How to not open to a green pool

[SirSwimAlot]

I’ve been using the troublefree method for 3 years now and I love it. But closing never works for me. Every time I open it is dark green. I can recover it in about 4-5 days but is forest green crayon green.

Is there any way to prevent this or is this just what to expect in New England.

I have cleaned all leaves, checked all levels, slammed prior, used polyquat, closed sub 60 degrees.

Everytime same thing, dark green puke. Outside of the algae the water is clean as it cleans up very easily.

I asked last last year and didn’t really get much better position than previous year. I’m closing today and heading the store to grab some polyquat and make sure I have everything ready.

 

[pabeader]

A few things to ask..
What kind of cover are you using?
What is the temperature of the water?

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Also, how often do you test after closing? Until the water gets hard, it's not a bad idea to test and maybe add a bit of chlorine, if you can move it around with a broom or brush.

 

[Catanzaro]

I have a few questions:

1) Exactly when do you close (specific date)?

2) Exactly when do you open (specific date)?

3) What type of cover do you have? Tarp, Safety Mesh or Safety Solid?

4) What are you closing with? SLAM only prior to closing, or normal levels with Poly60?

These are the 4 underlying reasons why you open up green. Unfortunately if you have a safety cover, it will be extremely difficult to add chlorine and mix around during the winter, and is sometimes a good idea. Most people close and forget until the spring. Then again, if you had a tarp cover, you probably would not need to do this. I have a tarp style inexpensive cover. My pool has been closed as early as September 15th with little to no chlorine, and an algaecide, but the opening went smooth with no issues. The key is to open no later than last week of April and to have absolutely no sunlight on the water when closing, if this is done early.

At this moment, my water is 68*, and my closing will be in about 9 days. I may just add Poly 60, mix for 24 hours and cover the pool. The leaves are starting to annoy me. Then I will peel back the cover (1/2 way), blow out the lines and wait for the SNOW!

 

[SirSwimAlot]

A few things to ask..
What kind of cover are you using?
What is the temperature of the water?

- - - Updated - - -

Also, how often do you test after closing? Until the water gets hard, it's not a bad idea to test and maybe add a bit of chlorine, if you can move it around with a broom or brush.

I am using a safety cover, the black thick cover you stretch to cover the pool. I haven't tested the temp of the water, but it's probably mid to high 50's at best.
Once I close, I don't touch it until it is open, I was under the impression you shouldn't add anything after as the filter isn't going.

- - - Updated - - -

I have a few questions:

1) Exactly when do you close (specific date)?

2) Exactly when do you open (specific date)?

3) What type of cover do you have? Tarp, Safety Mesh or Safety Solid?

4) What are you closing with? SLAM only prior to closing, or normal levels with Poly60?

These are the 4 underlying reasons why you open up green. Unfortunately if you have a safety cover, it will be extremely difficult to add chlorine and mix around during the winter, and is sometimes a good idea. Most people close and forget until the spring. Then again, if you had a tarp cover, you probably would not need to do this. I have a tarp style inexpensive cover. My pool has been closed as early as September 15th with little to no chlorine, and an algaecide, but the opening went smooth with no issues. The key is to open no later than last week of April and to have absolutely no sunlight on the water when closing, if this is done early.

At this moment, my water is 68*, and my closing will be in about 9 days. I may just add Poly 60, mix for 24 hours and cover the pool. The leaves are starting to annoy me. Then I will peel back the cover (1/2 way), blow out the lines and wait for the SNOW!

Typically first 2nd week of October as we are always late, I'd rather close it in September before the leaves become a nightmare.

Usually last week of May we open.

Safety solid

Slam prior to closing, then normal levels with poly. I have tried elevated slam levels at close and hasn't helped.

 

[Catanzaro]

Usually last week of May we open.

This is your issue (bottom line). Also, how much Poly60 are you adding to your pool upon closing?

 

[skimmerswimmer]

I'm in NY and I usually close mid to late October and open mid April. Water is always clear upon opening. You may want to consider using a couple of floating puck dispensers suspended near the middle of your pool on a line to keep some residual chlorine over the winter. I use two dispensers with 4 pucks each and I usually have some FC left by the time I open in April.

 

[Pool_Medic]

Waiting until May guarantees a green pool. That Algaecide only lasts so long. Want proof, peel that cover off every week start the end of March, you will see the slow progression. Safety covers allow a lot of sediment to get through them. Also pollen gets through them too. These are contributing factors for algae to take hold.

 

[Saturn94]

Waiting until May guarantees a green pool. That Algaecide only lasts so long. Want proof, peel that cover off every week start the end of March, you will see the slow progression. Safety covers allow a lot of sediment to get through them. Also pollen gets through them too. These are contributing factors for algae to take hold.

Guaranteed? No. If the OP was using a mesh cover, then I would be inclined to agree. The first few years I used a mesh cover, it would turn green if I didn’t opened by beginning of March. Since adding a solid tarp over the mesh cover, about 10+ years ago, I’ve never opened to a green pool.

I close the beginning of October (water temp mid 60s) and open the first half of May (water temp mid to upper 60s). One season I couldn’t open until early June (water temp close to 80, water still clear!). I don’t add anything while the pool is closed. The water is always clear at opening, never green.

As mentioned, I use a solid tarp over a mesh safety cover. I would think this would have the same affect as using a solid cover like the OP is using.

This is what I do:

Make sure pool is balanced, clean, clear, and algae free (should be if properly cared for during the season).
Bring chlorine to shock level per FC/CYA chart and thoroughly brush pool.
Wait 24-48hrs.
Add polyquat (60% strength) at the visible algae dose per the bottle instructions and circulate very well. In my 20k gal pool it takes 1 quart.
Wait 24-48hrs.
Bring FC back to shock level then immediately close/cover as you usually do.

Keep in mind adding polyquat will knock down FC level some. I’ve gotten away before with not doing the second shock before covering (right after adding circulating polyquat) and still not open to a green pool, but doing the second shock I still have FC when I open the following spring (last spring it still had 4ppm FC). The second shock is easy to do and gives extra insurance IMO.

Hope this helps.

 

[Catanzaro]

No such things as "guaranteed". Saturn, you hit it on the nose with the solid over the mesh. I am more inclined to the "early opening", no later than the last week of April as the most critical part.

Make sure pool is balanced, clean, clear, and algae free (should be if properly cared for during the season).
Bring chlorine to shock level per FC/CYA chart and thoroughly brush pool. Wait 24-48hrs. Add polyquat (60% strength) at the visible algae dose per the bottle instructions and circulate very well. In my 20k gal pool it takes 1 quart. Wait 24-48hrs. Bring FC back to shock level then immediately close/cover as you usually do.

There is an interaction between high chlorine levels and Poly60. May I ask why you go to such extreme measures?

By no means am I stating that your methods are incorrect, just curious. I just feel like the amount of $$ spent on Poly60 is just wasted.

I use Poly, but do not SLAM a second time. This year, the SLAM occurred about 3 weeks before closing, then I just maintain the levels until closing. So far, I have not had to add chlorine in 2 weeks.

Below is usually what I recommend and also add the link from Chem Geek!

Please see thread below.

Polyquat algaecides: Mode of Action

 

[Saturn94]

My closing method comes from what I learned on these forums from trusted posters, including Chemgeek, and my experience with my pool.

I’ve never tried closing without polyquat, so I don’t know how it would do without it. Here’s my experience in a nutshell:

1. Mesh cover, shock, polyquat : green pool if I open later than beginning of March (oops!!...need to correct my previous post where I typed April in error!).

2. Mesh cover, solid tarp, shock, polyquat: open to clear pool (normally early May), but FC at 0.

3. Mesh cover, solid tarp, shock, poly, shock: open to clear pool, still some FC (4ppm last May). Also, opening SLAM went much quicker with less chlorine needed.

So number 3 results in the easiest spring opening. Perhaps in the future I might try doing without the polyquat, if I’m feeling adventurous. Then again, it’s relative cheap (I only use it at closing) for “peace of mind”.

PS - A couple things.....I understand chlorine breaks down polyquat into smaller chains, but the poly still maintains some effectiveness. Also, when I add poly, I set the multivalve to “recirculate” so the poly doesn’t get filtered out.

 

[Pool_Medic]

You use a cover over your mesh safety cover? I’m confused.

 

[Catanzaro]

Saturn94:

In the end, everyone has to figure out what works best for them. Yes, in total agreement with you, Poly60 does not cost that much, especially at closing. Maybe one year, I will try only bring to SLAM and closing, then see what happens. Your weather is different than ours, so maybe even opening up earlier may be in your best interest. I know when the sun starts shining and the snow has melted, I really just want to open the pool. It is the real cold evenings in the 30's that stops me. Entirely up to you. Take care.

 

[Perpetual summer]

This will be my third winter, mesh cover, no polyquat, chlorine only to slam level. I monitor water temp every couple of days for the magic number of 60 degrees. Calendar date is irrelevant. Close when it gets near 60. It will take weeks for chlorine to drift down and water will be in 40 to 50s by then. In Spring I monitor temp to just below 60, then add liquid chlorine till SWG can produce. On taking cover off, there are leaves, 5lbs of dead putrid worms, bugs and what ever can sneak under the cover. I haven’t had a green pool yet, keeping fingers crossed, but it seems to work.

 

[Saturn94]

You use a cover over your mesh safety cover? I’m confused.

Yep. The tarp blocks out the light and prevents fine dirt from getting in, keeping the pool MUCH cleaner at opening.

With just the mesh cover, enough light got through to encourage algae growth and the pool was covered with fine dirt at opening.

 

[Saturn94]

Saturn94:

In the end, everyone has to figure out what works best for them. Yes, in total agreement with you, Poly60 does not cost that much, especially at closing. Maybe one year, I will try only bring to SLAM and closing, then see what happens. Your weather is different than ours, so maybe even opening up earlier may be in your best interest. I know when the sun starts shining and the snow has melted, I really just want to open the pool. It is the real cold evenings in the 30's that stops me. Entirely up to you. Take care.

Certainly an early opening like I use to do when I just used the mesh cover would work, but then I’m taking care of a pool for over two months that’s too cold to get in (I’m not happy just looking at it ).

Edit: Actually, if I only closed the pool when water temp fell below 60, I’d have to wait until early December to close and open by the beginning of March, so 4 extra months of pool care with no swimming.