Pool cover question

[Amy Adkins]

Hey everyone...ok, its getting close to taking off the pool cover and getting back into pool time!! My question...being a complete novice, I put my pool cover on last year and didn't put anything under it to help the rain water and all the sludge drain off...so..anyone have suggestions how to get all this water and sludge off? Good news, my water is crystal clear Thanks!

 

[ghall6292]

Hi Amy! Welcome.
I too have a 13,500 AGP, but ours is 24' round. I always put a pool pillow in the middle before covering it. Kinda guides the rain/snow/sludge a little closer to the edge. If you either have one, or are willing to invest in one (approx. $50), a small utility pump with a garden hose attachment will get most of it off. I always use my pool net to scoop out most of the sludge. Before putting my pump on the cover, I use a hairnet or filter sock to cover the pump's intake holes; keeps the remaining silt that's on the cover mostly out of the pump. When your filter gets dirty, throw it away/wash it and replace. If a spring top-off is in order, I have been known to duct-tape another hairnet over the end of the outlet hose and stuff it under the cover and let 'er rip. My pool is always very clear upon opening as well, and this "free" fill up has never yet impacted it. Normal pool opening vacuum and you're done! Hope this helps.

 

[Amy Adkins]

Hi Amy! Welcome.
I too have a 13,500 AGP, but ours is 24' round. I always put a pool pillow in the middle before covering it. Kinda guides the rain/snow/sludge a little closer to the edge. If you either have one, or are willing to invest in one (approx. $50), a small utility pump with a garden hose attachment will get most of it off. I always use my pool net to scoop out most of the sludge. Before putting my pump on the cover, I use a hairnet or filter sock to cover the pump's intake holes; keeps the remaining silt that's on the cover mostly out of the pump. When your filter gets dirty, throw it away/wash it and replace. If a spring top-off is in order, I have been known to duct-tape another hairnet over the end of the outlet hose and stuff it under the cover and let 'er rip. My pool is always very clear upon opening as well, and this "free" fill up has never yet impacted it. Normal pool opening vacuum and you're done! Hope this helps.

I'm definitely going to buy a few pillows to put in the pool before covering it this fall. Need to go purchase a small utility pump, as you suggested. The thought of this gross water going into the pool is frightening lol. Do leaf nets over the cover help at all? If so, I'll be getting that also. Worked so hard last year to keep the water crystal clear..trying just as hard to get this cover off without destroying the water in the pool

 

[IceShadow]

I think ghall means using a leaf net on a pole to manually remove the sludge, but I could be wrong.

 

[IceShadow]

If it does fall in you should be able to skim off what floats and vacuum out what doesn’t and let your filter get the rest. Keep your FC up near SLAM level until it’s gone. But if you can pump off the water from the cover and remove without dumping it in, even better

 

[ghall6292]

We do not use a net over our cover; the thought of cleaning all that muck off it in the spring, and packing it away just isn't for me. I normally try to close and be covered before the leaves begin to drop in earnest; for us, that is mid October. We just let the leaves fall as they will; then around early-to-mid November (once most of the leaves are down,) I will go out and scoop off everything I can get, using just the pool net on a pole. You are now headed into the winter with nothing sitting on your cover but a little water. Until it freezes solid, you can get out your utility pump and pump off any excess water. Naturally you'll want to leave some on there for weight to keep your cover from being picked up by the wind. I also shovel some snow off during the winter when possible, but I've learned not to stress over it. Once the snow and ice melts and we get some spring rains, it's surprising how little dirt is on there. Good luck getting your pool open without dumping any muck in, but as Dustin stated previously, it can be dealt with.