05/01/2023
Most people open the pool in the month of May, here are some tips for opening the pool with success.
1. Don't wait to long to open the pool. Algae grows much easier and faster once the temperatures rise above 65–70ºF. Once the daily high temperatures are consistently in this range, it's time to start thinking about opening the pool. Waiting too long before you open the pool can leave you with a green, murky mess to clean up once you peel the covers back, and it'll take longer to get your pool ready for swimming.
2. If you have a winter cover or solid safety cover, chances are a fair amount of water and debris has built up on the cover during the long winter off-season. Pool covers can be difficult to remove with water on them, so we recommend using a submersible cover pump to drain the water off the cover before moving it.
3. After removing the cover from your pool, it is important to clean, fold, and properly store the cover to avoid any damage during the summer. Storing your cover and other winterizing accessories , properly ensures that you'll be able to use them year after year, and you won't waste money buying new supplies each year. Once the cover is off the pool, lay it out flat, and brush off the remaining water and debris. Let the cover dry thoroughly. Before folding it, sprinkle on a little bit of baking soda or Alkalinity Up or talcum powder to prevent mold and mildew from growing on the cover.
4. Do preventative maintenance on all equipment. When addressing your equipment, it's a good idea to lubricate all o-rings, gaskets, and hardware with a silicone lubricant. This will help keep the equipment watertight and working properly all summer long.
5. Now its time to balance the water. The fastest and easiest way to test your water at home is to use test strips or a test kit. It's important to test your water chemistry before adding any chemicals, because this will help you know exactly what's needed and how much chemical to add. To start with, focusfirst on Total Alkalinity then pH. Things like Free Available Chlorine, Calcium Hardness, and Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid) levels are also important, but you can adjust those later, toward the end of your pool opening routine. The recommended water balance ranges are as follows:
Total Alkalinity (TA): 80–120 ppm
pH: 7.4–7.6
Free Available Chlorine (FAC): 2.0–4.0 ppm
Calcium Hardness (CH): 200–400 ppm
Cyanuric Acid (CYA): 30–100 ppm
6. Shocking your pool is the final step for getting rid of all the bacteria, algae spores, germs, and other microorganisms. Lots of organic contaminants may have entered your pool during the winter off-season! To shock your pool, follow the shock or superchlorination directions on your shock product label.
7. Finally after shocking the pool, run the circulation system overnight, then add algaecide the following day. For a clean and algae-free swimming season, we recommend starting treatment before the first swimmers even think about jumping into the pool.
