Your Opening is Important

In New England, opening a pool correctly is super important because the winter weather can mess up your pool equipment and structure. If you don't take care of your pool early in the season, it can get all gross with algae and bacteria, making it unsafe to swim. Plus, opening your pool early means you get to use it for a longer time and get more bang for your buck. If you don't do it right, you could end up with a closed pool for way longer than you want, and nobody wants that. So, do yourself a favor and open your pool the right way for a summer full of fun and relaxation.

Removing a Safety Cover

1. Begin by taking all of the cover’s springs off of their brass anchors.
2. Fold the stair flap over the cover so it is flat.
3. Pull the 3rd strap over the 2nd and onto the 1st.
4. Repeat step 3 until the cover is fully off the pool.
5. Take the Gizzmo out of the skimmer or remove the skimmer plug. If your lines are blown out & capped, be sure to remove the wall plugs.
6. Store any Gizzmos or wall plugs into the cover.
7. Fold both edges of the cover into the middle and in half again after that.
8. Roll cover back and store somewhere safe, where the cover will not be damaged or eaten by small animals or pests.

Pool and System Preparation

1. Place a skimmer basket into the skimmer. 
2. Install return jets and safety suction grates if necessary.
3. Install the two plugs at the bottom of the pump housing. Install & tighten the drain plug on the filter tank. Apply Teflon tape to threads.
4. Re-install and tighten all ball valves and their handles. Also, tighten all unions. 
5. If you have an automatic chlorinator or a heater now is the time to hook it up.

For Sand Filters: Install the sight glass and pressure gauge on the vari-flow valve. Turn valve to filter. Re-attach the backwash hose. 

For Cartridge Filters: Install the pressure gauge and air release valve. Put clean cartridges inside the filter tank.

For DE Filters:

1. Fingers: Install the pressure gauge and turn the ball valve to off position. If needed, clean and reinstall fingers.
2. Grids: Install the pressure gauge and sight glass. Re-attach backwash hose. If needed, clean and re-install grids.

Starting Up your Pool

System Start

1. Make sure the water level is about halfway up the skimmer. Fill if necessary. 
2. Check the cover o-ring for cracks and lubricate with Magic Lube. Fill the pump with water using the garden hose or a bucket of water. 
3. Turn the power on and allow 3-5 minutes for the pump to prime.
4. (Sometimes the pump will not prime immediately. If needed, remove the cover and fill with water again. Return cover and repeat step 2.)

Chemicals

1. Once the pump is running, super chlorinate with liquid chlorine (shock) add Hardness Up (Calcium Hardness), Alkalinity Up, and an algaecide to water. Add Clarifier if necessary.
2. If the pool is green, run the pool nonstop until the water is clear. If the water is clear, run for a minimum of 8 hours. Test the water and adjust the chemicals accordingly.

Final Checks

1. Install the ladder and railings. Be sure to inspect the bumpers for damage before installing.
2. Remove leaves and vacuum the pool. If the pool is green and you haven’t seen an improvement after running the filter for 24/48 hours, please bring us a water sample for testing.