Stopped in at my local pool store yesterday and received the following advice. "Bleach will damage your VL, you shouldn't use it" Is this true?
Vinyl Liner and Bleach
- Thread starter amelito
- Start date
No. In fact, you are much more likely to damage your liner using other Pool Store chlorine products inappropriately followed by improper maintenance/water balance.
I believe any kind of chlorine that stays in contact with the liner (e.g. powder sitting on the bottom) is not good. If you pour the bleach slowly in front of a return jet with the pump on, it will quickly disperse to the point of being harmless.
--paulr
--paulr
That's a good point Paul, I should have elaborated.
For example, if one were to take a bag of dichlor shock or cal-hypo and "broadcast" it over the pool (common instructions) the granular chlorine could settle on the liner, causing damage. Use of trichlor and dichlor products lower PH and if the PH is routinely too low over long periods the liner can become brittle.
Using bleach is perfectly safe, just pour it slowly in front of the return.
One should not add bleach or any other chemical without the pump running or some form of circulation to prevent "puddling" on the bottom.
For example, if one were to take a bag of dichlor shock or cal-hypo and "broadcast" it over the pool (common instructions) the granular chlorine could settle on the liner, causing damage. Use of trichlor and dichlor products lower PH and if the PH is routinely too low over long periods the liner can become brittle.
Using bleach is perfectly safe, just pour it slowly in front of the return.
One should not add bleach or any other chemical without the pump running or some form of circulation to prevent "puddling" on the bottom.
Also, try *accidently* dropping a puck onto a vinyl liner. 
You'll end up with a nice big white bleached out spot if you don't get it very quickly! Talk about ruining a beautiful liner!!!
You'll end up with a nice big white bleached out spot if you don't get it very quickly! Talk about ruining a beautiful liner!!!
Casey said:Also, try *accidently* dropping a puck onto a vinyl liner.
You'll end up with a nice big white bleached out spot if you don't get it very quickly! Talk about ruining a beautiful liner!!!
Casey...happened to me last summer sister in law was taking care of pool for me...I had this cheap plastic floater with a frog on top for a handle...she grabbed to frog to put another puck in and the lid broke off and the floater tipped and part of a puck maybe 1/8 of it fell on the pool. I always tell people the only thing that ever damaged the liner of my pool was something the pool stealer told me to put in my pool. Since then BBB all the way all the time.
Anything done in moderation is okay. To stay on the safe side, always check with the manufacturer of your product.
- Apr 26, 2009
- 419
This lady's/friends pool I'm taking care of has "stripes" on the vinyl and almost completely white vinyl in the deep end.
I guess her husband was just throwing the shock in instead of mix/pour...
I guess her husband was just throwing the shock in instead of mix/pour...
Aidan Weisz said:
Um, I'd disagree. To say "Anything done in moderation is okay" is oversimplifying to the point of being wrong. For example, NEVER put Muratic acid in to the skimmer.
It's oversimplifying things that gets novice pool owners in trouble with their pool chems. "A little Dichlor won't hurt" without testing their CYA level first, or "just throw in some algaecide" which could lead to copper staining, or from one pool owner to a pool owner noob, who is experiencing a green swamp after their first opening..." oh, just throw in some bags of shock, then floc it, then use clarifier. That's what I always do." 
And, some of the manufacturers actually have literature that says up to 200PPM of CYA is acceptable.
HA!....sorry I'm not trying to pick a fight, but I just can't agree with your statement.
Anyway, Welcome to TFP.
