Closing with polyquat 60

[poolnewbie4]

I always add polyquat at closing because I’ve got a mesh cover and close before water temperature is below 60 degrees. Last year, my pool was a swamp when we opened it up in late April so I want to make sure I’m doing everything correctly this year. After reading the directions on the bottle and the directions on here, I have a few questions:

What is the minimum pump running time after adding polyquat the pool? Directions on here say to add it the day before closing and let the pump run at least 12 hours before closing, but the directions on the bottle say to just add it before closing. I’m asking this question because heavy rain with high winds are expected the day and night before closing so I might have to turn the pump off during that time because I won’t be around to dump leaves and sticks out of the skimmer. If I could get by with only running the pump an hour or two after adding the polyquat, I’d like to get up early the morning before closing, scoop out the leaves with the leaf rake, manually vacuum the pool, and then add the polyquat. If the polyquat needs more than an hour or two to mix in with the pump on, my only alternative is to add it two days before closing, turn the pump off during the stormy weather, and vacuum the leaves out right before closing. I wish I could get the mesh cover on before the storm but it is just too difficult to get it on by myself.

The bottle of polyquat that I have says to maintain chlorine levels at 1-3 ppm when using polyquat. The guy at the pool store said that higher chlorine levels than this can render the polyquat ineffective. The information on this forum says to add it at half shock level so that is what I’ve always done and my pool is always a swamp when we open it in late April. If lowering the chlorine level some would help increase the effectiveness of the polyquat, I’d be willing to try closing at a lower FC level.

The guy at the pool store said I could add a non-chlorine shock after the storm to decrease contaminants if a lot of leaves blow in because it wouldn’t interact with the algaecide. I normally shock my pool when it fills up with leaves so I was wondering if it would be advisable to use a non-chlorine shock before adding the polyquat.

 

[duraleigh]

Why wouldn't you clean the pool removing the leaves and then close?

TFP has always considered poly 60 as an optional additive. The essential additive is chlorine at SLAM value and then close up. I personally wouldn't even both with poly 60 and if you close when your water temp is below 60, I think you will open to a clean pool. If you clean it first.

Pool Store advice and TFP advice seldom mix well and we are not trying to prove or disprove his advice but we are suggesting you pick one source or the other and stick with it.

 

[Saturn94]

Based on my personal experience, adding poly60 at closing can help, but won’t assure a clear pool at opening. I don’t think it lasts through the entire winter. BTW, the manufacturer states that poly60 is still effective when broken down by chlorine.

When using a mesh cover, the key to avoiding a swamp is closing when the water drops below 60 and opening before it gets above 60. In my area, that meant closing in late Nov/early Dec, and opening by the beginning of March. Even then, if we had a mild winter, the pool might still be a bit green at opening.

Tired of taking care of a pool during times when it’s cold outside and we are not using it, as well as dealing with spring cleanup (possible algae and fine dirt that gets through the mesh cover), I tried covering the mesh cover with a solid tarp. Since adding the tarp cover at closing many, many years ago, I learned I can close earlier (beginning of Oct) and open later (beginning of May), and never open to a green pool. Spring cleaning is much easier as well.

I do add poly60 at closing for some cheap “insurance“, but I‘ve never tried closing without it to see if whether or not it makes a big difference.

Regarding mixing poly60 in the pool, that stuff is pretty thick so I would circulate it as long as you can up to the recommended time. I don’t think an hour would be sufficient. Maybe if you diluted it in a 5 gal bucket and spread it as much as possible around the pool it might mix in quicker?

 

[poolnewbie4]

Why wouldn't you clean the pool removing the leaves and then close?

TFP has always considered poly 60 as an optional additive. The essential additive is chlorine at SLAM value and then close up. I personally wouldn't even both with poly 60 and if you close when your water temp is below 60, I think you will open to a clean pool. If you clean

Why wouldn't you clean the pool removing the leaves and then close?

TFP has always considered poly 60 as an optional additive. The essential additive is chlorine at SLAM value and then close up. I personally wouldn't even both with poly 60 and if you close when your water temp is below 60, I think you will open to a clean pool. If you clean it first.

Pool Store advice and TFP advice seldom mix well and we are not trying to prove or disprove his advice but we are suggesting you pick one source or the other and stick with it.

I realize that the polyquat is optional. I planned on using it because water temperature is 62 degrees, I have a mesh cover and we tend to have mild winters. Forecast is calling for 2-3 inches of rain and 10-20 mph winds tomorrow and Thursday so I don’t see how I’m going to add the polyquat the day before. Because of the high winds and all of our trees, I may have to turn the pump off during the storm to protect the skimmer from clogging up with leaves. If I cleaned up the pool in the morning of closing, added the polyquat, and then let the pump run for 5 hours, would that be long enough to distribute the poly around the pool? Or would I be better off just closing at shock level this year, after cleaning up the pool? Because of the high winds and our trees, I have a feeling that the pool will be completely full of leaves on the morning of closing so I want to choose the closing method that would give me the best chance of stalling algae until the water temperature drops some. Unfortunately, I can’t postpone the closing because my pool guy has no openings until mid November.

 

[Saturn94]

5 hrs is better than 1 hr. Is it enough to completely mix it in? I don’t know.

Personally, I would add the poly60 (maybe use my bucket suggestion), and circulate it the best you can.

We’re expecting that same storm system here Thurs/Fri. Like you, I’ll be scooping out a ton of leaves afterwards (haven’t closed yet).

 

[Homebrewale]

If the next openings for your pool guy to close your pool, why don't you install your mesh cover to prevent leaves from getting into the water, keep your pool equipment running and then close when you can get on the pool guy's schedule? Is there is urgency to get it done now instead of in a few weeks?