"Retractable Pool Cover IS your Stabilzer"

MBMMPool · May 2, 2013

(Quote from my Pool Installer/Services provider).

Wondering what people's thoughts are with regards to this statement. This will be my first full season with my new pool. I plan on following the BBB method (as I did for ~2 months of operation last year). However, I can't say that I will NEVER resort to Chlorine Tabs in the Auto-feeder on "busy weeks" when I am away from the home on business, etc.

Pool has full sun exposure, but an Auto-Cover will be closed every night and day hours when pool is not being used by the kids. I am starting with a pool that was drained/filled with "fresh" water in the fall, so no stabilizer is currently present. I'm planning on starting the season by taking CYA up to ~40, but my Pool Installer's comment has given me a reason to second-guess my plan.

Thanks for any input, and happy swimming,

duraleigh · May 2, 2013

Removing sunlight from your pool eliminates chlorine loss to UV. I would suggest a CYA level of 30-40 ppm because on the days when you do swim (expose to sunlight), the FC will deplete VERY rapidly without it. On the days when your pool is covered, the CYA causes absolutely no harm....put it in there! :-D

harleysilo · May 2, 2013

I find my pool cover really saves on chlorine levels. I also find that it is hard to get chlorine levels to drop (assuming no organics in water, and no use during the day). So if i overshoot on chlorine it can take several days to come back down. My overshoot would just be me trying to dial in my SWG chlorine's production, your over shoot maybe be pouring in a little too much bleach, but really that shouldn't happen with the handy dandy pool calculator in pool school.

We keep our pool closed unless someone is swimming, i mean if we go inside for a 20 min break or so i close it, but i have 2 small kids. Once they both are good swimmers ours might be left open more. I would still keep it closed all week during the day to keep debris out, and keep the water warm. We do swim a lot on the weekends, hours, and then the wife and i hit it up again at night. and if chlorine levels drop during the weekend i supplement with bleach.

You are going to love your auto cover. Have they told you about "annual maintenance"? Basically mine go supper dirty over the winter, requiring me to scrub it with a brush and citrus cleaner. After it was rinsed and drained i hit it with Aerospace protectant 303. The pulleys and stuff under the lid i lubed with food grade spray silicon per my installers suggestion, along with the track in the pool.
Cleaning out the pit wasn't too bad with a shop-vac, not realizing how much stuff accumulated in there over the almost year, i'll be doing that 2 times per year now.

Isaac-1 · May 2, 2013

If your considering going with no CYA, then you should read the comments on here about why CYA should be used in an indoor pool (at a minimal level of 20-30), it has to do with buffering and reduction of active chlorine rates.

frustratedpoolmom · May 2, 2013

I agree - a min of 20-30. I would suggest 30 since there will be times the cover is open and water exposed to sunlight.

chem geek · May 2, 2013

I have a mostly opaque automatic electric safety cover but the pool cover is open and the pool used for about 1 hour every day. I used to have around 30 ppm CYA but now have 40 ppm CYA and find it a little better at protecting chlorine breakdown from sunlight during that hour the pool is open (longer on weekends). I'd start with at least 30 ppm CYA and see how things go. I think 20 ppm is going to be too low -- it's OK for an indoor pools, but not outdoors even with an opaque pool cover.

MBMMPool · May 2, 2013

Thanks for replies, everyone. I will go ahead and start the season with CYA at 30.

harleysilo · Jun 4, 2013

MBMMPool said:
Thanks for replies, everyone. I will go ahead and start the season with CYA at 30.

Well it's been a month, how's it working out for you?

MBMMPool · Jun 4, 2013

Re: "Retractable Pool Cover IS your Stabilzer"

harleysilo said:
MBMMPool said:

Thanks for replies, everyone. I will go ahead and start the season with CYA at 30.

Click to expand...

Well it's been a month, how's it working out for you?

Unfortunately, this summer's cool start in the Midwest has preventing me from getting a real feel for my Summer "typical use" Chlorine consumption up to this point.

With 35 CYA (based on measurement), PH around 7.7, my (covered) clear water is consuming less than 1 ppm of Chlorine per day.

Now- where is the sun and 80 degree temperatures?!

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