So this is my first year with my pool and I've read teh section in pool school for closing and it mentions to wait for the water to drop below 60°. My problem is, we're heading out of country for vacation for the last 2 weeks in October and I plan to close before we leave rather than waiting until we return at the beginning of november. If the water is over 60°, is that really a big deal? Are there any additional steps I should consider if I close early? If I kept it open when in vacation, I assume all the leaves would be falling at that time and I'd come home to a colossal mess...not really wanting to chance it.
Early Closing?
- Thread starter Rumbleehockey03
- Start date
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Algae grows over 60° that's why you wait. Add polyquat algaecide as directed in the closing article and hope for the best, you might need to add some clorine and polyquat a month or two later.
The worst thing would be next year to slam a green pool on opening.
The worst thing would be next year to slam a green pool on opening.
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,785
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
Some pools close right after Labor Day, but other wait as long as they can. If you have unseasonable warmer weather in Oct, it could increase organic activity. But some options you might consider:
1 - Cover it. Leave open and let SWG maintain FC in range.
2 - If no cover, leave open w/ SWG and have a friend/neighbor check on the skimmer periodically.
3 - Do a partial close; pre-SLAM just before leaving. Add a floater with some pucks and turn system off.
4 - SLAM in advance then let the FC fall to normal. Add some Poly 60 and close early.
If I missed an options, some others will chime in. Happy trails.
1 - Cover it. Leave open and let SWG maintain FC in range.
2 - If no cover, leave open w/ SWG and have a friend/neighbor check on the skimmer periodically.
3 - Do a partial close; pre-SLAM just before leaving. Add a floater with some pucks and turn system off.
4 - SLAM in advance then let the FC fall to normal. Add some Poly 60 and close early.
If I missed an options, some others will chime in. Happy trails.
Thanks for those options!! I'm kinda digging the cover and let swg run if I can't find someone to check the skimmer for me...that sounds like a pretty solid solution.
If you set the SWG/pump run time to maintain on the higher side of the acceptable range, you'll easily have a few ppm to spare for any weather events that happen while you're away. The PH may be a tad high in 2 weeks but the water should be just as clear.
So my pH was trending down when I first got the pool but I added a fountain to keep the temperature in check and the aeration kept pH perfect so far. Can you explain why you say the pH would trend up left unchecked rather than down? Just wondering.
cfherrman
TFP Guide
Most pools the pH creeps up to stabilize with the atmosphere, it's so common that we expect it to do so. There are some pools that pH creeps down or just stays the same but it's rare
Im not chemical science-y enough for that one. But the overwhelming majority of us SWGers tend to see the high PH.
- Jul 4, 2012
- 749
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I would go with option 1 as outlined by Texas Splash. When I close mine I often do in phases.... Getting the winter cover on is so much easier if I am able to get into the pool, which is uncomfortable when the water is 58 (but I have done it!).
The last 2 years, Columbus Day happened to be into the 70s so I cranked up the heater and we had our last swim of the season and then put the cover over the 88 degree water, but left all the plumbing in place so I could continue to circulate, filter and keep in balance until the water temp drops. The chlorine usage diminshes to practically zero when you remove the sun as a factor and water temps are really low.
From there it gives me a fairly wide window when water temps are between 32-60 to finish the closing process.
Being in NC, I suspect your window is even wider.
The last 2 years, Columbus Day happened to be into the 70s so I cranked up the heater and we had our last swim of the season and then put the cover over the 88 degree water, but left all the plumbing in place so I could continue to circulate, filter and keep in balance until the water temp drops. The chlorine usage diminshes to practically zero when you remove the sun as a factor and water temps are really low.
From there it gives me a fairly wide window when water temps are between 32-60 to finish the closing process.
Being in NC, I suspect your window is even wider.
We do #1 and what Paul234 did. It has worked great for us. Running the heater when the weather allows for "one last swim" in September or October.
Well maybe not this year since we are now without a pump and looking for an economical replacement. LOL. (Long story)
+3. I’ll throw the cover on when the leaves get really bad. From that point It will sit (still running) for a few weeks and then i’ll spend a few hours a weekend closing it in stages. The weather and kids activities dictate if it gets done quickly or stretches into Nobember.
Also +1 for the ‘uncomfortable water’. Usually I’m quoting George Costanza at that point.
So seems like an obvious question, but do you just continue to monitor chemical levels and temperature by partially removing the cover and then drain and close when it’s cold enough? And threat of water level dropping to a point over 2 weeks covered that the pump would run dry? I would cry hard if I burnt up my pump while away and covered
Yes, monitor chemical levels and temps until time to partial drain.
I'm confused by your comment. Why would the water level drop? Only if you had a leak or plumbing problem would cause the water level to drop. I also would not run the pump for 2 weeks while not home unless someone was checking on it daily. We never lower the water level till we are ready to shut down the pump and call it quits.
I would also cry if I burned out the pump. Once while on vacation, the flex hose sprung a leak and water was shooting up like a geyser. The neighbor noticed and shut the pump off for us. That was when we decided to shut the pump off whenever we are on vacation for any length of time.
So I guess I should have said we've done a combo of #3 and #4 in the past when we've left for vacation at the end of August or beginning of September, and #1 when we've been home and hoping for warmer weather to swim in Sept. and Oct.
A few years ago our filter housing cracked and we were leaving for vacation in late August so we shut it down for good at that time. Yes, it was a bit green in the spring when we opened.
RodRamos
In The Industry
Mine goes up and down, just when I think I need to add chemicals to correct it it changes back. My pool keeps me on my toes like that.???