Closing chemistry recommendation

[JimK]

And, remember, it isn't required to use polyquat upon closing. I never do.

Do you add any chlorine during the time between closing and opening?

[CarlD]

I don't know. It's possible the PQ is a waste. $20-$25. But if it's not, then AT LEAST $20 in chlorine's going in to clean up a spring bloom.

I don't add chlorine over the winter--tough when there's a foot or more of ice. Occasionally, if necessary, I can sneak a thin plastic hose between the ice and the wall, in a corner, and drain of excess water due to rain and snow melt.

[JimK]

I don't know. It's possible the PQ is a waste. $20-$25. But if it's not, then AT LEAST $20 in chlorine's going in to clean up a spring bloom.

I don't add chlorine over the winter--tough when there's a foot or more of ice. Occasionally, if necessary, I can sneak a thin plastic hose between the ice and the wall, in a corner, and drain of excess water due to rain and snow melt.

Yeah, I was thinking about trying closing without PQ, but then if the experiment fails, the cost of cleanup, not to mention the extra effort, would likely be much more than the cost of a quart of PQ.

[Watermom]

I keep my equipment hooked up in the fall, adding bleach occasionally as necessary. When we start getting freezing temps at night, which is usually in November for us, I then drop the water level, shock the pool, take my pH up to around 7.9 and unhook equipment. Then I'm done for the winter. I do open up early -- probably in April. It gets hot early here. We can typically swim in early May. (I have not used polyquat for many years.)

[zmanh]

I am in central Va, closed several weeks ago using high chlorine, followed by a heavy dose of poly and then letting pump run for approx. 48 hours and vacuuming. Now my water is black. Did I simply close too early? First year pool owner btw. I have trees on 3 sides so I know that doesn't help. Watermom, opening in April and never covering your pool how do you deal with pollen?

[Watermom]

Watermom, opening in April and never covering your pool how do you deal with pollen?

I just use my net and skimmer to clear the pollen from the pool. Not a big deal, really. The skimmer gets most of it although I don't run the pump when I am not home to keep an eye on the skimmer basket.

As far as your pool ----- polyquat will drop the chlorine level pretty quick. So, if you didn't add more chlorine after the polyquat addition, you probably didn't have much chlorine in there. That combined with the water temperature not being very cold yet are most likely why you are now having an algae problem.

[JimK]

I am in central Va, closed several weeks ago using high chlorine, followed by a heavy dose of poly and then letting pump run for approx. 48 hours and vacuuming. Now my water is black. Did I simply close too early? First year pool owner btw. I have trees on 3 sides so I know that doesn't help. Watermom, opening in April and never covering your pool how do you deal with pollen?

Did you cover the pool? If so, with a solid or mesh cover?

If going coverless, or even a mesh cover, you need to wait until water temp stays below 60.

[Watermom]

you need to wait until water temp stays below 60.

And, even below 60 degrees is no guarantee that algae won't grow. Somewhere here on the forum is a picture posted by Poconos (a former moderator) where he has ice on his pool with algae growing below it. I'll see if I can find it but it was a long time ago so probably won't be able to.