When to close??

[poolmom06]

We have been having record temps this year( I'm in Texas) and I thought I would go ahead and leave the pool open until the end of September, is there a magic date that the pool needs to be closed by or not closed before? I want to make sure the water temp is cool enough to avoid any algae growth after I close.

[CarlD]

Generally, when the water is below 60 you are OK--but you still should add polyquat and shock it. Most people close when there isn't ANY hope of swimming again and the water's gotten too cold--into the 60's.

[poolmom06]

Thanks Carl! I will probably leave it open as long as the outside temps are the90's... that should get us through September~!

[elsie]

I'm in Alabama, and live on a very heavily treed half acre, and generally cover my pool at the end of August. While the water temp is running 86/87 currently, next week our overnight lows will start dipping into the 60's and together with shorter days/less sunlight, that water temp quickly will drop into the high 70's, and anything below 80 is too cold for me.

I don't use polyquat, just shock it with the proper number of jugs of household chlorine, but I do run the pump for half days until October, and I've never opened to anything other than a pristine pool 8 months later in May! I think that since no organics are going into the pool and it's getting no sun exposure, algae is highly discouraged.

[Tomcat]

I'm in Southern Maryland and wait until mid to late Oct. I want the water to be in the 60's. I do have lots of trees around and need to clean the skimmers and polaris bag daily throughout Oct until closing. I just need to beat the massive leaf drop that occurs at the end of Oct, early Nov. Besides, looking at the pool is so much better than the cover! No need to rush that!

[Spensar]

I go late in the season and always open to clear water. We have to winterize for ice and snow, so it is late Sept. or mid-October when we close it up. I also prefer the open pool over looking at a half empty pool until I have too.

[aylad]

I'm in Louisiana, and I don't close mine at all--it stays open year-round. My maintenance time goes to almost nothing while the water is cold, and I don't have to deal with the pool-opening cleanup........

Besides, we're usually swimming until the end of Sept or beginning of Oct.
Janet