Any problem with keeping pool covered most of the time?

[topherchris]

Hi, new to the forum. I bought a house with an in-ground pool late last summer so I didn't have to do do much maintenance. Managed to keep it algae free despite not having any idea what I was doing. However, I was using way too much trichlor. pH kept dropping and I couldn't find a reason why despite talking to "experts." Then I found this forum and found out it was due to the trichlor. Thanks to everyone who posts here, you've been way more informative than any other source.

We have a toddler and part of our pool safety routine is to keep the autocover closed unless the pool is being used. We have an appropriate fence, but I want to use the autocover as a redundant safety measure. I work in an Emergency Dept, so I'm a little paranoid about drownings. I read on this forum that sunlight is needed to burn up CC.
1.) If we keep the cover closed for most of the day, will this affect FC/CC levels?
2.) If it's not exposed to sun, I anticipate a will need less liquid chlorine additions. True?
3.) I'm in the process of SLAMing now. Do I need to expose it to sunlight while SLAMing?
4.) Is there any other reason why I can't/shouldn't keep it covered when not in use?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum!
1. Keeping the cover closed will reduce the FC loss, but, it will not allow CC to be burned off by sunlight on the pool.
2. True
3. During a SLAM it is best to expose the pool surface to the sun as much as possible to eliminate the CC
4. You can cover it, but during the summer it should be opened for several hours every other day or so during the day to let the sun burn off any CC.
I suggest you read ABC's of Pool Water Chemistry and consider reviewing the entire Pool School eBook.

 

[topherchris]

awesome, thanks for the reply

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

The cover keeps most organics, the source of CC, out of the water, and keeps FC in. My cover is always closed unless the pool is in use or being maintained, and my CC is always zero. There is nothing to burn off. So see how it goes when you test for CC.

 

[topherchris]

The cover keeps most organics, the source of CC, out of the water, and keeps FC in. My cover is always closed unless the pool is in use or being maintained, and my CC is always zero. There is nothing to burn off. So see how it goes when you test for CC.

Rocket, is it harder to keep the pH from going low by keeping the autocover on most of the time? My understanding is that the C02 needs to offgas in order to keep the pH from dropping. The cover prevents the usual amount of aeration.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Rocket, is it harder to keep the pH from going low by keeping the autocover on most of the time? My understanding is that the C02 needs to offgas in order to keep the pH from dropping. The cover prevents the usual amount of aeration.

Every pool is different. I have high TA, and my pH tends to rise instead of drop. In the year since my pool was refilled and I took over from Pool Boy, I have never had to raise pH with chemicals or aeration. Right now, my pH is virtually constant at 7.4 with the cover on most of the time.

Yesterday's readings:
FC 3.0 (1 gal 10% LC added after measuring to raise to 5.4 ish)
CC 0
pH 7.4
TA 120
CH 380
CYA 40
Temp 82 F
CSI 0.12

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Keep in mind that organics aren't just what might fall in the pool with the lid open. They also include sweat, cosmetics and lotions, children's pee, skin cells, laundry product residual in the bathing suits...... and so on.

If my cover is closed, I always open it in the off seasons every couple of days to let the pool "breath"... In the summer its open almost daily so I don't worry about it "breathing" then.

Maddie

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Keep in mind that organics aren't just what might fall in the pool with the lid open. They also include sweat, cosmetics and lotions, children's pee, skin cells, laundry product residual in the bathing suits...... and so on.

True, but none of these pollutants get in my pool during off season because it’s too cold to swim.

If my cover is closed, I always open it in the off seasons every couple of days to let the pool "breath"... In the summer its open almost daily so I don't worry about it "breathing" then.

Same here. I open the cover for water testing & chemical addition. So it’s open maybe 30-45 minutes a couple of times a week, which seems to be enough.

But every pool is different. I am often amazed by how different our pools are from each other.