Solar pool blankets. Adjust filter time?

[Guest]

I'm new to pools.
Just bought a solar pool blanket.
Do I still run my filter for 8 hours a day or do I need to adjust the duration or the setting of the pump due to any sort of chemical build up under the blanket?

 

[Demps]

Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

 

[Pascoes_barber]

It'll be fine as is.

Pop a test strip in regularly (every couple of days) to assess while you're still getting used to things. Main things to keep in check are free chlorine and pH.

I know the 'conventional wisdom' is to run pumps near constantly (have heard completely outrageous suggestions like 'no less than 12 hours in summer!' repeated), but assuming this is your average small/medium sized residential pool and the pump/chlorinator has been sized appropriately 8 hours is *a lot*.

I just moved ours up from 2 hours a day (cold/no-swimming months) to 4.5, and that's with an energy saving/low-speed pump. By summer it'll be back up to 5.5 hours - but that has the water **sparkling**.

YMMV with tree coverage, leaves and other pollutants/phosphates.

 

[Guest]

It'll be fine as is.

Pop a test strip in regularly (every couple of days) to assess while you're still getting used to things. Main things to keep in check are free chlorine and pH.

I know the 'conventional wisdom' is to run pumps near constantly, but assuming this is your average small/medium sized residential pool and the pump/chlorinator has been sized appropriately 8 hours is *a lot*.

I just moved ours up from 2 hours a day (cold/no-swimming months) to 4.5, and that's with an energy saving/low-speed pump. By summer it'll be back up to 5.5 hours but that has the water sparkling.

YMMV with tree coverage and other pollutants/sulphates.

Thanks.
Very helpful information.
Much appreciated.

 

[Buttface]

The blanket will slow the loss of salt and chlorine due to evaporation, so you may need to turn your chlorinator down. Otherwise it wont effect to much. During winter I run my filter for 2hrs in the morning and arvo at the off peak shoulder times. During summer I add in a mid-arvo time because its good to swim and stir up the water while the filter is going. Like Pascoe's Barber said 8-12 hours in OTT. I am a little fanatical about my pool water and 4-6 hours should be plenty especially with a blanket.
Do you have a heat pump?

 

[Guest]

The blanket will slow the loss of salt and chlorine due to evaporation, so you may need to turn your chlorinator down. Otherwise it wont effect to much. During winter I run my filter for 2hrs in the morning and arvo at the off peak shoulder times. During summer I add in a mid-arvo time because its good to swim and stir up the water while the filter is going. Like Pascoe's Barber said 8-12 hours in OTT. I am a little fanatical about my pool water and 4-6 hours should be plenty especially with a blanket.
Do you have a heat pump?

No heat pump.
When you say turn it down I have a salt chlorinator that runs for 4 hours morning and afternoon at 25 on the screen. There are four green lights on the chlorine output indicator out of 8 .
What number should it be?
(This may be a dumb question, remember I'm new)

 

[Buttface]

No dumb questions mate, just ones you don't know the answers to, like who should be our next coach🙂.
joke aside, I have mine running at 3/8 green lights, I adjusted it after testings and I now know where it needs to be. Before I got the Blanket it was at 5/8 green lights in the summer and 4/8 in the winter. My general rule of thumb is to try to get the pool running on the lowest settings, running time, etc, and therefore cost. My Minister for Finance & Fashion does not like spending money.
Also you need to clean your filter cartridge regularly, I do mine every 2 or 3 vacuums, which is at least once a week in the summer and I have no trees.
The best thing I have added to my pool is the magnesium, Minister for F & F loves it, says it conditions her hair, and she will tell any other women that walks past about it.

 

[Guest]

No dumb questions mate, just ones you don't know the answers to, like who should be our next coach🙂.
joke aside, I have mine running at 3/8 green lights, I adjusted it after testings and I now know where it needs to be. Before I got the Blanket it was at 5/8 green lights in the summer and 4/8 in the winter. My general rule of thumb is to try to get the pool running on the lowest settings, running time, etc, and therefore cost. My Minister for Finance & Fashion does not like spending money.
Also you need to clean your filter cartridge regularly, I do mine every 2 or 3 vacuums, which is at least once a week in the summer and I have no trees.
The best thing I have added to my pool is the magnesium, Minister for F & F loves it, says it conditions her hair, and she will tell any other women that walks past about it.

Thanks.
More good info. for a beginner like me.
The knowledge on this forum..........you'd think we'd all support a successful club.

 

[Buttface]

As much as I do not agree with the way some on here articulate themselves, I can see we are all this way due to passion for our club. I did chuckle at your last sentence it was well articulated.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Stick to bears, beets and Battlestar Galactica @Dwight-Schrute

 

[Buttface]

No get into ya pool become a water fanatic. Relaxing in the pool might get Dwight over this coach thing, CB?
It certainly helps me.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

No get into ya pool become a water fanatic. Relaxing in the pool might get Dwight over this coach thing, CB?
It certainly helps me.

Haha the area I live in mate only 4 homes have pools here.

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

pools are pretty easy to maintain once you get the hang of it, make sure you keep on top of it (especially chemistry). do the hard yards now, then soak and enjoy a cold beer. @Dwight-Schrute

 

[happy_tiger]

Probably the three most important things about pools ..is getting the pH right .......making sure you bleed the pump to keep air bubbles out of the lines ...and keeping your pool as clean as possible

If you have any problems pool pump wise let me know .......my old man's a fitter and turner and does all the insurance work for Davey pumps as well as all the pool mobs in Western Brisbane /Ipswich .....for a bit longer