shock level with solid cover when closing?

[CarlD]

The Best Guess table says your shock level, with a CYA of 40, is 15ppm, not 20.

I would suggest, if you are uncomfortable closing the cover with the FC at 15, that you wait until the water temp is around 60deg or lower, and then let the FC drop before you cover. Algae doesn't grow much in cold water.

Beyond that, I always use a mesh cover. Not this year, as I'm rebuilding the pool and there's no water in it. Also no liner and no walls!

[rajung]

Thanks for the info.
As far as a mesh cover, we don't have any trees, there is one large pine tree about 30ft away.
Last year we received 58 inches of snow, average normally is 36"
And I did get really tired of using a roof rake to remove snow off the pool almost every week.
I tried to keep all the snow off cover, but after awhile,it is really tiresome.
Never thought about a mesh cover,what is the advantage of that and in your opinion, would that work for the environment I am in?
Not certain on what winters are like in NJ.
Thanks

[CarlD]

Well, my mesh cover did GREAT for 10 winters. Then we had the freaky 2013/2014 winter. I didn't have pillows in my pool and the snow on top turned to ice, then merged/melted/refroze to the water in the pool, tearing down my copings. So....next year the mesh will have a pillow underneath (again) to prevent that.

[rajung]

wow, last year was a mess, agree.
So I am starting to think either way I go is a crap shoot.
Maybe I will stick with the new solid cover I just received along with the 15' pillow, and hope it doesn't deflate in a few weeks and continue to scrape snow off
Thanks again

[FormerBromineUser]

Can you put a pump on top of your cover? That's what I do on my auto-cover. When we get a melty day, on goes the pump and it removes all the melted snow so ice doesn't accumulate much at all over the winter. Only issue I have is when I accidentally leave the pump and out-flow hose outside and water freezes inside it. I use a black hose just in case so it will unfreeze faster if I screw up.

[rajung]

After reading some other winterizing posts on here, I am starting to contemplate not covering the pool due to the hassle of the pillow and cover.If that's the route I go would it be OK to start now as far as getting the water to shock level with a slightly higher ph for a couple days and then drain below return and remove all the equipment?The temps here for the next few days are in the mid 70's but after that it looks low to mid 60's so it looks like the end.
There is only one tree near pool on the neighbors yard about 40-50 feet away, a large pine tree that on a real windy day may throw some pine needles or cones into it.
If this winter is like last at 60" snow,removing snow with a snow roof rake is not fun every 3 days.
For those that don't cover,can the snow just build up on pool and left to accumulate all winter without removing any?
I guess main concern I have is shutting everything down uncovered, and then have a water issue such as algae.

[CarlD]

If the pool is uncovered, the snow and ice shouldn't be a problem. If you're going to keep it uncovered, and are worried about detritus setting off an algae bloom, I'd wait for the WATER temp to get to 60 or just above to close it. Below 60 inhibits algae growth.

Personally, I'd keep it very clean as the temp goes down, keep the FC at or near shock level, then when I'm ready to close, I'd add a 1/2 to a full quart of Polyquat 60%, wait 48 hours (FC will drop precipitously), raise FC back to shock level, then close.