Winterizing - if you can call it that!!

[cherylandco]

I have a large pool - 21x41 - in a very windy location, and no real good way to attach a solid pool cover (deck around 1/2 the pool), so I have the Artic Armor mesh leaf net. Mostly I'm using it to keep my 2 very curious cats out this winter!!!! I had to rescue both of them last year, and midwinter swims are not as fun as you'd think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I still have the pool running - trying to keep the leaf mess to a minimum and so that I don't have the nasty nasty water in the spring. I'd like to vaccum it one more time to get the remaining leaves out, and then get the leaf net on and drain it down and bring the pump and tubing in.

1) How is the leaf net going to work? I still have to figure out a way to attach it, but it shouldn't be as hard as a solid since the wind won't billow it up like it did the solid one that we attempted last year....

2) Do I need a skimmer cover? Last year we just took all the piping off (we actually bring the pump inside) and let it go. We also just left the return open - If it truly will do the draining "For" me, I'd like that!

3) Also - is algae still able to grow now? It's 50 in the day, 30s at night (we keep the pump running at night so it won't freeze)? There is some "silverish" stuff on the bottom of the uncirculated side of the pool - is that dead algae or cold live algae? :lol: (We plan to put a 2nd return on that side of the pool in the spring before filling so that it gets better circulation)

4) Any other thoughts/suggestions?

 

[waste]

If you can get under the deck, you can use the standard cable and winch fed through the eyelets on the leafnet on the exposed 1/2 of the pool and rum just the cable under the deck so you can winch it tight. On the deck you can use watertubes (like for IG pools) to hold the othere 1/2 of the leafnet down. (this would also work for a solid cover )

If you can't get under the deck, you could install a couple of eyehooks on the ends of the deck and use them to secure a cable - and still use watertubes on the deck.

I'd cover the skimmer (top) and use a Gizzmo, the open return will prevent pool water from getting into the skimmer, but if any got in and the port was somehow obstructed, you might end up with a wrecked skimmer

Algae can still grow, it's just not able to spread aggressively - this is especially true with IG pools with a bunch of leaves on the bottom (the leaves make a blanket for the heat from the ground to let algae grow)


Good luck with your closing!