Here in Michigan I close the pool around the end of August and open at the end of May. I always have such a green mess when opening regardless of adding algecide or not when closing. I had a thought and I wanted to see what people here think of this. If I purchase a submersible pump and use it to stir the water, what if I add a case of chlorine say each month after closing until the water freezes. Then do the same in March and April after it thaws out. I have a mesh cover I can peel back easy enough to add the pump and chlorine. Would this help at all? Thanks.
Question on closing
- Thread starter CurtB
- Start date
- Mar 24, 2014
- 2,455
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-55
The trick is to close late and open early. ~60F is the number to be on the bottom of before doing either. Around the time the leaves start to fall I put the cover on, but I watch for the water to get into the 50s before "closing" it. When it gets close to opening time, I just make sure there is SOME chlorine in the water (a good time to use the OTO test, btw). It won't get used up very quickly in cool water, then as you get close to that 60 degrees get everything going for real, even if you leave the cover on for awhile.
Check this out: What did you do to your pool today? - Page 72
Check this out: What did you do to your pool today? - Page 72
Thanks. So you mean you quit heating it but still run the pump until the water gets below 60? I never considered water temp before, makes sense. My problem this year is my pump is shot and isn't working so I wasn't going to get a new one until next year because of the warranty. I was going to close the pool now and put the pump on when I open. Your pics are amazing! I can't imagine pulling the cover off and see clear water!
jccams
0
I'm also in Mi and we tend to close about mid September and open mid May. I bring the pool to shock level add a bottle of algaecide and put the cover on. I've done it this way even with the water in the mid 60's and always open up to a perfectly clear pool. I agree though the colder you can let the water get before closing the better, I have to close before the leaves fall or I have a big mess so I pay more attention to that than the water temp.
Yes I can see that I probably close too early when it can still be fairly warm during the day. I always closed when the nights get too cold that trying to heat it anymore was pointless. I never considered letting the pump run without heating it as that's an expense too but mid Sept isn't too bad. I'm considering adding solar panels to supplement my gas heater which may help with extending the swimming season.
Mr Bruce, are those bottles just used to hold down the cover between the straps when the wind blows?
My pump died in early September last year. I wanted to wait until mid-winter to hit the clearance sale (I did manage to find a good deal!) so I just let it go green. I hooked up the new filter in late April to start my SLAM, it went a lot faster with the cooler temperature. (Once I figured out there wasn't enough sand in the filter.) I might sound nuts, but I actually wanted to so a full scale SLAM, as I had found TFP right about the time I got my first 18' ultra frame pool and had on
Y had small issues here and there.
- Mar 24, 2014
- 2,455
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-55
Yep, there is just enough gap between the straps that a strong wind can blow "stuff" under it. It's probably overkill, but I've got the bottles anyway so what does another 10 minutes of effort cost
- Mar 24, 2014
- 2,455
- Pool Size
- 32000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-55
If your pump doesn't work I would add chlorine and brush the entire pool every couple of days. A submersible like you mentioned is a good idea until you close it for the winter.
OK, thanks for the help. I was going to close it but I think I will wait and try to keep it clean until the water cools down then.
Close the pool the 3rd or 4th week of September. Pump run time is about 2-4 hours a day. With no heater, and for 3 weeks, at 1.5 hp and if your rate is .15 per Kwh, then you are looking at about $30 for the month. This will help to open up to a clear pool. Then open your pool up 3 weeks prior to the holiday and you will spend another $30-$40 in electricity.
The extra $70 spent will probably go to a lot of bleach in clearing up the pool, let along your time. That is, if the pump is up and running. Please keep us posted!
The extra $70 spent will probably go to a lot of bleach in clearing up the pool, let along your time. That is, if the pump is up and running. Please keep us posted!
Thanks. I was just thinking that the cost of running the pump probably wouldn't be that bad. I am actually going to get a bigger pump with variable speed as I heard you can run it slower but longer and save money on your electric bill. I'm also considering adding some solar panels so I would need a bigger pump for the extra flow also.
It would be nice to not have such a green swamp every year as it takes so long and so much chlorine to clear it.
Three weeks later to close and Three Weeks earlier to open. This is the key. Also, what type of cover do you have. If you have a mesh cover that allows a lot of sunlight in, then place a few cheap tarps (from Wal-Mart) on top of the cover for the first month or so, until late October. Then as the sun starts beating down in the early spring, then put the cover on again. Or you can leave on all during the year. My friend has my old cover and he put small cuts in the old tarp. Over his mesh cover and each year, we now open to a clean pool.
Also, with lower pump run times, brush the pool every other day. The pool will turn over in at least 4 hours and you will be all set. Try this, and I will bet your spring opening will be real easy.
i also have a mesh cover that lets sunlight through. we have a ton of leaves so i usually close early, well before water temp is below 60. i was thinking about leaving our solar cover beneath the mesh cover to help block sunlight. i also considered putting it out on top of the mesh cover until late fall and again in early spring but not sure how to keep the wind from blowing it off. what do you think?
Do not put the solar cover on the water and then mesh cover. You will have PH drop very quickly, if left on for a long time. I do not know about PH during real cold months, but with the solar cover on for 3 days, my PH goes from 7.5 to 7.2. I aerate back up. Maybe someone can answer the PH question during cold months. You also want to store your cover away as it will last longer.
The mesh with something on top of it is your best bet, either all fall, winter and spring before opening or only when the temperature stays warm.
My experience with friends is to close around 3rd or 4th week of September and open up last week of April, about one month prior to the holiday. Even if algae started growing in the late summer, early spring, you would definitely catch it quickly in the early spring of next year.
Thanks, Cat. i usually do store my solar cover away. i opened to green swamp this year and was reading here about the 60 degree "rule" and thinking of what i could do while still closing early. leaves are such a big hassle that leaving (haha, pun unintended) it completely open is not an option. so i will try either covering while keeping the pump running til 60 degrees and then close completely or cover the mesh with tarps/solar cover until 60 degrees. and open early.
Pookie:
With how we close and open (like 5 pools) for myself and friends, with and without mesh covers and tarps, great success. Of course, you are almost guaranteed to open to a clear pool when temps drop that low. But, I honestly believe the last week of September is fine for closing. Just cover the mesh with a solid tarp with holes in it. Or purchase a few cheap solid covers and space them apart leaving 6" between tarps. The water will always drain back into the pool, keeping 90% of the suns rays out of the pool.
With how we close and open (like 5 pools) for myself and friends, with and without mesh covers and tarps, great success. Of course, you are almost guaranteed to open to a clear pool when temps drop that low. But, I honestly believe the last week of September is fine for closing. Just cover the mesh with a solid tarp with holes in it. Or purchase a few cheap solid covers and space them apart leaving 6" between tarps. The water will always drain back into the pool, keeping 90% of the suns rays out of the pool.
I can close with 80 degree water and as long as I open early with cold water, it's always clear.
I use a standard 20k winterizing kit.
I use a standard 20k winterizing kit.
Can you please explain what you are asking? You stated that you always open up to a green mess, but now you are indicating that you close with 80 degree water and open up to clear water. Did I miss something?
Arriving late to the "party" /discussion but I have a couple bad stories to tell you.
Before I understood the importance of water circulation and cold temps not conducive to algae growth, I followed the pool store advice to add 2-3 gallons in the water without the pump running. It was that year when we had 70's temps in March. Well it bleached the liner horribly.
Another year I tried to use the water that collected on the pool cover, adding bleach to it and sump pump pumping the water into the pool. Guess what. Bleached the liner.
As you have already read: be patient and wait to close, get excited and open early.
Don't add chlorine without the pump running. ;-)