LA pools rarely close fully, but the seasonal reset still matters. Here is the eight-step opening sequence that prevents an algae bloom in week three.
Most LA homeowners never fully close their pool. What we call a spring opening here is really a deep reset — the moment to undo a winter of low runtime and slightly relaxed chemistry. Done right, it sets the pool up for a clean summer. Done wrong, you fight algae until July.
Step one — clear and clean
Before anything else, get the cover off (if any), skim, brush every surface aggressively, and vacuum to waste if you have any visible sediment. Starting clean is non-negotiable.
Step two — equipment inspection
Open the pump and filter, check seals and O-rings, inspect the impeller through the basket port, and prime the pump before you turn it on. Run for an hour and watch for leaks at unions.
Step three — full chemistry test
Do not just check free chlorine. Test free chlorine, total chlorine (the gap tells you if you have combined chloramines), pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid, and total dissolved solids if you can. The CYA test is the one most homeowners skip — it controls how much chlorine you actually need.
Step four — shock to break point
If combined chlorine is above 0.5 ppm, shock to ten times that level. Use cal-hypo unless you are running a salt cell, in which case use sodium hypochlorite (liquid). Run the pump 24 hours after.
Step five — adjust pH and alkalinity
Get total alkalinity into the 80–120 ppm window first. Adjust pH to 7.4–7.6 after. Doing it in the other order causes you to chase your own tail.
Step six — clean the salt cell
If you are on salt, pull the cell, inspect for calcium buildup, soak in a 1:4 muriatic-to-water acid bath until bubbling stops (usually two to ten minutes), rinse, reinstall. Skip this and you will replace a six-hundred-dollar cell two years before you needed to.
Step seven — set runtime up
Add at least two hours per day to your off-season runtime. Sun hits the pool harder, water heats up, organic load increases — runtime has to keep up.
Step eight — retest in 48 hours
Confirm everything held. If chlorine dropped fast, you probably have CYA too low (sun burning chlorine off) or organic load too high (more brushing and vacuuming needed). Adjust and move on.
