Pool Closing Chemistry: Adjusting for the Long Term:
Hello everyone, thanks for popping by!
Closing season is well under way, and things will only pick up after Thanksgiving. We already have 800+ closings finished and more to come! To make sure your pool is ready to be “put to bed” for the winter, don’t forget to test your water chemistry one last time. You might have a clean and clear pool, but if certain chemistry parameters are off before closing, you may develop unwanted liner wrinkles or fading over the winter. Here’s what to do and why:
- Ensure that chlorine isn’t too high. Particularly in salt-water pools, your output setting from August may be much higher than needed at the end of the season. As most pool companies include a final “shock” of liquid chlorine, you may need to turn down or turn off salt systems or chlorinators completely prior to closing to avoid potentially bleaching the liner.
- Bring up Alkalinity. From week to week, the recommended Alkalinity level for most pools is 80-120 ppm. When closing, recommended range is 100-140 ppm. If you’re on top of things throughout the summer, you’ll probably only need about 4 kg or ½ bucket to break 100 ppm. If you haven’t tested your water for quite some time, definitely double-check before closing in case alkalinity has dropped.
- Adjust pH, but just a little. For closing, the ideal pH is 7.8. During the summer, the recommended range is between 7.4 – 7.6. Salt water pools tend towards high pH, often as high as 8 or more. You may need to add a slightly smaller dose of pH Down than usual before closing. If stabilized chlorine pucks are your main source of chlorine, you may have a slightly low pH. Boosting the alkalinity will pull up the pH too, so Alka Plus may be all you need.
- Closing Kits? Absolutely! Our pool closing kit includes an Algaecide, a Phosphate + Clarifier treatment and a small dose of Alka Plus. If your water is well balanced, these products will take things the extra mile to prevent algae growth and cloudiness to make your start-up next spring a breeze.
If you’re not sure where your water chemistry stands, Mirage staff will be here at our retail location at 1800 Appleby Line, Unit #14 to run one last water test. We’re open Saturday and Sunday this weekend if you also need to grab any last minute supplies for your Thanksgiving closing. Our experienced staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the pool closing process. We look forward to seeing you!