Planning ahead. Pool closing chemicals.

[rdelisa]

I've read lots of conflicting opinions on what chemicals to use. It seems the most important thing is to get the temp below 60 and open pool before it gets above 60.
I've had some severe algae problems after opening the pool 4 of the last 5 years so want to make sure I get it right this time. Here is what I am am planning on doing:


1. Get the temp below 60.
2. Get FC level up to half-slam level.
3. Add the normal start-up level of polyquat 60 and run pump for 24 hours.
(I'd like to add a quarter of metal sequestrant as well)
4. Get PH between 7.2 and 7.6
5. I'd like to put some trichlor pucks in a floater for good measure. (This also keeps my CYA from getting to low since I have a SWG)
6. Blow out lines
I can't lower my water below the jet returns. It's a fiberglass pool and they are too low.
7. Insert plugs and blow until nothing but air comes out of each line.
7. pour antifreeze in skimmer line and gently blow into pipes
8. pour antifreeze down maindrain line, blow and plug. (this part is tricky because I don't have a valve. I have to blow and plug when I see antifreeze going out the main drain. )
I use a cyclone blower with a pipe screwed into my skimmer line to blow-out the lines.

Am I missing anything or doing anything?

 

[Bperry]

I've read lots of conflicting opinions on what chemicals to use. It seems the most important thing is to get the temp below 60 and open pool before it gets above 60.
I've had some severe algae problems after opening the pool 4 of the last 5 years so want to make sure I get it right this time. Here is what I am am planning on doing:


1. Get the temp below 60.
2. Get FC level up to half-slam level.
3. Add the normal start-up level of polyquat 60 and run pump for 24 hours.
(I'd like to add a quarter of metal sequestrant as well)
4. Get PH between 7.2 and 7.6
5. I'd like to put some trichlor pucks in a floater for good measure. (This also keeps my CYA from getting to low since I have a SWG)
6. Blow out lines
I can't lower my water below the jet returns. It's a fiberglass pool and they are too low.
7. Insert plugs and blow until nothing but air comes out of each line.
7. pour antifreeze in skimmer line and gently blow into pipes
8. pour antifreeze down maindrain line, blow and plug. (this part is tricky because I don't have a valve. I have to blow and plug when I see antifreeze going out the main drain. )
I use a cyclone blower with a pipe screwed into my skimmer line to blow-out the lines.

Am I missing anything or doing anything?

If you had algae in the past it means you ran out of chlorine. So either add more to start or find a way to add some over the winter, maybe when the weather is passed any freeze stages. I’ve left a floater with some tablets in it over winter, you just need to make sure it doesn’t get stuck somewhere that the acid can do any damage (like on top of a step).

I don’t use the PQ and have opened to a crystal clear pool the last couple times (at least until the cover water gets dumped in by accident). But I close it in late November and open early March.

 

[rdelisa]

If you had algae in the past it means you ran out of chlorine. So either add more to start or find a way to add some over the winter, maybe when the weather is passed any freeze stages. I’ve left a floater with some tablets in it over winter, you just need to make sure it doesn’t get stuck somewhere that the acid can do any damage (like on top of a step).

I don’t use the PQ and have opened to a crystal clear pool the last couple times (at least until the cover water gets dumped in by accident). But I close it in late November and open early March.

Thanks. Honestly, I just don't think I followed the below-60 rule before I closed. It was below 60 when I opened. By late October, I should be ready. So if my CYA is around 50PPM, I should get the FC up to around 10?

 

[Bperry]

Thanks. Honestly, I just don't think I followed the below-60 rule before I closed. It was below 60 when I opened. By late October, I should be ready. So if my CYA is around 50PPM, I should get the FC up to around 10?

SLAM level for CYA50 is 20ppm. I would probably go full SLAM for a couple days before I closed, but I don’t use the PQ so you may not be able to do that cause the chlorine oxidizes the PQ. Kinda up to you. If the PQ hasn’t been working in the last then I’d expect it to not work the same this time. But if you havent tried it before maybe give it a go.

 

[Newdude]

pour antifreeze in skimmer line and gently blow into pipes

No need to blow. It will find the low spot on its own. The low spot is almost always by the skimmers and returns anyway. (Unless the equipment is below the pool level).

pour antifreeze down maindrain line, blow and plug. (this part is tricky because I don't have a valve. I have to blow and plug when I see antifreeze going out the main drain. )

No need for the antifreeze here. With the drain side open, it will ooze out and not do anything.

Be as quick as you can shifting from the blower to the plug as a 2 inch pipe (or 1.5 inch) takes a half second to fill when the pool level wants to equalize.

Am I missing anything or doing anything?

Most of the plan is great. Do you have a mesh cover or solid ? With mesh you can leave the PH higher (if it is) because off season rain will lower it

 

[rdelisa]

No need to blow. It will find the low spot on its own. The low spot is almost always by the skimmers and returns anyway. (Unless the equipment is below the pool level).

No need for the antifreeze here. With the drain side open, it will ooze out and not do anything.

Be as quick as you can shifting from the blower to the plug as a 2 inch pipe (or 1.5 inch) takes a half second to fill when the pool level wants to equalize.



Most of the plan is great. Do you have a mesh cover or solid ? With mesh you can leave the PH higher (if it is) because off season rain will lower it

Thank you! Just to clarify, there is no need to blow or pour antifreeze down the main drain? What's to keep the main drain from freezing up in the higher part of the pool? But, I should still pour antifreeze down the skimmer line and blow it towards the jets, but plug within a 1/2 second to make sure there is no back flow back in the jet pipes? I usually have my wife run the blower while I put in the plugs so it is very rapid.

My cover is mesh.

 

[Newdude]

Just to clarify, there is no need to blow or pour antifreeze down the main drain?

You blow the main drain and air lock it to keep the water well below the frost line. The horizontal pipe near the drains (under the pool) will glug glug full in seconds once the pressure stops, but as soon as the pipe turns upward, the air will keep the water out as the air has nowhere to go. If you add antifreeze it will find the horizontal pipe under the pool and ooze out of the drains in no time.

What's to keep the main drain from freezing up in the higher part of the pool?

The air in the upward pipe to the pad keeps it clear. The valve or plug at the pad acts like putting your finger on a straw and dunking it in your drink. Dunk it sideways like that last leg by the drains and air will be pushed out and replaced with your drink. (Pool water). But again. That part is so far below the frost line it's totally fine that it's full. I

But, I should still pour antifreeze down the skimmer line and blow it towards the jets, but plug within a 1/2 second to make sure there is no back flow back in the jet pipes?

I'm sorry I misunderstood that part. You won't be able to add antifreeze to the returns under water as you will cap them with bubbles shooting out. Drain below the skimmer so that you can add antifreeze for that half of the system once that pipe is empty. It's really just extra extra insurance as the cyclone completely removes any water.

My cover is mesh.

So you will accumulate a considerable amount of rain and melted snow. Keep a eye on the water level and use a submersible pump to drain as needed. Once it's frozen it should be left alone so try to time it just right that it's low again just before so that you can accumulate while you can't touch it. Then drain again as soon as it thaws to make it through the early spring.

 

[Mdragger88]

About the 1/2 slam - the recommendation is to go to full slam level then pass an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test - this ensures you’re algae free.
Then if you want to use polyquat 60 let fc fall to 1/2 way between slam & target range.
If no polyquat just cover at slam level.
Adequate fc coupled with low water temps is the secret sauce here.
The polyquat is just there for insurance if the fc dips too low at the end of the winter journey.

 

[Mdragger88]

Note* if using a sequestrant you would add that when the fc has fallen some when you add the polyquat

You want to be sure to use an HEDP sequestrant

• Polymeric metal sequestrants, such as Natural Chemistry® METALfree, are NOT compatibile with Polyquat or with most clarifiers. Natural Chemistry® METALfree is a acrylic copolymer with citric acid.[8]
• Sequestrant - Further Reading

 

[PoolStored]

Lower the pH first. With raised FC, your pH test will be invalid.

 

[rdelisa]

Thank you all so much for the valuable information. I think I have enough to work through this. I have closed the pool successfully on two other occasions. The 3rd time, I forgot to blow out the overpass pipe in my pump room so it froze and exploded. I had the pool guy fix it and close it a couple of times after that. This time around I will make sure valves turned to blow out every pipe.

 

[rdelisa]

About the 1/2 slam - the recommendation is to go to full slam level then pass an
Overnight Chlorine Loss Test - this ensures you’re algae free.
Then if you want to use polyquat 60 let fc fall to 1/2 way between slam & target range.
If no polyquat just cover at slam level.
Adequate fc coupled with low water temps is the secret sauce here.
The polyquat is just there for insurance if the fc dips too low at the end of the winter journey.

Thanks. I'm tempted to skip the polyquat altogether and just go with slam and temp under 60. I have never worried about water temp before when I closed, so I think that's been the problem the few times I had a mess in the Spring.