Preventing over winter algae

[zoltran]

Hello
I live in southern ontario canada. I have is 23,000 gal vinyl lined bromine pool.
Once open and cleaned up, the pool is clear and I do not have any swim season algae issues.

But opening can be quite a challenge

I use a mesh winter cover and over the winter the pool can get quite dirty.
The pool water is fairly clean when I open, but the walls and base are always coated with a think layer is green when I open it.
I kill the algae with liquid chlorine (5 gal) and let it sit.
I'll typically have to use some sort of flocking agent or pool 1st aid to get the suspended particles/dead algae out.
This can take weeks to get clear water with a lot of vacuuming to waste. Time consuming and wastes a lot of water.

I typically close it early oct with a heavy liquid chlorine shock and added baking soda to get the PH up.
I have not been using any other closing chemicals.

Would appreciate suggests re how to prevent the algae build up over the winter.

Thanks in advance
Wes

 

[BoDarville]

zoltran:

Welcome to TFP!

A couple of things to help us help you...

• 1. Although you mentioned in your post that you are located in Ontario, please put the nearest major city and province in which you live in your profile. That way it will appear automatically in your posts. Your climate is important to the advice you receive.
  2. Suggest adding information about your pool and related equipment in your signature. By doing this, it will automatically appear in all your posts so you do not have to re-enter it each time. If you have a SWG, please include those letters in your signature so it stands out as the advice for SWG vs. non-SWG is often different.

Here's how to do both of the above: Adding location to your profile and pool info to your signature.

I typically close it early oct with a heavy liquid chlorine shock and added baking soda to get the PH up.

The first part of this statement about the liquid chlorine shock sounds good. As for the second part, baking soda will increase TA but has a negligible effect on pH.

Not sure if your pool is above ground or in-ground, but the following suggestions should apply to both.

• 1. Suggest a solid cover. Mesh covers will let some debris through. Organic debris will consume FC thus making it easier for algae to get started.
  2. Bring pH to between 7.4 and 7.6. Suggest Muriatic Acid to lower pH / Soda Ash to increase pH.
  3. Using liquid bleach, bring the pool up to shock level for your CYA and hold it there until FC holds at that level overnight. Then let the chlorine level fall about half way back to normal levels.
  4. Add the startup dose of PolyQuat60 algaecide according to package directions. This is one of the few instances where we recommend algaecide.
  5. Clean up any leaves, dirt, etc. The cleaner you can get the pool, the better. Do this step just before you put on the cover.

Here is more complete information: Closing an In-ground Pool.

 

[zoltran]

Thanks for the info Jason. I'm busily reading all the good info here.