Bugs on the surface after using Coverfree Liquid solar blanket - help!

[nikjoshi]

Hi TFPers,

This season, I decided to experiment with Coverfree Liquid Solar blanket (https://www.amazon.com/Cover-Free-Liquid-Solar-Blanket/dp/B004VU8A6Q) in order to avoid loss of heat overnight. It didn't really work well in terms of loss of heat but has caused a different problem.

Ever since I've added it a week+ ago, I've started to see lots of dead bugs starting to collect at the surface and for whatever reason, the skimmer is not picking them up (probably because of the top layer that Coverfree creates?). I've been manually taking them off on a daily basis but it's gotten to a point now where there's just so many of them and it has started to mix with water. Basically a disgusting situation. Any suggestions as to what to do here? It's gotten to a point where the kids dont even want to go in to the pool.

I have an in-ground 22K gallon pool in NJ.

 

[needsajet]

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

You could try redirecting all your flow to the skimmer (e.g. turn off main drain) and 'sweeping' the bugs toward it. If it's a two-speed or VS pump, use high speed. It's possible the bugs are just a big seasonal hatch and the pool cover is unrelated. But either way, usually the liquid pool covers wear out fairly quickly in about a week.

The MSDS for that product is cryptic and incomplete (a nasty trend!) but there's two types I'm aware of. One is large alcohols such as those used in cosmetics and hair conditioner. The other I'm aware of is silicone based. The silicone based ones last longer and also adhere to many plastics (such as the inside of a skimmer), so you could float a few different toys and see if it attaches, then just wipe it off or wipe it off from inside the skimmer. The alcohol ones go away pretty fast on their own. But I don't know what that particular one is.

 

[pookiesunshine]

The msds i found at natural chemistry shows a 1-7% mixture of two compounds (alcohols) referenced in this study that indicates a fifty fifty ratio is most effective. the msds shows one compound 3-7%, the other 1-5%, so both could be 3 or 4 or 5% equally.
Molecular interactions behind the synergistic effect in mixed monolayers of 1-octadecanol and ethylene glycol monooctadecyl ether. | Sigma-Aldrich

 

[nikjoshi]

Thank you very much for your response. Your tip to wipe off from inside the skimmer did the trick - I don't think I'm going to be using Coverfree anymore going forward!

Welcome to TFP! Good to have you here

You could try redirecting all your flow to the skimmer (e.g. turn off main drain) and 'sweeping' the bugs toward it. If it's a two-speed or VS pump, use high speed. It's possible the bugs are just a big seasonal hatch and the pool cover is unrelated. But either way, usually the liquid pool covers wear out fairly quickly in about a week.

The MSDS for that product is cryptic and incomplete (a nasty trend!) but there's two types I'm aware of. One is large alcohols such as those used in cosmetics and hair conditioner. The other I'm aware of is silicone based. The silicone based ones last longer and also adhere to many plastics (such as the inside of a skimmer), so you could float a few different toys and see if it attaches, then just wipe it off or wipe it off from inside the skimmer. The alcohol ones go away pretty fast on their own. But I don't know what that particular one is.

 

[needsajet]

Excellent, thanks for letting us know

 

[GoGrabTheNet]

Sounds like a chemical mess!

Which always brings the question to mind when I see bottles of this stuff at the pool store, or is pushed by advertisements... "Why would I want to swim in that?"