Keeping pool going (kinda) over winter

[kj5kb]

Going to be closing my 15x30 liner IGP soon, I have a woven pool cover; the pool fills back up over winter from rain/snow anyway, I also lose a lot of CYA over the winter due to degradation and draining.

This was my 3rd year of opening this pool, it's a typical green mess in the Spring, this year we didnt open til June and it was a real mess.

So I propose (for me anyway):

Bring CYA up to 100 or so.

When ready to cover,
Drain to well below skimmer and returns, install some type of submersible pump(s), then cover.
Continue to chlorinate...how will I get samples to test? Aquarium powerhead in pool with long hose.
Run pool pump on low until danger of freeze, then blow out return lines and bottom drain. Start submersible pump if not already going.
Continue to chlorinate and test. I predict (SWAG) about a gallon a week to keep it at a decent level.

Continue til Spring...could probably have my SLAM started before removing cover.

I could also add chlorine and CYA if needed with a puck floater.

Thoughts?

 

[kj5kb]

Should have mentioned that I have over 24 gallons of pool bleach and about 40lbs of 3" pucks on hand...

 

[Catanzaro]

KJ5:

No need to put yourself through all this trouble. If you close the last week of September and open the last week of April, you will not have a problem. No need to try to figure this out. Close with PolyQuat 60 and follow the closing procedures in pool school and in my thread, the "Concept of closing an in ground swimming pool". What tarp do you have? A solid tarp or mesh safety cover or solid safety cover? You wrote woven pool cover. The key is to open early. You opened to late. You could even open early, SLAM the pool and put the cover back on.

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Regarding CYA, the HTH in a sock melts pretty quickly and even though not registering right away, no need to bring the level up to CYA. If you have a 50, then you will probably start at 30. You can even manage a pool at 20 CYA to start and then raise to 30 or greater.

 

[kj5kb]

The more I think about that, the more work it seems!

End of September may be a bit warm still, might wait till well in October. But yes I think end of April would be the plan for opening and taking my time to SLAM before it's even close to warm enough to swim in.

Never had a problem getting CYA in a stocking to melt; another frustration this year was that I didnt have any CYA on hand for a few days after opening and couldnt find my bucket of Trichlor tabs!

...it's a fine mesh cover.

 

[Catanzaro]

Kj5Kb:

If you want, you can close. I will close in 2 weeks only because of time constraints. Too many leaves and nuts keep dropping all over the place. The key is to open up early in the spring. Also, you could purchase inexpensive tarps at Wal-Mart and cover the pool (at least 80%-90%) of the mesh cover until cold temperatures set in. Then you can make a decision to remove them or keep them on until the spring. Use strings to tie securely.

Regarding CYA, I keep everything on a shelf in the basement. Extra liquid chlorine, borax, baking soda, pucks, and CYA. When you need something is when it is hard to find time or the product. The HTH CYA at WalMart worked out real well and it registered in about 3 days.

Bring pool up to SLAM levels and add Poly Quat. We closed a pool first week of September last year with a quality mesh cover only. Opened up one month early and water was crystal clear.

 

[kj5kb]

My pool temp is still in the 70's so will wait awhile before closing.

Thanks for the feedback. This isn't my first pool, I had an 18' AGP for 6 years before this one.

I primarily have Scotch Pine Needles in mine....pretty much all season, but of course worse after a storm. Some leaves/flowers from flowering plants...and the only nut is me.

My understanding is that Chlorine depletes polyquat (?)

would you SLAM then immediately close...or wait a few days?

 

[Catanzaro]

My understanding is that Chlorine depletes polyquat ? would you SLAM then immediately close...or wait a few days?

Yes, I have had the same experience. Not all the chlorine is effected. It is best to SLAM the pool a few days before and then do not add any more chlorine. Allow levels to drift down over 3-4 days. With my pool, I only bring up to mid level the day before as the pool is always CC free. Usually 2 days before and then algaecide the day before. If you can, keep filter running for 2 days straight. Frist day is the chlorine and second day is the algaecide. Then close away.

 

[kj5kb]

Yes, I have had the same experience. Not all the chlorine is effected. It is best to SLAM the pool a few days before and then do not add any more chlorine. Allow levels to drift down over 3-4 days. With my pool, I only bring up to mid level the day before as the pool is always CC free. Usually 2 days before and then algaecide the day before. If you can, keep filter running for 2 days straight. Frist day is the chlorine and second day is the algaecide. Then close away.

Roger Thanks...been doing pools for 10+ years BBB but still get frustrated on opening/closing. And yes, I rarely have CC with only two of us in a 20K G pool....