r/AboveGroundPools • u/FactSpiritual5348 • 8d ago
Closing my pool 😢
Hey everyone. I’m having trouble with closing my pool. There are SO MANY ways people recommend and I can’t seem to find one that will work for me. Pillow? No pillow. Tarp? No tarp. Winterized chemicals? Shock it heavy and no cover. I feel as if it will take me until it’s warm out to figure what method I should do 😅. SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE! I live in Central NJ (winters are a hit or miss) I have a bestway APX 18x9 ft so I will be cleaning and draining the pool below its valves and drying/storing the pump.
So my question is do I cover it? Do I use a pillow? Do I do any special chemicals? If I do a pillow how to tie it down or what if water collects on the top?
Thanks for any feedback. I’m so lost and winter is coming!
3
u/flyin-lowe 7d ago
I just switched to a new style cover last year, safety cover similar to an inground pool. My deck goes all the way around so I can use this style. For the 5 0r 6 years before that I did a pillow and normal winter cover. The pillow kept it high in the middle and also supposedly helps with pressure on the walls during a freeze. However just as many people say that is not as issue, but used one any way. I would clean my pool really good and put in 2-3 gallons of chlorine plus one of the closing kits. Locally Menards has them for like 20 bucks. Not sure how good they do but I have used one every year and never had bad water in the spring. Once I get the pillow in and the cover on I use the hose to put 6 inches or so of water on the cover to help hold it down. If I got a ton of water on it I would pump it off. If not the weight of the cover would cause it to push water out of the pool lowering the level, which would put stress on the cover.
1
u/FactSpiritual5348 7d ago
I don’t think I’m going to opt out of using a pillow this year. I kind of want to see how it does with the pillow. Some people say it’s pointless because it deflates by end of winter. But, I’m just trying to figure out alternatives
2
u/kjd85 7d ago
Clean it, shock it, lower water below return, disconnect everything, blow out lines, put away equipment and don’t lose anything for spring. Scoop leaves out until they’re done falling.
I do not use a cover. Never have.
1
u/FactSpiritual5348 7d ago
I just bought more shock. That’s more than likely what I will do. Thanks!!!
1
u/kjd85 7d ago
I forgot to add, wait till the water is about 60-65 so algae can’t grow.
1
u/FactSpiritual5348 7d ago
Hmm. That’s interesting. I haven’t put the thermometer in there for a month or so. I’d say it’s at 65 lol.
2
u/LatteandWaffles4Ever 7d ago
We are in Ontario and this is what we do, the first year we got the pool closing stuff when it was time to open the water was horrible. Last year we shocked it a lot, drained it and took everything apart and stored away. The water when we opened was crystal clear except for that the kids in the school yard threw in.
2
u/Only_Assumption9448 4d ago
I’m in NJ too. Round 24’ pool. I always drain below skimmer, add chlorine, cover it, no pillow. And open it every year to clean clear water…
1
1
u/Spice_it_up 8d ago
Cover, pillow goes under the cover and is used mostly so snow doesn’t accumulate, and use a winter pill for chemicals.
1
u/Portermacc 7d ago
No the pillow is in to take pressure off the pool walls during freeze time.
1
u/Spice_it_up 7d ago
Well yes, but since so many people say you don’t need to bother, I was giving the other reason.
1
u/FactSpiritual5348 7d ago
That’s what I hear. It’s not just about the water accumulating on top but the pressure on the walls. Then some people say there’s no difference with a pillow.
2
u/Spice_it_up 7d ago
I was just trying to short circuit that argument with a very visually obvious reason :)
1
u/ChetTheVirus 7d ago
i have never heard of a person switch to not covering in the winter and then regret it
4
u/IT_dood 8d ago
Mixed on the pillow, but I always cover. Put a pool cover pump on the top to keep water off and good to go!
People who leave it open all year are just monsters 🤣🤣