Closing Pool -- Can I use ClearView quat power?

[bottomcat]

As usual, I am running behind on getting the pool closed. I went to the local pool store and asked for PolyQuat and they sold me ClearView "quat power" which is obviously not the same (it is 49% Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and 0.2% Dialkyl methyl benzyl ammonium chloride). "Alkyl" is listed as 60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, and 5% C18. "Dialykl" is listed as exactly the same!

I really want to close and am not sure I can wait to order PolyQuat. So what bad things can I expect if I use this? I've been using BBB for several years with great results, but when I opened this year, I had brownish algea.

Thank you.

[PoolDoc]

That's a pure linear quat, that will make the water foamy and use up a bunch of chlorine.

But, will it help with algae? Honestly, I don't know. But my own experiments with linear quaternary ammonia products were never encouraging.

You can get polyquat pretty quickly from Amazon:

Proteam Polyquat 60
In the Swim Polyquat 60
Kem-Tek Polyquat 60

And, honestly, if you super-shock the pool and eliminate ALL algae before covering, you can usually avoid any problems in the spring if

1. you use a waterproof, light-tight cover AND
2. shock the pool IMMEDIATELY on un-covering the pool.

There's also a tactic you can use to eliminate algae if you have resistant algae:

1. Go ahead and cover -- but do not CLOSE -- your pool.
2. Open the cover on a corner or side, so it can 'vent'.
3. Add chlorine to 25% - 40% of your CYA (stabilizer) level (ie, a CYA=100 ppm means a chlorine level of at least 25ppm), and keep it there for a week.

Usually, this will clear things up, since you aren't losing chlorine to sunlight. But, yoiu'll need a K2006 or equivalent, if you don't already have one, to determine and measure proper chlorine levels. You can uncover the pool enough to drop chlorine levels down to 10 - 15% before actually closing. But, without actually knowing your CYA levels, I can't offer any ideas about timing or the like.

K2006 @ Amazon.

Good luck!

[bottomcat]

Thank you Doc!

The only algae problem I have ever had was opening this season. I did not use PolyQuat when I closed last season and I probably let the chlorine go too low before putting the cover on. This is something that has always confused me. Are you supposed to wait until FC drops to a certain level before putting the cover on to avoid damaging the cover?

The pool is crystal clear now with the following levels:

FC: 6.4
CC: < 0.5
pH: 7.7
TA: 80
CYA: 50

It is 13,600 gal with a vinyl liner.

Thanks again!

[PoolDoc]

If you've got a CC < 0.2 [corrected], you can cover, regardless of chlorine level. It is the chlorine + ammonia or other nitrogen (waste) materials that vents off, and then damages covers.

But . . . you can always use the 'open corner' method, to clean up UNDER the cover, without damaging the cover. So long as the gases under the cover can be vented, I would not expect a problem.

In your case, I'd go ahead and cover now. If you like winterize the piping system later (now sure how late you can go in RI) and add the polyquat AFTER your chlorine levels have dropped a bit more.

[bottomcat]

Great advice! I assume you meant CC < 0.2. Thank you again!

[PoolDoc]

Yes, sorry. Corrected, now.