Quote Originally Posted by PoolDoc View Post
With a mesh cover, you need to maintain the water under the cover, all winter long. Pouring bleach through is an excellent way to do so -- but use a hose to rinse off the cover afterwards.
Happily, I've never had to do that with my mesh safety cover. Here in the NE (and Pennsylvania is like NJ, maybe colder), it's usually so much colder that it isn't necessary. I find if I open in April, after the ice has melted, I have to spend far less time and use less chems than I do if I open in May, when I'm more likely to have algae.