Keeping the pool clean during winter - I've got lots of dirt

[Chappy]

Hey everyone, it's "winter" here in Austin, Texas. Which means alternating weeks of 60 degrees and 40 degrees. I'm having a problem with dirt in our pool. Every couple of days we get a ring of dirt around the bottom. Now, since it's closed, I have only been running the pump for an hour a day. So is the dirt a function of the filter not being able to do it's job properly, the fact that I've got a lot of dirt instead of grass near the pool (thanks to 3 large dogs), or something else?

I vacuumed last weekend and within a few days the dirt was back. I just did the same thing today and backwashed... a bunch of dirt came out for about 30 seconds.

I also dumped 2 182oz jugs of chlorine in last weekend... I know it's probably not necessary... but since getting the pool clear with the help of the board last summer, I'm kind of obsessed with getting ahead of the algae this year

Anyway, any thoughts on how to keep my pool a little nicer looking during the winter months would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[dschlic1]

I have a solar cover on my pool and it catches most of the dirt that blows in. Every so often I take the solar cover off and wash it on my drive way.

 

[AV8TOR]

I am in Fort Worth and right or wrong I have my filter running 4 hours with my Letro-Legend running for 2-hours. The pool is spotless and looks extremely inviting but "the water is only 54º"

 

[budster]

Chappy asked "So is the dirt a function of the filter not being able to do it's job properly, the fact that I've got a lot of dirt instead of grass near the pool (thanks to 3 large dogs), or something else? "

I'd say both. The dirt has to be "stirred up" to get into suspension for the filter to do it's job, or the dirt has to be pushed toward the main drain (if you have one), to get out of the pool.

 

[HarryH3]

I'm just north of Austin and my pool is spotless (and COLD!). I cut back the pump run time from my summer setting of 8 hours per day to around 4 hours per day. My Polaris also runs for an hour each day. I just leave it in the pool all the time and clean the filter bag when required.

 

[Chappy]

Interesting. I am going to run the pump for a few more hours a day during the winter to see if I can keep it circulating enough to filter out most of the dirt. It's also a little milky right now as well, not sure what would cause that during this cold weather. Thanks for all the replies.