Cleaning broken glass from the pool

[mhargus]

Well, as the weather warms up here it north Texas, I feel I can avoid my issue no longer. A couple of months ago we had some windy weather that picked up a tempered glass-top patio table and slammed it into the pool deck. A good bit of the shattered glass then blew into the pool.

Yes, I was very excited about the whole thing.

Here are the options I've come up with after consulting several of the pool servicing companies in the area:

1. Drain the pool, sweep up the glass, refill the pool.
2. Get the majority of the glass out with a leaf net, vacuum til the cows come home, and let the filters pick up the rest.

Any thoughts? I have an inground gunite pool, and have been cautioned against draining it due to the potential to compromise the integrity of the pool walls. Also, I'm a new pool owner (since July 2007) and have no idea how I would go about draining and refilling the pool.

I await your sage advice.

Matt

 

[JohnT]

My first thought is to go after it at night. The pool light will probably really make the glass show up. If that doesn't work, an LED flashlight in a ziploc bag might do the trick.

I'd be a little concerned about just crumbling the grass by going after it with the leaf net, but maybe you could go after the big stuff by hand, then the leaf net, then the vacuum.

Post what works, because you aren't the first to deal with this, and I've never heard a good solution.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

sorry about your trouble... the bright side to this is that you have a gunite pool, and not vinyl!!!

Welcome to TFP!

 

[Hotrod30]

How big is your pool and what kind of filter do you have?

Also, how clear is your water and how clean is the bottom of the pool?

 

[mhargus]

How big is your pool and what kind of filter do you have?

Also, how clear is your water and how clean is the bottom of the pool?

My pool is 35 x 15 and about 5ft at it's deepest (about 18,000 gallons by my expert calculations). I believe it was called a play pool when we were looking to buy the house.

I have a cartridge filter, and the pool is clean but for a light dusting of dirt in some spots.

 

[mhargus]

My first thought is to go after it at night. The pool light will probably really make the glass show up. If that doesn't work, an LED flashlight in a ziploc bag might do the trick.

I'd be a little concerned about just crumbling the grass by going after it with the leaf net, but maybe you could go after the big stuff by hand, then the leaf net, then the vacuum.

Post what works, because you aren't the first to deal with this, and I've never heard a good solution.

Actually, that's exactly what I was doing. Turning on the light at night makes it pretty easy to spot the pieces. Thankfully, the table top was tempered glass, and nearly all of the pieces are around 1/2 inch cubes.

I'll definitely let you all know what the successful solution turns out to be.

Matt

 

[Hotrod30]

My advice.....................

First get acouple of packages of these. Either local or mailorder.

http://www.skimmersocks.com/



Now plan a day when you can spend most of it at your pool. Leave the dirt on the bottom for now; as you will need it later.
On the day that you can spend at the pool; clean the filter first. Then start vacuuming the pool slowly, using the sock on your skimmer basket.(protecting the pump) Use the dirt on the bottom of the pool as a guide as to where you vacuumed. Go slowly and over and over the same spot before moving on to the next area. Do an area and then check the sock; the more glass you find in the sock, do the area over again.

At times it will get boring; but you must stick to it, slowly. This is cheaper and less time consuming than draining, cleaning and refilling.

I believe you will have less trouble than if it was regular glass. But remember; vacuum slowly.


Good luck.

 

[TresW]

Then when you think you've got it all done, put a mask on and go snorkeling for the rest

I'm in Forney and I bet it was that ferocious wind storm we had a few weeks ago, eh? I had the kids' playset disassembled for our pool installation and I had not put it back together yet when that hit. The fort part of the swingset blew over and I could scarcely believe it because that thing is HEAVY. It broke several boards and racked it. What a pain-in-the-neck it was to straighten it back out again!

 

[kirbinster]

What about just running something like a Dolphin or Blue Pearl for several days to vaccum it all up?

 

[mhargus]

Then when you think you've got it all done, put a mask on and go snorkeling for the rest

I'm in Forney and I bet it was that ferocious wind storm we had a few weeks ago, eh? I had the kids' playset disassembled for our pool installation and I had not put it back together yet when that hit. The fort part of the swingset blew over and I could scarcely believe it because that thing is HEAVY. It broke several boards and racked it. What a pain-in-the-neck it was to straighten it back out again!

That was the one! And then we had snow...twice in one week! I'm starting to wonder if these are signs of the end of all things

I was looking for a good excuse to rent some SCUBA gear and go tooling around the pool...

Matt

 

[Hotrod30]

What about just running something like a Dolphin or Blue Pearl for several days to vaccum it all up?

Since it is a gunite pool, there is not to much to worry about damaging the pool.(like vinyl) I would still hand vacuum first to get the most glass out that I could. Just remember to protect the pump from the broken glass. Then you could run a pool cleaner for awhile to get anything that you missed. IMHO

 

[mhargus]

My advice.....................

First get acouple of packages of these. Either local or mailorder.

http://www.skimmersocks.com/



Now plan a day when you can spend most of it at your pool. Leave the dirt on the bottom for now; as you will need it later.
On the day that you can spend at the pool; clean the filter first. Then start vacuuming the pool slowly, using the sock on your skimmer basket.(protecting the pump) Use the dirt on the bottom of the pool as a guide as to where you vacuumed. Go slowly and over and over the same spot before moving on to the next area. Do an area and then check the sock; the more glass you find in the sock, do the area over again.

At times it will get boring; but you must stick to it, slowly. This is cheaper and less time consuming than draining, cleaning and refilling.

I believe you will have less trouble than if it was regular glass. But remember; vacuum slowly.


Good luck.

Thanks for the info Hotrod. I don't believe the skimmer socks would work for me, as my vacuum is a dedicated line. I think the concept would still work though. If I just put a filter of some sort (I've got a tight mesh bag that might work) between 2 of the vacuum hose sections, it should achieve the same results.

Matt

 

[mhargus]

What about just running something like a Dolphin or Blue Pearl for several days to vaccum it all up?

You must have read my mind! I just ordered a Blue Pearl yesterday to replace the aging suction-powered unit I inherited when we bought the house last year. I'm hoping that the filter in the Blue Pearl will do a good job at grabbing any small fragments that may remain.

I'll proceed by hand vacuuming everything I can see, and then letting the Blue Pearl loose on it for a few days.

Anyone want to volunteer to walk around barefoot in the pool to test out the results?

 

[257WbyMag]

Matt,

I also have a dedicated cleaner line. However, my cleaner (Baracuda G3) did come with the equipment to connect the cleaner to the skimmer basket where you would put the skimmer sock as many people don't have the dedicated line. What cleaner do you have? Do you have those parts for your vacuum?

Craig

 

[mhargus]

Matt,

I also have a dedicated cleaner line. However, my cleaner (Baracuda G3) did come with the equipment to connect the cleaner to the skimmer basket where you would put the skimmer sock as many people don't have the dedicated line. What cleaner do you have? Do you have those parts for your vacuum?

Craig

I don't believe I was fortunate enough to have those parts included by the previous owners. The only attachment I have is to regulate suction through the skimmer basket port.

Matt

 

[257WbyMag]

Matt,

I also have a dedicated cleaner line. However, my cleaner (Baracuda G3) did come with the equipment to connect the cleaner to the skimmer basket where you would put the skimmer sock as many people don't have the dedicated line. What cleaner do you have? Do you have those parts for your vacuum?

Craig

I don't believe I was fortunate enough to have those parts included by the previous owners. The only attachment I have is to regulate suction through the skimmer basket port.

Matt

Matt,

We live close. Check your private message inbox. I may be able to help you.

Craig

 

[mhargus]

Matt,

I also have a dedicated cleaner line. However, my cleaner (Baracuda G3) did come with the equipment to connect the cleaner to the skimmer basket where you would put the skimmer sock as many people don't have the dedicated line. What cleaner do you have? Do you have those parts for your vacuum?

Craig

I don't believe I was fortunate enough to have those parts included by the previous owners. The only attachment I have is to regulate suction through the skimmer basket port.

Matt

Matt,

We live close. Check your private message inbox. I may be able to help you.

Craig

Thanks Craig. I checked it and replied.

Matt

 

[kirbinster]

What about just running something like a Dolphin or Blue Pearl for several days to vaccum it all up?

You must have read my mind! I just ordered a Blue Pearl yesterday to replace the aging suction-powered unit I inherited when we bought the house last year. I'm hoping that the filter in the Blue Pearl will do a good job at grabbing any small fragments that may remain.

I'll proceed by hand vacuuming everything I can see, and then letting the Blue Pearl loose on it for a few days.

Anyone want to volunteer to walk around barefoot in the pool to test out the results?

You will love the Pearl, I have had mine for about a year and it is great. I am shocked at what it tkaes out that the DE filter does not. Its a heck of a lot better than my old Polaris 380.

 

[mhargus]

Slowly but surely

Thanks to Craig loaning me a leaf filter attachment and a skimmer sock, I was able to make a first pass at getting the glass out of the pool.

I attached the filter to my vacuum hose and slowly went over the pool. Not only is my pool cleaner, but it has remarkably little glass in it I plan on going back over it again tonight, checking the skimmer sock for any additional shards I may pick up.

After the manual vacuum passes, I'll be letting my new Blue Pearl (hopefully arriving on Tuesday) loose to work its magic.

The saga continues...

 

[257WbyMag]

Re: Slowly but surely

Thanks to Craig loaning me a leaf filter attachment and a skimmer sock, I was able to make a first pass at getting the glass out of the pool.

I attached the filter to my vacuum hose and slowly went over the pool. Not only is my pool cleaner, but it has remarkably little glass in it I plan on going back over it again tonight, checking the skimmer sock for any additional shards I may pick up.

After the manual vacuum passes, I'll be letting my new Blue Pearl (hopefully arriving on Tuesday) loose to work its magic.

The saga continues...

You're welcome! :-D

Craig