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We've had our new 21' round in for a couple weeks now and love it. My pool installer insisted on bare topsoil rather than sand below the liner and I've felt a small stone or two on the bottom. My thought was to just leave it be and when the liner goes bad make it better at that time. also we still need to purchase a winter cover and learn how to close it down for the winter, any advise would be appreciated.
I've never heard of a vinyl pool not having sand beneath it. Are the stones that you feel smooth or sharp?
When my liner was replace several years back, there apparently were some stones of some type that ended up working their way up to below the vinyl. I don't recall that they were very big or sharp really, but Al (Poconos) made the recommendation that we throw a patch over them so that in the event that they did tear the liner, it wouldn't leak. So, we used a piece of leftover vinyl that he had and patched over it. Fast forward about 4 years. The patches are still holding but they are discolored and very noticeable now. For some reason, they are much darker now --- brownish. I'm assuming it is from the glue but don't know. At this point, I don't really care that they aren't pretty since I'll most likely replace my pool next year.
You might just keep an eye on it. Maybe they never will pop through especially if they are smooth. If it feels like it is rough or if it does pop through, it is pretty easy to put a patch on it. You'll likely have years before your liner "goes bad" so you may end up patching it long before then but maybe not.
Regarding how to close a pool, there is a sticky at the top of the Above Ground pool section of the forum explaining what is needed.
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OK, so i was talking with the wife and although the installer told me he preffered top soil below the liner my wife who was home while they installed it said they did put sand down. unfortunatly one of the two small stones i feel below the liner does feel kind of pointy.