Does opening a pool earlier help prevent algae outbreaks?

[Yunae Kang]

I’ve heard some pool owners say that opening the pool earlier in spring can help prevent algae growth because the water temperature is still relatively low.
Has anyone noticed a difference in algae prevention when opening the pool earlier compared to waiting until the weather becomes warmer?

 

[Barbara Jones]

Yes, getting alkalinity in line first often makes pH a lot easier to control because TA is the buffer that keeps pH from bouncing around. If TA is too low, pH swings fast with aeration/returns and small changes; if TA is too high, pH tends to creep up and you end up constantly pushing it back down. I usually bring TA into a reasonable range first, then fine-tune pH, and I re-test after a few hours of circulation so I’m not chasing numbers that haven’t settled yet.