I’ve been able to maintain my pool chemistry all summer thanks to the start up advice from tfp! Sadly, it’s time to close for winter. I need to do it before all the leaves start dropping! Anyway, my question is, I need to do a SLAM before draining etc…and right now pool math is saying about 2 gallons liquid chlorine. That seems low for winterizing. My fc is at 1.5 and my cya is at 40. Does this sound right? Btw the water is crystal clear. Thanks for any and all advice.
Winterizing
- Thread starter Lprecords
- Start date
Get that FC up pronto or it's not staying clear for long.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test before closing. Whether you bring it to SLAM level before/after the test is up to you. It's counter productive to add FC and then drain, but if you lose the ability to mix it than you should dose before draining.
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test before closing. Whether you bring it to SLAM level before/after the test is up to you. It's counter productive to add FC and then drain, but if you lose the ability to mix it than you should dose before draining.
2 gals of 10% is 15 FC for you.
Temps are supposed to be in the 70s next week and I’m wondering if I should wait for cooler temps before closing.?
Up to you. The pool temp is generally the average of the last 5 to 7 days highs/lows. With highs of 70s your lows are likely in the 50s with the average around 60. So at the very least it's close until closing time.
Once covered, and also with thr cooler temps, your SLAM FC should easily stretch until it gets cold for real. Then just open early before its warm again.
Or with little maintenance needed right now with low UV loss, keep it open for 2 or 3 more weeks and then close.
Once covered, and also with thr cooler temps, your SLAM FC should easily stretch until it gets cold for real. Then just open early before its warm again.
Or with little maintenance needed right now with low UV loss, keep it open for 2 or 3 more weeks and then close.
Thanks. I may wait a couple more weeks. I forgot to ask in my original post: Is liquid chlorine the only thing I need to add when closing?
Some like polyquat60(a non copper based algecide). If using it then close at half SLAM level.
Those are the two options for closing chemicals, providing the water started properly balanced.
Those winterizing kits you see are for the dump and pray folks whi just blindly add stuff without knowing what it is or what it will.do.
Thanks. I was planning on just using chlorine. If I’m understanding this correctly, I SLAM my pool and if the level holds for 24 hours, then I can simply drain 6” below skimmer and close. Right?
The FC level has to hold overnight with no UV loss. It will have some loss during the day, and no two days are exactly the same to factor a *2* ppm loss (etc) as algae free.
So pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test, and close.
So pass an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test, and close.