Since I made the mistake of getting a mesh loop-loc cover 3 or 4 years ago I've opened up to so much algae that my water has been almost black. It also had lots of floating colonies of algae that resembled seaweed. It has, in the past, taken the better part of 2 weeks to get the water crystal clear.

This year I opened to algae only on the pool bottom with the water basically clear. Of course it got pretty cloudy once all that algae was killed and put into suspension but it was a vast improvement over previous years. No dead army of worms either. It took just about a week to get the water sparkling.

I'd like to say that it's my vast experience and general competence that has led to my good fortune this year, but my wife gets upset when I prevaricate.

We had a pretty harsh winter this year on Long Island, with very cold temperatures and lots of snow cover. It was in the 40's at night right up to the time I opened the pool. I guess that's a much better explanation than my aforementioned pool know how

Thanks to everyone for all the help this forum has given me over the years, and it's good to be back, glad pool season has once again arrived here. A great white heron , or maybe an egret, although it looks way too big to be that is stalking frogs near the pool, drinking a cup of coffee on the deck with my wife, my boys are out on the Great South Bay treading for clams that we'll steam on the BBQ today as part of our first big pool party of the year. The ribs will go onto the BBQ soon, wrapped in foil, with a rub I made and put on them last night. Low and slow rib cooking. Come on over if you're in the area, plenty of good food and drink.

I love the summer, I need to retire to a place that has 6 months of summer weather, maybe the Carolinas.

Peace,

Tom