There's something under there!!

[JayDee]

Had a new liner installed a while back and just recently discovered something in the shallow end under the liner floor that is sharp. In my mind's eye, it is a triangular pebble or concrete chip and it is oriented "point-up". It is perhaps 1/4-3/8" in size.

Sigh... I do not want it to puncture the liner and I want to get the object out. Right now, all I can think of is to duct tape a 10-foot length of sturdy 1/2" tube to my shop-vac, drain the pool down, snake that 1/2" tube towards the object and try to vacuum it out.

But before I do that, I thought it worth a shot to see if anyone else might have a better suggestion, technique, hint, tip, trick that might be better than *draining the pool down* to get at the object.

Ideas?

 

[duraleigh]

Do you have any extra liner scraps?

If so, consider cutting a hard rubber circle maybe 2-3" in diameter (1/4" thick) with a hole in the middle for the sharp object to hide in.

Then, use the extra liner to form a "patch" to cover the whole thing and glue it down with underwater adhesive.

Or, simply cut the liner, remove the object and patch the liner using the same adhesive and scrap as in above.

I don't quite understand your idea above. If you're thinking you can get under the liner somehow, I don't think you can.

 

[JayDee]

I thought about cutting it out, but it's a brand new liner and I'd *really* hate to poke a hole in it if I don't have to.

I can get under the liner if I drain the pool down to the shallow-end floor (where the object is), pull a couple inches of liner out of the coping/track nearest the object, then ease that tubing down behind the liner and try to maneuver it towards the object. I was just hoping there was another trick that wouldn't require draining the pool down. But if I have to drain it, then I have to drain it.

 

[waste]

What's the bottom made of, hopefully Vermiculite? Who installed the liner? (if you had a pool company install the liner, getting the 'rock' out is on them 100%)

You can certainly drain the pool down past the 'break' and crawl under it... but it sucks to do! (If you go that route, I'll give you a couple tips on going under the liner, also - you'll need to use vacuums to reset the liner when you refill the pool)

 

[JayDee]

The bottom looked like concrete to me...

I think I can get under the liner without completely draining the shallow end. I only need to go about two feet from the wall once I get to the floor level. The spot where I intend to insert is the very same spot where the vac was taped down to "set" the liner.

Thinking about this further, I expect that 1/2" tubing (like aquarium tubing) will just collapse flat. So I might use 1/2" pvc bent 90 deg with all edges sanded smooth and rounded off. Slip the "L" shape (flat against the wall) down behind the liner until I get to the floor, then swivel the floor section of the "L" around & across the floor until I can reach the object. If I measure & bend the PVC right, it should reach right to the object. If I encounter any significant resistance, I'll just have to keep dropping the water level until I can get it done.

Sucks. But it has to be done. Else, I'm afraid there will be a hole in the liner before long.