Winterising a swimming pool
Winterising a swimming pool
Haven't turned up anything on winterising an average sized, tiled, filtered pool other than there seems to be two schools of thought. More or less drain completely or take out about a foot of water. What chemicals do you add? What precautions are necessary in case we have a bad winter like the one two years ago? Is it worth covering or just giving a good clean out next late Spring? Any tips?
What do others do? More importantly what does Beachcomber do!
olive
What do others do? More importantly what does Beachcomber do!
olive
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I keep my pool maintained all through the winter. I maintain the water at its proper level, run the pump for an hour a day, dose it with about 100 grams of chlorine per week and hoover and backwash the filter once a week.
I don't cover my pool either in the summer or winter.
Don't, whatever you do, empty it out or just leave it to go green and filthy.
Don't use a winterising chemical as it is only effective below 12ºc and don't dose it with copper sulphate!!
I don't cover my pool either in the summer or winter.
Don't, whatever you do, empty it out or just leave it to go green and filthy.
Don't use a winterising chemical as it is only effective below 12ºc and don't dose it with copper sulphate!!
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- peteroldracer
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Our pool was new last August, so we got little use before the climate went into"my god that's shrivelled up" mode.
Despite running the pump for a coule of hours per day and adjusting chlorine, by the end of winter it looked like Martians had dissolved in ti, and it took a few weeks of shock/net/vaccuum/shock to get it crystal clear. Our garden has trees - algarrobbos (which are protected) and a couple of almonds, so maybe the leaves had an affect? Has anyone experience of pool covers - either bubble or whatever - and can recommend (via pm) a good value supplier within reach of Comares/Velez-Malaga/Torre del Mar? I really cannot face having to do all that work again next Spring!
Despite running the pump for a coule of hours per day and adjusting chlorine, by the end of winter it looked like Martians had dissolved in ti, and it took a few weeks of shock/net/vaccuum/shock to get it crystal clear. Our garden has trees - algarrobbos (which are protected) and a couple of almonds, so maybe the leaves had an affect? Has anyone experience of pool covers - either bubble or whatever - and can recommend (via pm) a good value supplier within reach of Comares/Velez-Malaga/Torre del Mar? I really cannot face having to do all that work again next Spring!
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- peteroldracer
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Hi Beach - yes I did what I could with the ph, but the pool was new as I said, so it was still going through the "grout buggeringup the ph" stage, let alone the affect of leaves etc! I had to read a few books, and think back to my days in technical support for printers (where ph and dissolved salts must be right on litho presses) to understand what was going on! Since it settled in March/April, I have rarely had to add "menos ph", apart from after thunderstorms....starnge that they screw things up!
Maybe now I have it whipped into shape chemically, it will not be too bad, but I would still appreciate folks' feedback on covers.
Maybe now I have it whipped into shape chemically, it will not be too bad, but I would still appreciate folks' feedback on covers.
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Pools look so much nicer without a cover...but covers are good...help cut down evaporation water loss and dust, leaves..and minimize chemical use..and heat loss..they are a bit ugly and take up space (big roll at one end of pool) and a nuisance to get on and off..I have also seen covers that made up of hundred of ball (for irregular shape pools)that are vacuumed in and out of the pool.
No muerdes la mano que te da de comer.
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This is a selection of covers from Baeza which is near the airport:
http://www.baeza-sa.com/db/subfamilias/ ... familia=92
http://www.baeza-sa.com/db/subfamilias/ ... familia=92
I bought a pool cover recently from Difonsur in Velez Malaga. I bought the reinforced bubble cover and it is very effective in reducing water loss through evaporation and warms the water nicely. I bought a piece of the stuff 11x 4 metres and it cost me 399 euros. It also keeps out the hundreds of wasps that would otherwise commit suicide in my pool.
My well produces less than 300 litres a day and is only enough to live on without having to top up the pool all the time. Without the cover, I would have to buy in 2000 litres of water per week which is what I was losing in evaporation so the pool cover will soon pay for itself.
My well produces less than 300 litres a day and is only enough to live on without having to top up the pool all the time. Without the cover, I would have to buy in 2000 litres of water per week which is what I was losing in evaporation so the pool cover will soon pay for itself.
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Teralin - that's a hell of a lot of water to lose in a week. Are you sure it's not leaking? Even an infinity pool would struggle to lose that much water due to evaporation and windage.
As for covers, the only type I have ever considered would the balls that sit on the surface, which you can swim through as opposed to taking a cover off - not sure if this is what Silver was alluding to or not?
As for covers, the only type I have ever considered would the balls that sit on the surface, which you can swim through as opposed to taking a cover off - not sure if this is what Silver was alluding to or not?
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Copper Sulphate Warning
Beachcomber
Could you please tell me why you do not use copper Sulphate in your pool in the winter. Sorry about this delay in asking just got back from wet UK
Could you please tell me why you do not use copper Sulphate in your pool in the winter. Sorry about this delay in asking just got back from wet UK
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If you use copper sulphate you have to be sure to get rid of every trace of it before using the pool in the spring. The only way to be sure of doing that is to empty the pool, rinse it out and refill it.
I use less than 100 grammes of chlorine per week to maintain the chlorine level in my pool between the middle of October and the middle of April. That's 24 weeks at about €0,60 per week making the cost of chlorine through the winter about €14.
I know a bag of copper sulphate costs a lot less but for the sake of €14 I would rather use the real thing.
I use less than 100 grammes of chlorine per week to maintain the chlorine level in my pool between the middle of October and the middle of April. That's 24 weeks at about €0,60 per week making the cost of chlorine through the winter about €14.
I know a bag of copper sulphate costs a lot less but for the sake of €14 I would rather use the real thing.
Copper sulphate debate
Thank you for your reply I do with my pool what you suggested but during a conversation with a person who does seem to know everything when he asked what I use in the winter he was adamant because no one was using the pool the way forward is copper sulphate, He didn't mention that it was so important to make sure it is all gone before using the pool again
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