Covering an intex pool for the winter

[richierich]

I decided to keep my intex pool up for the winter. The cover that comes with it would just blow off in a light wind. So what I did was buy a tarp and use bungees to weight it down with filled up water bottles.

However, any time it weighed the cover would sag in the middle where the water accumulated. So I poked holes in the center so it wouldn't sag and the water would just go into the pool.

However I think due to the rainwater when it got warmer in April I got a ton of algae. Is there a better method/idea for covering your pool. From October to March the salt and cold weather didn't allow algae to grow. In mid march my pool was still crystal clear.

 

[jblizzle]

If you want to prevent algae, you need to follow the methods described in Pool School for closing and opening. If you close when the water is in the 50s and open when the water is in the 50s, then that greatly reduces the likelihood of opening a green pool.

 

[richierich]

Yeah my pool has been about 57 the last 2 weeks. I think that's when the algae hit. That and the fact it rained 4 inches last week.

 

[richierich]

Is it ok that the cover lets water get into the pool as long as it keeps out debris and leaves? Any of the covers I saw in the pool store would just have the rain sit on it and sag the cover. I'm worried if I tie the cover to the poles the weight of the water could sag a pole.