best solar cover

[mberryrfd]

I am looking at the solar covers for our new pool , which one is best? I have seen blue black silver and clear, any ideas?

[Cords]

Don't know, but I have a translucent blue one from Walmart. It is bulky so I ordered online and picked up at store. Honestly I think the best thing the solar cover does is insulate the pool at night- so be sure to cover it during those cold nights!

[mas985]

The cheapest and lightest one you can find (i.e thinnest). Light so it is easy to use and cheap because in my experience, the thickness and cost has little to do with cover life. I have had a 12 mil, 8 mil and now a 5 mil and they all seem to last about two seasons for me. But the 5 mil is so light anyone can remove it and put it back on so it is more likely to be used.

[mberryrfd]

well we bought a clear from solarcovers.com man pool is almost to warm even had a algae bloom from it( pool is about 85 degree)s killed it in 2 hours but was worth it

[FormerBromineUser]

The algae bloom should not be caused by the cover. Why do you think so?

How did you "kill" the cover?

[CarlD]

I think he meant he killed the bloom in 2 hours by hammering it with chlorine.

I go with 12 mil clear covers. All covers die in 3 years and the warranty is ONLY for the seams, not the bubbles, so the warranty is worthless. If I cannot get clear, I get clear blue. But I'm done wasting money on the heavy 16 mil covers just to have THEM die in 3 years, too.

[BJohnston]

Carl,

Where do you get your 12 mil clear covers from, and is that 100% clear, or clear blue as you mentioned?

I just ordered myself a 100% clear cover from Amazon and it is a 14 mil. I couldn't find any 100% clear covers that were thinner than that, albeit I only looked at InYo and InTheSwim for other options. It's supposed to arrive today hopefully.

I didn't even look at my local pool stores this year, because last time I ask about a cover, they kept pushing the liquid cover, talking it up like it was the best thing since sliced bread. I don't want to even deal with that stuff, I don't like the idea of it at all for many different reasons.

[CarlD]

i got it from solarcovers.com, I think. yeah, it is clear, 12 mil. It was about $125.
The liquid ones are total junk. any wind and it is useless. Hardly works, otherwise.

[BJohnston]

That's not a bad price, I think mine was close to that, maybe $10 cheaper if that. Amazon Prime still charges for shipping on something that big which I wasn't aware of, but wasn't that much, maybe like $8. I might look into that next time, for the shear fact that it's thinner and therefore lighter and easier to deal with. I haven't purchased a cover reel yet, its just not in my budget since I had to replace a garage door opener recently, but I will look to your source to see what their prices are. I just received notice that my cover has been delivered to my house, so as soon as I get home from work, I'll have something fun to open.

Aside from the fact of the wind issue, I can't get the association out of my mind with liquid covers that I'd be swimming under a layer of cooking oil, even though I know that the chemistry is something totally different. I just don't see how they don't screw up the water balance and filters. Not to mention that I wonder if we are going to hear something about negative health benefits 20yrs down the road from them.

[dansdad]

Hey Carl I read Clear can produce algae ....yes...no..?? Light or dark blue?? How thick 8 12 or what. I would probably get a reel Thanks Dave

[CarlD]

Hey Carl I read Clear can produce algae ....yes...no..?? Light or dark blue?? How thick 8 12 or what. I would probably get a reel Thanks Dave

Not if you keep up with your testing and maintenance. Keep your FC level consistent with your CYA level and you will NOT develop algae "from you solar cover". I've used every kind of cover (other than liquid) and never had a cover-induced problem.

Who told you it could develop algae? A pool store clerk pushing the liquid cover?

[dansdad]

no people on the forum I think pool solutions. It kind OF made sense to me as I was using clear tubing for watering my tomatoes and the hydroponic store algae will bloom on the clear tubing but that's a different deal since theres no chlorine used there. Im sure it was a solar cover question and answer on pool solutions. Thanks for getting back

[CarlD]

Sure. Algae grows when chlorine levels aren't maintained. Otherwise? Rarely, if ever.