Putting mesh winter cover over pool a month before closing to keep leaves out

[schwim123]

I’m at my wits end with our pool because the trees are dropping leaves earlier than usual and I don’t have a robot to keep them out. Everyday when I get home, the skimmer basket is full of leaves and there are lots of leaves on the bottom. As soon as I vacuum the leaves out, more leaves blow in so it is a never ending battle. Pool closing is scheduled for the first week of November and I’m worried that I’m going to have a hard time keeping the pool algae free this whole time because of the leaves. My husband would like to go ahead and put the mesh cover over the pool and operate the pump with the cover on for the next month so we don’t have to deal with these leaves any more. Before we do this, I have a few questions:
1. Will it create any water chemistry issues before closing if we put the mesh cover on the pool now and run the pump with the cover on for a month or so?
2. Should we get the pool up to shock level before putting the cover on and bump it back up to shock level with liquid chlorine once it drifts down to target level each time or should we try to keep it at target level all of the time?
3. How many hours a day would we need to run the pump if it is covered?
4. Since we usually add polyquat at closing, can this be added in front of a deep end return like liquid chlorine so brushing won’t be required to mix it in?
5. Will it create any problems for my pool company if the cover is already on when they get here in November to winterize everything? Can they peel back the cover near the returns and skimmer to winterize them and add antifreeze without taking the cover completely off? I have a feeling that the leaves will be dropping like crazy on closing day since they are already dropping now so I hope everything can be winterized without taking the cover off completely.

 

[Newdude]

I did a 'soft close' and also a 'soft open' every year. It will run fine under the cover for as long as you need.

Once covered, it won't need much sanitation or filtration. You can run your normal schedule, or run it for 15 mins once or twice a day to keep the chemicals mixed.

Bring it to SLAM and check it once a week. It only takes a minute to pop a corner in the shallow end to test. Or grab test water from the skimmer or pump basket. Chances are you won't need to add anything.

The pool company can open whatever areas they need access to. It's easy enough.

I don't personally like polyquat and here is why. Its only for when you have no chlorine. The hope is it keeps algae away, once the chlorine is depleted, until the water is cold enough that algae goes dormant. So why use the expensive stuff instead of just having enough chlorine in there to make it until the water is cool ?

Then the irony of it all, is that the chlorine will consume some polyquat, leaving you with less of each. If the polyquat erases enough chlorine, then you need the polyquat. Anywho it's a long time staple for some folks, and to each their own. I just go full SLAM instead of half SLAM + PQ.

 

[SecoSteve]

I was having the same problem. We just finished our 2nd season with our pool. Last season, I had it closed the first week of October, and opened early the next May to clear water. I close early because of leaves dropping and also because we don't have a leaf mesh cover. I have a solid winter cover.

In your situation, the leaf net won't make any difference to your water chemistry. There's no reason to bring chlorine level to SLAM level now, with the cooler weather. Keep it just above where you regularly have it.

On our closing contract, our PB states that if the cover is on at time of closing, they would charge me $100 to remove it to access the returns/skimmers. I would consider closing earlier to avoid the leaves. I know the majority here say to close when the temperature is in the 60's, but I had luck last fall closing at the end of September, but bringing my chlorine up to a little more than half SLAM.

 

[pookiesunshine]

I have a lot of leaves too and also put the mesh cover on a month or so before closing. water samples from skimmer; reduced pump operation, add chemicals in front of return using my pvc adapter shown in another thread, or pop the cover near the returns. my returns are all on one side so when i do close completely, just have to fold over one side of cover. no problems, usually.

Adding liquid bleach with tight Lop Loc cover

We've just covered our pool with a super tight lop loc leaf cover. I need to add chlorine, and I cannot for the life of me get a corner up of the cover to add any liquid bleach. We take care of the pool ourselves but had to pay someone to come put the cover on b/c it huge and heavy (and now I...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[schwim123]

I did a 'soft close' and also a 'soft open' every year. It will run fine under the cover for as long as you need.

Once covered, it won't need much sanitation or filtration. You can run your normal schedule, or run it for 15 mins once or twice a day to keep the chemicals mixed.

Bring it to SLAM and check it once a week. It only takes a minute to pop a corner in the shallow end to test. Or grab test water from the skimmer or pump basket. Chances are you won't need to add anything.

The pool company can open whatever areas they need access to. It's easy enough.

I don't personally like polyquat and here is why. Its only for when you have no chlorine. The hope is it keeps algae away, once the chlorine is depleted, until the water is cold enough that algae goes dormant. So why use the expensive stuff instead of just having enough chlorine in there to make it until the water is cool ?

Then the irony of it all, is that the chlorine will consume some polyquat, leaving you with less of each. If the polyquat erases enough chlorine, then you need the polyquat. Anywho it's a long time staple for some folks, and to each their own. I just go full SLAM instead of half SLAM + PQ.

I use polyquat at closing because I’ve got gelcoat damage and my fiberglass pool company says that overchlorination could be harmful to my gelcoat. If I wanted to use the polyquat, should I add it before I put the cover on so I can brush afterwards since water temperature is already 65 degrees? Or should I wait to add it a day before closing like I normally do, since water temperature won’t drop below 60 for a few weeks and we tend to have a lot of warm fall days here? I read another post on here that says that polyquat can be diluted in water so it can be added in front of a return but I have a hard time believing that will work since polyquat is rather thick.

 

[Newdude]

my fiberglass pool company says that overchlorination could be harmful to my gelcoat

They don't understand the CYA/FC relationship. Without said relationship, it would in fact be harmful. But they simply just don't know of what they speak.

If I wanted to use the polyquat, should I add it before I put the cover on so I can brush afterwards since water temperature is already 65 degrees?

That would certainly help.

Or should I wait to add it a day before closing like I normally do, since water temperature won’t drop below 60 for a few weeks and we tend to have a lot of warm fall days here?

That will also work. There's alot of ways that work.

I read another post on here that says that polyquat can be diluted in water so it can be added in front of a return

I added a mid winter dose the first few years and diluted a few ounces in a 5 gallon bucket first (probably about 8 ounces at a time). It REALLY helps it disperse. Just from the water movement being dumped in an otherwise still pool, it would cloud the whole thing up in a minute or less.