Have to close early this year, mid September in NJ. I forgot last year to add polyquat 60 to pool. It still opened crystal clear. Solid cover and closed mid October then. I’m wondering how important is the addition of polyquat to the process? BTW just a thanks to all that make this site available, 15 yrs struggling to keep my pool clear, 4 yrs with TFP and nary a struggle had. Thanks.
Is polyquat 60 absolutely necessary for closing?
- Thread starter Splitshot
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,481
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
As you found Polyquat 60 is not essential in a pool closing. Using it is an insurance policy against possibly having algae at opening. It may help, it may not, and you may get by without it.
Compare the cost of using it versus the *possible* cost of a SLAM in the spring. I personally like the $30 piece of mind. I seem to be in the minority but when I built my pool, I factored and budgeted the yearly operating costs beforehand. Some years are better than others, but It wouldn’t have been any different if we bought a boat instead. I like to save money as much as the next guy, but a handful of $30 ‘insurance policies’ is a drop in the proverbial bucket.
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
I use it every year. Don't always have the option of closing late or opening early. Way better than opening to green and SLAMming.
Farmerstan91
Well-known member
How much polyquat should be added for 16k gallons? Go by the bottle dosage or whole thing?
JoeSelf
Gold Supporter
I use POLY in my steps (2 are weights w/ gravel) to prevent algae. Try to change every week or two weeks. I have almost a whole bottle left I'll just dump the whole thing in the night before closing and let the pump run all night.
It's not necessarily needed. I've used it and not used it with the same results. Crystal clear water.
Guarantee the boat would have cost more to operate.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,481
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
What is this thing called closing?
It is required when white stuff that is not fire ash falls from the sky.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,206
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
I would recommend adding it since you are closing with the water temperature being above 60. You may still have a green pool at opening, but closing this early you need all the (safe) help you can get.
LoneWolfArcher
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,481
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
- Jun 8, 2019
- 4,574
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
I'm going to do it this year when I close for the first time, but I have a mesh cover and worry about algae blooming since it won't block all sunlight.
If you are going to close early with a mesh cover, then use Poly 60, but make sure the pool is clean first. If you want to have extra insurance, cover the mesh cover with inexpensive solid tarps (secure) and still allow some rain water in until December 1st, and then you can remove them until next year. This will keep most of the UV Rays away from the pool until it becomes real cold.
Lol we were torn between boat or pool too. It’s been a nightmare build but I keep telling myself it will be worth it at the end of the day. I liked idea of using pool daily vs weekend boating trips. I have no idea what I’m going to pay for yearly maintenance yet ??
