First time closing questions

[Hootie]

Hi everyone! Bought a house with a pool this year, wasted a bunch of money at the pool store, grew some algae, found TFP and have been sparkling clear and saving money for the rest of the summer. Great site!

Now I'm looking at closing this pool myself. I read a lot of the posts and will be making a modified cover for a cyclone to clear the lines. Here's my questions:
1) Am I supposed to remove the 'eyeballs' in the returns? As in do I put the expanding rubber plugs into the eyeball or take them out and plug the threaded hole?
2) What is the benefit to draining water below the returns? Is that necessary?
3) Previous owner left gizzmos behind. Should I use them in the skimmers or just the expanding rubber plug? I get the feeling gizzmos are used if you don't drain any water out. Is that right?
4) I have a pressure side cleaner (Polaris) that has a booster pump and dedicated return. Anything special for this or just blew and plug like any other return? I assume once cyclone is pushing air through pressure side it'll blow out that booster pump and return like any other return right?
5) Strategy to get the cover on? I hear that's the hardest part. Mine is a mesh type with the metal pins in the concrete around the pool.

Thanks for the help!

 

[run53]

Hi everyone! Bought a house with a pool this year, wasted a bunch of money at the pool store, grew some algae, found TFP and have been sparkling clear and saving money for the rest of the summer. Great site!

Now I'm looking at closing this pool myself. I read a lot of the posts and will be making a modified cover for a cyclone to clear the lines. Here's my questions:
1) Am I supposed to remove the 'eyeballs' in the returns? As in do I put the expanding rubber plugs into the eyeball or take them out and plug the threaded hole?
2) What is the benefit to draining water below the returns? Is that necessary?
3) Previous owner left gizzmos behind. Should I use them in the skimmers or just the expanding rubber plug? I get the feeling gizzmos are used if you don't drain any water out. Is that right?
4) I have a pressure side cleaner (Polaris) that has a booster pump and dedicated return. Anything special for this or just blew and plug like any other return? I assume once cyclone is pushing air through pressure side it'll blow out that booster pump and return like any other return right?
5) Strategy to get the cover on? I hear that's the hardest part. Mine is a mesh type with the metal pins in the concrete around the pool.

Thanks for the help!

1) Yes, unscrew the eyeballs. Then plug the return with threaded or rubber plug.
2) I never drain below the returns.
3) I would use the Gizzmos. Be careful with previously used ones. Mine sometime develop cracks from previous winter freezings. If you don't use the gizzmos, then you'll need something in the skimmer to absorb the expanding ice. Empty plastic bottle or pool noodle.
4) the pressure side booster line will blow out when you blow out the return lines.
5) It's easier with 2 people but I do it myself without too much trouble. Don't worry about letting it get in the water as you unfold it, it floats so there is no danger of loosing it

Good luck

 

[Hootie]

Thanks! Another question came to mind. I have a cover pump that the previous owner would leave on and on the first step going into pool. Should I continue doing that? I guess the theory is any rainfall will raise the water level and the pump would keep it below the skimmer. Good idea or not?

 

[run53]

My looplock cover specifies that the water level should remain at 18 " below the coping. I use a siphon to drain water manually as the rain raises the level. Since you have a mesh cover, I suspect you may have a similar requirement. I assume the pump is left on the first step and underneath the mesh cover for the same purpose of maintaining that water level so it doesn't rise too much from the rain/snow. So, yes, probably a good idea.