So when the cover is on during the fall and winter.. and adding just a floater filled with baking soda only is good enough? Do I not need anything during the winter like chlorine tabs to prevent algae growth? As during the winter, even on some days there is always 2-3 days when it gets a little warm or hot. I am curious if a winterizing kit is necessary then.

Would the baking soda in the dispenser get hardened by the water?

Yes, a floater filled with baking soda is good enough. You don't need anything else during the winter, especially not chlorine tabs. As I explained in my post, chlorine tabs are not the same chemical as granulated chlorine, and will cause algae problems if used extensively. It may seem to work fine for a while, but sooner or later you will have green or cloudy water if using only chlorine tabs.

Chlorine tabs contain trichloroisocyanuric acid, which reduces the breakdown of chlorine by the sun, but also reduces the disinfecting action (algae killing) of chlorine with repeated use. It will also take more chlorine and much longer in the spring to get your water to become clear.

Calcium hypochlorite, which is what most granulated chlorine is made of, does not have this problem.

The baking soda in the dispenser will slowly dissolve into the pool water. If you live where frost is not an issue, you can leave the floater all winter long. If water were to freeze, it could crack the floater.

No winterizing kit then is necesasary? What about putting a dispenser filled with granulated calcium hypochlorite and another dispenser filled with Baking soda? Would that work for the winter?

In essence balance the entire pool and clean before closing and add the above?

Yes. Balance the pH and clear the leaves and debris, then add the baking soda dispenser. No need for chlorination during the winter. The shock treatment in the spring will take care of the algae and bacteria. It's what me and three of my uncles have been doing since forever and we always have crystal clear water all summer. Good luck and enjoy your pool next season!

I have been involved in the swimming pool industry for just over 20 years in Canada. I've heard about the baking soda and have a few customers that have used this method but I'm skeptical at best.

Baking soda has zero effect on algae in terms of killing or preventing it. It does raise pH, which if pushed high enough will make the water uncomfortable for algae growth. Most algae will grow in a pH range of 7 to 9 so if you get your pH up in the 8+ range you will certainly see less and less algae.

But I'm certainly not a fan of high pH. It prevents salt systems from working properly and severely screws up the ability of chlorine to neutralize organic wastes and kill bacteria.

And while we sell winterizing kits, I actually don't think they are needed either. The biggest trick is water temperature. Once you pool water gets below 60F algae growth falls to almost zero. So if you wait to close your pool until the water gets cold enough, you just need to give your pool a final shock (to kill anything left alive in the water plus neutralize organic wastes) and maybe add a sequestering agent if you have particularly high metal concentrations or very hard water.

The second half of this is to make sure you open your pool early in the spring. Since algae will start back up as the water gets warmer, don't wait until your pool has been sitting at 70F for a couple of weeks to get things going, it will be too late (and green) by then.

About stabilized chlorine (dichlor's and trichlor's), stabilizer doesn't prevent the chlorine from working until the stabilizer lever in the water get's too high. If used properly (a LOT of folks use too much of the stabilized stuff) it's a great product.

All that being said, having been in the business for 20+ years I've seen so many different recipes on how to close your pool I could write a book. If it works for you, then no need to fix what's not broken.

I'm in the Northeast. For 20+ years it seems no matter what I did using a tarp or trampoline cover, I opened my inground pool to black, smelly water. Then this past year after cleaning and balancing the water, I threw in an Aquapill, then on November 1 and again on April 1, I added 2.5 gallons of liquid chlorine and Holy Crap! when I opened in the spring, the water was for the first time ever virtually clear. I've never had success with closing kits and I will repeat this new method until someone has an even better solution. Thanks.

Clorox winter pool ball - that's it! 24" round above ground pool and this is the first year I ever had clear water after the winter here in Pennsylvania. We also had a very mild winter so a lot more heat than usual and it STILL worked wonderfully! People can keep doing their complicated 20 part winterizing things but I will buy a $20 ball, throw it in and cover the pool then go have a cigar knowing my pool will be WAY better in the spring than with any of those other winterizing kit things (tried 3 different ones and always had green water and smell)