Winterizing BBB method

[Jakebear]

Thanks to all for your comments.

Jagwire, My experience (4 winters) has been checking the FC level monthly as long as there was no ice on the pool. I have a LoopLoc Cover. Over a month period I was almost always real close to zero Free Chlorine.

Understand --- this is all before I knew any better (this forum).

Looking at my past records I used CalHypo to do a “double shock” (Raise FC to ~ 11 ppm) and circulate 12 hours with a sump pump --- cover up and wait another month. I never had algae doing it this way (maybe just lucky), just lots of calcium dust and other fine debris on the bottom + a few worms and spiders.

This year will be a bit different using the Quat and Bleach rather than a KIT, but I will probably continue with the monthly (or more often) test, circulate and add bleach to maintain a FC level which will be consistent with Ben’s Best Guess Chart.

[karrde97]

It got cold in central Illinois quick and I don't have a heating system either. We were pretty much done around Labor Day. I shut the pump off and before I knew it, the pool turned green. I don't plan on putting a cover on since I don't have a lot of trees around.

Do I need to put something in and circulate? I use BBB. I'm confident that I can get it all clean in the spring with no problem. Am I wrong?

Our electrical rates are going up by 55% next year. It'll be uneconomical to run a pool soon. I switched to running pump ~8hrs/day.