one side of the cover (taco) attached/clipped (the side you will dump the leaves on), Fold cover over like a taco 
- the leaves/junk are your taco filling. Keep the taco closed & don’t open it until you are completely over the pool rail on the side you wish to dump the “filling”. With the solid cover this requires several hands.
- the leaves/junk are your taco filling. Keep the taco closed & don’t open it until you are completely over the pool rail on the side you wish to dump the “filling”. With the solid cover this requires several hands.I am able to take my leaf net off by myself- it just lays there on top of the cover. In December or so, I make sure the cover is pumped off 1st & then dump the leaves over the edge, shake, and then put it back in place. I use the same “taco” method as when removing the solid cover. Leave one side of the cover (taco) attached/clipped (the side you will dump the leaves on), Fold cover over like a taco
I rarely seem to have a second set of hands when opening my pool. Mine is just a little smaller than yours at 27'.
If I do not remove my taco fillings first, I end up with lettuce, tomato, and ground beef in my pool. I am in the "slide the naked soft tortilla off the pool" camp. This is also where having the pillow in the middle makes things more difficult. I could likely pull it out first, I'll try that next year.