Filter Run Time With Solar Cover... Input Needed

[fsae0607]

Hi! I just registered today and this is my first post. I tried to find more in-depth info on my specific situation, but to no avail. I use a solar pool cover sunday night thru friday evening, whereupon I uncover my pool for weekend use. I run the filter from midnight to 6:00 am. Is this okay? I've done this for two weeks now and everything seems to be okay. What does everyone here recommend? I think I may want to run the filter during the day to distribute the heated surface water, but I don't think I need to worry about the UV rays dissipating my free Cl, since the cover blocks out UV.

What do you all think? Any info would be appreciated! Thanks!

[waterbear]

Hi! I just registered today and this is my first post. I tried to find more in-depth info on my specific situation, but to no avail. I use a solar pool cover sunday night thru friday evening, whereupon I uncover my pool for weekend use. I run the filter from midnight to 6:00 am. Is this okay? I've done this for two weeks now and everything seems to be okay. What does everyone here recommend? I think I may want to run the filter during the day to distribute the heated surface water, but I don't think I need to worry about the UV rays dissipating my free Cl, since the cover blocks out UV.

What do you all think? Any info would be appreciated! Thanks!

I would uncover your pool for several hours during the day at least once more during the week or you run the risk of persistant combined chloramines forming that are very difficult to destroy. The UV light is needed to break these down, hence the daytime, and the pool needs to be uncovered to allow volatile disinfection byproducts to gas off.

I know this is not the info you are looking for but it is applicable to your situation.

[fsae0607]

OK, also I forgot to mention that I use non-chlorine shock every weekend (2 lb of it, my pool is ~16k gal), add di-chlor powder every week and tri-chlor tabslets in a floater. My free chlorine never drops below 2.0 ppm. I beleive this has kept my CC in check. Since I started using it my DPD kit is WAY off. Luckily I found out that Taylor makes the K1520 kit to neutralize the monopersulfate. My pool does not have that nasty chlorine smell, even after I had a nice pool party this past saturday.

Do you think the cover on during the day given my current situation will still allow CC's to form?

[waterbear]

OK, also I forgot to mention that I use non-chlorine shock every weekend (2 lb of it, my pool is ~16k gal), add di-chlor powder every week and tri-chlor tabslets in a floater. My free chlorine never drops below 2.0 ppm. I beleive this has kept my CC in check. Since I started using it my DPD kit is WAY off. Luckily I found out that Taylor makes the K1520 kit to neutralize the monopersulfate. My pool does not have that nasty chlorine smell, even after I had a nice pool party this past saturday.

Do you think the cover on during the day given my current situation will still allow CC's to form?

Yes but you can keep it in control for a while. If you start getting persistent CC then you need to expose the pool more.

What is more important is that you are using trichlor and shocking with dichlor which will quickly lead to overstabilization. What is your CYA? For every 10 ppm of chlorine added by dichlor you are also adding 9 ppm of CYA!

[fsae0607]

I'm not shocking with the di-chlor, just adding enough to bring the ppm's up to about 4 or 5.

Based on your advice, I'm going to cover it from tuesday thru thursday.

I'll change the timer to run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Thanks!

[waterbear]

I'm not shocking with the di-chlor, just adding enough to bring the ppm's up to about 4 or 5.

You would be better off using an unstabilized chlorine source for that, particularly if you have a cartridge or bump type de filter.

Based on your advice, I'm going to cover it from tuesday thru thursday.

It would probably be better to have two shorter uncovered periods during the week instead of one longer one. Perhaps the weekend and then agian on Wednedays.

I'll change the timer to run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Thanks!