What to do

[Verris]

Hello,

First time taking over the pool work myself this year. The last three years were "The last year we hire someone to do it for us". My pool in NJ is currently closed and covered with a mesh cover. Last year when the company opened it, the water was crystal clear and looked ready to swim in. This year, they did not vacuum before closing it due to "Its a mesh cover and stuff will get in anyway". Well, on the weekend I pulled up a corner to take a look (Still about a month away from opening) and things were very leafy and green. I took a water sample and tested it and here are my results.



The cya test was clear all the way to the top of the tube so its less than 30. I did not do the full chlorine test, just the quick one along with the PH test, but the water was perfectly clear, no signs of yellow or any color change so it's probably 0, especially with no CYA.

At this point, I'm assuming there is nothing I can do until I open the pool and can run the pump. I'm guessing that I will just need to SLAM it once opened and go from there.


Last year's opening


This year's under the cover peek

 

[PoolStored]

I would follow this: SLAM Process

 

[kul]

Would there be a benefit to opening now and just getting started with the slam? I imagine as it continues to warm up, the algae bloom will continue to get out of hand.

 

[PoolStored]

You can. One issue here (and NJ where the OP is located) is that we can still get freezing temps until about after April 15. You will want to run the pump if you are adding chlorine to slam. Also, I get a lot of maple spinners and some other detritus from the trees through about May 15, so I wait. I would wait until you after "freeze" date for your location, then go. Also remember, that without the heat and sun, after slam it may take a while for your FC to come down.

 

[Newdude]

At this point, I'm assuming there is nothing I can do until I open the pool and can run the pump

Pretty much. With little or no CYA you risk bleaching the liner if you add chlorine, and the crud at the bottom is going to stir up making brushing difficult to see when you try to mix rhe chlorine.

Wait for the last freeze and open early. It will be an easy SLAM.

Would there be a benefit to opening now and just getting started with the

There would. But our weather is just too volatile still. We had a Nor'Easter ice storm on Saturday. Yesterday started in the 20s and today was almost 60.

 

[Verris]

That's what I figured, thanks guys. It's definitely too early to open yet it's still dropping below freezing some days. We normally open it mid April to stay ahead of the heat and normally don't have any problems.



When I open it with all these leaves and algae in the bottom, I'll brush the sides down first, than try and scoop the big stuff, then should I run the pool robot on it or use my pump and vacuum it to waste?



The robot is still in the box and hasn't been used yet, not sure it's up to that task off the bat.

 

[Newdude]

The robot is still in the box and hasn't been used yet, not sure it's up to that task off the bat.

It is, but i understand wanting it to stay pretty for a minute, Then again, there is nothing like a trial by fire.

I'll brush the sides down first, than try and scoop the big stuff, then should I run the pool robot on it or use my pump and vacuum it to waste?

I'd try and get as much to waste as possible. The less that makes it to the filter means longer until the filter needs cleaning.

 

[Newdude]

You'd also be surprised how well you can brush it all to one area. It will poof up but it only takes 5 mins to do the whole pool. Give it a while to settle and go gently brush it again. A few attempts later, its in one spot and you'll save alot of vac time.

 

[V___25]

What robot do you have? I'm always surprised at how much that thing can pick up. We have a problem with worms and I've stopped trying to scoop them with the net as the robot does a great job with getting them out.

 

[Verris]

I just managed to get an active 30 locally after my marina wait-list was pushed back to June. I also plan on changing the sand in my filter this year, as it hasn't been done in at least 5 years, and who knows before that with the previous owner. I planned on doing that before opening so it would be dry though. Water here is cheap and since it's already basically untreated water I don't mind vacuuming to waste and topping it back off.

 

[Newdude]

Water here is cheap and since it's already basically untreated water I don't mind vacuuming to waste and topping it back off.

That is only half the battle. The other half is if you take too long vacuuming, the water height drops too low to vacuum, even with the hose running while you vac.

 

[PoolStored]

I just managed to get an active 30 locally after my marina wait-list was pushed back to June. I also plan on changing the sand in my filter this year, as it hasn't been done in at least 5 years, and who knows before that with the previous owner. I planned on doing that before opening so it would be dry though. Water here is cheap and since it's already basically untreated water I don't mind vacuuming to waste and topping it back off.

Throw the active 30 into the pool now. Won't hurt a thing to vacuum a bunch out. When I had my slam last year, mine took a BUNCH of the dead algae out of the pool for me.

There is ZERO reason to replace sand. It doesn't go bad. If you really want to "clean it up," here is a deep cleaning thread. Save your money on the new sand. Deep Cleaning a Sand Filter

 

[JoeSelf]

I was always a Mother Day Weekend opener. Last year opened @ 1.5 FC. Weather has been weird this year cold, warm, cold, warm, rinse and repeat.

I second the deep clean on the filter. I did it at the beginning of every year and when your done the filter is mostly full of water.

 

[Verris]

Sounds good to me, I'll definitely give it the deep clean instead.

 

[Newdude]

You'll know if the sand will clean or not. If it's all gummed up with the previous owners magic potions, like flocculent, it won't clean and will stay gummed or clumped up. If it feels like sand, it's got about a billion more years left to it.