Algae starting with cover still on

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flyboy320

flyboy320

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2009
238
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
I'm writing from Toronto, and we have had very unseasonally warm weather this last week (up in the 60-70's). I took off one of the corners of our cover to drain some water from the pool and noticed some green algae starting to form on one of the steps (it brushed off very easily).

The problem is I'm sure the temps will get back to normal and still below freezing at night, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to help prevent a real big algae problem from starting? I'm worried about adding chlorine without my pump and equipment hooked up to circulate the water (everything still stored in the basement). could I just add some chlorine and use a 2x4 to help mix it in, or just ignore it till I open next month?
 
flyboy320 - I'm in Burlington too (same neighbourhood as you, remember). I'm a bit obsessive with checking the weather. So far weathernetwork.com, weather.com and accuweather.com all show highs in the teens and lows above zero right through till the end of March. I usually open first week of April or so. I went ahead and opened yesterday. Taking a chance (I know weather prediction is not a science) but my pump comes on automatically at 35f to prevent freezing, so I should be OK. If we suddenly get a forecast of -10, I can quickly blow and cap the lines using compressed air (there is a link somewhere about winterizing using this method), rather than draining the pool below the returns again, and just pull the drain plugs on the heater, pump and filter, solar panels...or I can run the gas heater for the short (hopefully) period of below freezing.

Interestingly, I had green algae on my steps as well, and what I think is pink algae in my return threads. I wonder if the much milder than normal winter and recent warm spell are contributing factors.
 
Well, here's a dumb ole' Southern boy having an almost uneducated opinion on freezing so take it for what it's worth.

I would suggest opening now also.

Because I never close, I have "spells" in the winter when the air temp drops well below freezing....down into the teens (F) rarely but sometimes. So far, allowing the pump to run overnight has resulted in no accumulation of ice within the system and seldom anything but a thin skim on the pool surface.

Besides, just think of looking at that beautiful pool a month early!! :mrgreen:
 
I agree..that's why I take my cover off as soon as I can in the spring (which for the past four years has been very early April (I like to shoot for April 1)). I'd much rather look at ice on open water than ice on the safety cover...lol. I have had a couple of times where it's snowed in April. Weird seeing snow fall into the open pool.

By the way, I can just imagine what your neighbours would think, seeing you out stirring the pool with a 2x4.
 
hey guys.....I live in the Boston area and typically don't open until May 1. But with the warm winter and 70 deg temps all this week in the forecast I decided to to take a peek under my cover. I noticed quite a bit of yellow algae on the sides of the pool. Never had it before so now I am concerned. The water is very clear still, there is just this yellow stuff along the sides.

I really don't want to open for another month at least. I am also concerned that with the current warm weather stretch, the algae will get worse. So, will adding a lot of bleach now be harmful, helpful or neither?
 

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