Pool covers are a great way to keep debris and leaves out of your pool, reduce overall pool maintenance, and even help heat the water. But does a solar pool cover cause algae growth? The answer is no, but it can accelerate the growth of existing algae if the other conditions are right. A solar pool cover won't actually “make your pool green”, but it can heat the water up to 8 degrees. This means that if the other conditions are right, adding a solar cover can easily accelerate algae growth, very quickly.
To prevent this from happening, you need to achieve water balance in your pool just before you put the cover back on. In addition to providing these purposes, a solar pool cover can also help keep the pool water warm and reduce evaporation. However, when you heat the water, it could increase the development of algae that are already in the pool. Algae bloom occurs under the right conditions, especially when organisms have enough food to eat. To prevent this problem from happening, we recommend that you use a retractable pool cover.
This way, you can prevent dirt, dead insects, twigs and even bird droppings from contaminating the water. It's still winter and you may not be swimming as much as in summer, so you may even have closed the pool for winter. But be careful with your pool cover. Make sure it's safe and provides tight coverage. The longer you leave it on, the greater the risk of it coming loose and falling into the pool.
When it falls into the pool, the risk of debris entering the pool and creating an algae bloom increases. Interestingly, we had a power outage for just over 24 hours last summer and I had the pool cover on. My wife and I wanted to swim in the late afternoon, so I rolled up the deck and we went in. The temperature of the water in the upper part of the foot was much higher than that of the water below by at least 10ºF. Of course, the pool pump hadn't been working, so the water had not been disturbed, so this was so noticeable. The normal thickness range of a solar cover ranges from 8 mils to 16 mils.
Sun2Solar Rectangular covers come in sizes from 10ft x 16ft to 30ft x 60ft; Sun2Solar Round covers come in sizes from 12ft to 33ft Diameter; and Sun2Solar Oval covers come in sizes from 10ft x 15ft to 21ft x 41ft. You can take steps to protect your pool against algae spores that could have entered the pool waters. Excess water poses the risk of the cover falling into the pool or creating the perfect environment for certain organisms to thrive. If you're worried if it's safe to run a pool pump when the cover is on, then rest assured that everything is safe. A pool vacuum hose should be long enough to reach the far corner of the pool from the skimmer or vacuum port, in addition to taking into account its depth at that point. But there is some good news; there are a number of things you can do to prevent algae growth when you use a solar pool cover. Cleaning a pool isn't an exact science, but you'll need some essential pool cleaning equipment to keep it properly and keep it clean. If money is not an issue and you keep your pool heated all winter long in such cold weather and swim in it, then it may be worth using a sun cover also in winter.
If it is urgent to close the pool without its water being clear and balanced, and its surface is impeccably clean, then understand that this happens sometimes. In hot summer months, as many of us know, algae can take over a pool more quickly and effectively than a runaway teenage pool party. Leaves and debris could become too heavy for the sun cover and begin to tear it or even cause it to sink into the pool. However, you can use safety covers that do not have heat transfer capability to protect your entire pool surface. On one hand, if you keep your cover clean during times when your pool is closed or simply not in use, opening it again next season will be much less of a hassle. As a pool owner, always keep an eye on your sun deck and keep it clean and free of debris and leaves. Also, if water starts to accumulate on its surface, use a deck pump and perhaps also a collection net to drain its surface. Even if you're not using your pool regularly, its chemistry could be altered by rainwater runoff water, insects, vegetation or any other contaminants that might find their way into it.
