Closing Questions

[tadcpht]

Ok so I have read the closing an in ground pool thread and also have read some other threads on closing my in ground pool, however I do have a few questions. The last two years I have opened to a nice green swamp, which has been quickly resolved thanks to this forum, but I am trying to avoid that next spring. I am in Virginia where it does not get below freezing a lot. My usual closing duties include brushing and vacuuming the pool, draining to below the return jet, attempting to blow out the lines, plugging the lines, draining the filter, basket, and chlorinator, and adding bioguard arctic blue winter shock and algaecide according to directions. It worked for several years just fine, but recent years I am getting algae growth over the winter. The closing thread says to SLAM the pool for a few days to ensure no algae, which I will do this year and to add polyquat (not familiar with this product). Do you have to add antifreeze to the lines or is this just a precaution in colder areas? Also, should I test my water say in January to make sure my FC is still up? I have a mesh loop loc cover that always allows some debris in, but I have ordered the water tubes this year to keep it sealed. So if I test over the winter and the FC is down, if I add chlorine with the lines plugged how does the chlorine get mixed? Is bioguard arctic blue ok to use, or do I need other products? I also read that the water temp is best at 60 degrees or below when closing to help with algae growth, my pool is about 68 now, so I should probably wait for a bit? Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[tim5055]

I'll answer what I can, I'm sure others will jump in

Ok so I have read the closing an in ground pool thread and also have read some other threads on closing my in ground pool, however I do have a few questions. The last two years I have opened to a nice green swamp, which has been quickly resolved thanks to this forum, but I am trying to avoid that next spring. I am in Virginia where it does not get below freezing a lot. My usual closing duties include brushing and vacuuming the pool, draining to below the return jet, attempting to blow out the lines, plugging the lines, draining the filter, basket, and chlorinator, and adding bioguard arctic blue winter shock and algaecide according to directions. It worked for several years just fine, but recent years I am getting algae growth over the winter. The closing thread says to SLAM the pool for a few days to ensure no algae, which I will do this year and to add polyquat (not familiar with this product). Do you have to add antifreeze to the lines or is this just a precaution in colder areas? Also, should I test my water say in January to make sure my FC is still up?

I have a mesh loop loc cover that always allows some debris in, but I have ordered the water tubes this year to keep it sealed. The idea of the mesh Loop Loc is to allow water to flow through and not pond on the top. if you seal it you will need to figure a way to get the water off the top, like a cover pump.

So if I test over the winter and the FC is down, if I add chlorine with the lines plugged how does the chlorine get mixed? That is the problem, it doesn't. Unless you pull the cover and mix well with your brush there is really no need to do this.

Is bioguard arctic blue ok to use, or do I need other products? From the MSDS Artic Blue is 60% Trichlor, 5-15% Trade Secret & 5-15% borates. That comes short of 100%, but in any event I don't put "Trade Secrets" in my pool. Add Trichlor and borates on your own if you want and save money.

I also read that the water temp is best at 60 degrees or below when closing to help with algae growth, my pool is about 68 now, so I should probably wait for a bit? Yes, at around 60 the growth of algae is severly restricted. The other half of this equation is to open before the pool gets above 60.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[tadcpht]

Tim, Thanks for the info. The mesh does allow water through on top but I have a "helicopter" tree that when the wind blows the little buggers blow to the edge of the cover and slide under, so the water tubes were just for the edges of the cover so that no debris slides under. So I should not have to worry about FC and testing over the winter, so long as I SLAM a few days before? Well I have a bioguard kit, so for the sake of not wasting it, I will use it this winter. I also have a few 1lb bags of Di-Chlor, could I use that next year?

 

[tim5055]

Tim, Thanks for the info. The mesh does allow water through on top but I have a "helicopter" tree that when the wind blows the little buggers blow to the edge of the cover and slide under, so the water tubes were just for the edges of the cover so that no debris slides under. So I should not have to worry about FC and testing over the winter, so long as I SLAM a few days before? Well I have a bioguard kit, so for the sake of not wasting it, I will use it this winter. I also have a few 1lb bags of Di-Chlor, could I use that next year?

Remember trichlor and dichlor both include CYA. If you can handle the extra CYA it will work. The key to TFP is understanding what you are putting in the water and what effects it will have.

 

[tadcpht]

Thanks!

 

[samt]

With your mesh cover you will always get organic matter in the pool, Also you can still get a little bit of sunlight through the mesh cover.

I have the same setup as you, but live further north where it get colder and my pool surface does freeze.

I think the key in your situation is to keep clorine in the pool until its below 60, put in the polyquat, and open before it get to 60 in the spring.

I don't use the polyquat, because my water gets cold and doesn't warm backup until spring, yours may going back and forth from that 60 degree temp. Thus giving the algae a chance to grow.