Pool Cover for newbee

[ktw8020]

Hello all. Last year we installed a new Radiant pool. We put a cover on it. We were told we didn't need to put a pillow in the middle. We have a lot of trees around us. Unfortunately we can't avoid the trees. Anyways, we ended up with a lot of leaves on top of the cover which appears to have made the cover sink down. What a mess we now have. We tried to pump out as much water as we can but it seemed like we were going to have to empty it.

Next year, would you suggest a pillow or did we do something wrong? I'm thinking of a pillow AND a leaf cover. Lol. Any suggestions? Gotta start planning and getting better before next year comes.

 

[tlevy]

You need to remove the leafs that accumulate on the cover as much as possible. I removed accumulated leaves at least three times before the snow came and everything froze. I also kept the water from building up too much, and pumped water off as much as I could up until it froze.

After the snow melted, i removed the leaves again, and pumped all the water off the tarp. For pumping I used a 1/4 HP submersible pump with a screen and low water shut off. The pump also comes with its own GFI for extra protection. A standard hose attached to the pump outlet lets me pump far from the pool.

As for a pillow - i am not familiar with what that is. I can tell you that the volume of leaves in my pool this year vs last year when we didn't have a cover was substantial.


68,000litre, IG vinyl, LorentzPS 600 Solar Pump & 1/2 HP Tristar, Sandfilter, Aquarite T-15 SWG

 

[kcindc]

Many of the covers for AGP need pillows which keep water and debris from sinking in the middle. They push water and debris to the outside walls which makes clean up easier.

As mentioned above, it is easier to pump off water and clear off debris throughout the winter as needed. Leaf nets can be helpful, but also do best when you clear it off through the season.

 

[jeffchap]

I used my solar cover instead of a pillow this past winter. It worked great, and I needed someplace to store it anyway.