Closing with no cover - can I use a floater over the winter?

[jp97]

As I said in the title, I'm closing my pool, not using a cover and wondering about keeping some chlorine in the pool over the winter. My CYA is low (less than 30) so I was thinking of using a floater and pucks, which would also help keep the ph down (still a problem) and raise the CYA some. Is using a floater over the winter ok?

A somewhat related question...
My pool frog froze and broke last winter. I wasn't using it anyway except on vacation so no big deal, except I still have 3 of those (expensive) frog chlorine pacs in the garage and no frog to use them in. The floater and a couple of pucks did the job for vacations this past summer. Since just a handful of pucks aren't available at the store right now, can I just cut open those frog pacs and put them in the floater? Anyone ever done this? Just thinking about taking a hacksaw and loping off the top of it unless someone has a better suggestion?

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions!

 

[pooladdict]

I am not familiar with these frog packs, but if your pool freezes over winter, then you can just add bleach say every week or so till it does. Its the way I closed my pool for 7 years. I absolutely cringe when I have to work on a pool that has a winter cover. Those things are just nasty!

 

[woodyp]

We don't recommend the use of those frog packs due to their adding metals to your pool water. I'd write them off as loss and count myself lucky that the frog has cracked. Floaters are fine for pucks as long as you don't let the CYA drift too high using them.

 

[n240sxguy]

I would sell the frog packs on ebay, and recoup some of your money.