"Closing" and off-season guidelines

[djlombar]

This is my first year with a pool so I am looking for some guidelines to follow. I am in the Raleigh, NC area so below freezing is uncommon here. I have skimmed around the forums and feel confident about leaving the pool open for the off-season, but wanted to clear up a few things. For reference I have a 15,000 gallon fiberglass pool with a SWG. There is one water feature (cascade). From what I have gathered I can leave the pump pretty much off all season, except when temperatures get to the freezing point. Regardless I will likely run the pump overnight for at least some period of time at 25% to keep some water circulating. In it's first season, the pool looked great all year and had no issues with chemical balance, algae, etc.

Some questions:

1. Any reason to cover the pool (other than to keep fall leaves out) or just leave it open as normal all winter long?
2. What, if any, chemical levels should I be keeping tabs on? I've read about throwing in the chlorine pucks but also read here that it brings the CYA levels too high.
3. Should I be concerned about the water feature? Should it be winterized?

Thanks ahead of time. If there is already a "closing but not really closing your pool" guide I missed somewhere please point me to it.

 

[Newdude]

Hey DJ and Welcome !! Many people leave the pool open when debris or freezing isn’t a big concern. The SWG won’t work below 60 degrees water temps so you’ll have to occasionally add liquid chlorine, but after it cools down, so will the demand. You’ll be able to go days and maybe even weeks without adding anything and when you do it won’t be much. Keep tabs on the testing at first until you know how it’s reacting to the off season and adjust frequency as needed. The water can be circulated with the pump or you can stir the chems in with the brush. If you have any freezing nights just run the pump on a trickle. As long as it’s moving it won’t freeze.

for you water feature you’ll want to turn it on every week or so to keep the water from going stagnant. (The same as the pool pipes). If there are freezing nights just open the valve a little and let it trickle out. That will be plenty as long as you don’t get a polar vortex freeze. Or bomb cyclone. Or whatever fun apocalyptic names they come up with this year.

 

[djlombar]

Thanks Newdude! So essentially I want to keep the chemical levels in balance at least somewhat close to what it is during pool season?

 

[Newdude]

Yup. Exactly like it is, but it gets way easier and less frequent. There will be little UV burn off and no bather load to mess things up.