Pumps and occasional overnight freezing temperatures, what's too cold?

[CoolHome]

I think it's time to open my pool. We've had unseasonably warm weather already and I can see its starting to get greenish, also had a cover fail during a big wind and its got dirt in it now. I'm not excited to start pool maintenance so long before we can actually use it but it'll only get grosser at this point. My question is about my pump. I have the Intex Krystal Clear 3000 GPH with AG Sand Filter. I covered the sand tank for the winter and the pump is inside. I did that as soon as I saw we were going to have freezing temperatures overnight, but I think I did it much sooner than was necessary, as it was probably another 4-6 weeks from that first drop until we had actual sustained freezing temperature. We should be past long freezes but we may get occasional drops below freezing overnight until mid-May. Is there anything I need to know about that? Will I need to cover it or do anything on cold nights? I usually run the pump during the day, but should it be be run overnight when it's cold? I'm wondering for now but also just in general, since we continued to have mild days after that first freeze this last winter and I probably don't need to remove the pump so early this coming winter. How cold does it have to be before having the pump outside and working regularly is a bad idea?

Thanks!

 

[PoolGate]

What is your water temperature? If you are already seeing green it is probably above 60, and you should either open the pool or else start adding chlorine and manually mix it. The pool pump can and will run in any temperature. Many pumps have freeze protection and will automatically turn on if temps drop too low. If not, and you are expecting below freezing temps, to be on the safe side run your pump until temps get back above freezing.

 

[CoolHome]

Thanks PoolGate, at this point if we have any freezing temperatures it should just be brief overnight dips, but I'll keep an eye on the weather and run the pump over night if that's suppose to happen. I'm not sure of the water temperature, I'll need to unclench the cover, but I'm guessing you're right. I'm planning to get the pump hooked up and start SLAM this weekend, I wish I'd done it last weekend, we're having really warm weather this week, almost 80 tomorrow! If I have the opportunity before then I'll get the cover off and stir in some chlorine to get it started. The cover is suspended above the water level, so I can keep it covered for the most part and run the pump. There is a maple right next to it that will start dropping those helicopters soon, definitely want it covered until that's done!