How to retrieve broken glass from pool

[groovy3130]

I have an inground pool with a portable light post on the side. But the last big storm we had knocked the light post and broke a couple of light panels (two 2"x4/5"). I assume they were in the pool because I found some broken pieces in the shallow part of the pool. If indeed they were in there (because I did not see any broken piece on the ground), I was able to retrieve only a quarter of them. I just brushed (blindly) the shallow part where I suspected they would be and gathered them in one spot. That's how I was able to collect some of them. The problem is you cannot even see the broken piece no matter how clear the water is. I did not even feel it when I was working (blindly) with he brush. Some may have been gone to the deeper part of the pool. What is the best way to retrieve the broken glasses? Thanks for any suggestion.


P.S.
I thought of manually vacuuming but was afraid it might clog the line as it happened before when the vacuum sucked in some small kid's toys they used for diving.

[AnnaK]

That sounds like a truly nasty situation. Here's a link to a situation Ben posted in his blog: http://thepoolforum.blogspot.com/201...this-with.html -- they drained the pool to remove the broken glass.

[Watermom]

Is this a vinyl or gunite or fiberglass pool? What if you shine a flashlight down into the water at night. Do you think that would help you make sure you find all the pieces? If so, that way you could pick up the bigger pieces and then just use the vacuum to pick up the rest and it shouldn't clog up the line.

Welcome to the Pool Forum, by the way!

[PoolDoc]

In general, it's very difficult to reliably remove 100% of the broken glass from a filled pool. The rougher and more pitted the pool surface, the more likely it becomes you'll leave some glass behind . . . and that it will get embedded at someone's foot.

Of course, you don't have the legal risk in a home pool that you do in the country club pool I drained -- provided only family swims in the pool. But a $200 + 4 hours doctor or E-room visit, to probe for and remove a small glass shard is still something to consider.

If you have a pool that can be safely drained, and if your water costs are not too terribly high . . . I'd recommend doing what I did -- draining to expose the shallow end, removing all the glass you can, and then washing anything that's left into the deep end with a hose and nozzle.

With a fiberglass pool, IF the surface is in good condition, I'd do like Watermom suggested, and then carefully and repeatedly brush into the deep end.

With inground vinyl, it's tough call. Draining is hard; getting all the glass out may be hard.

What sort of pool do you have?

[groovy3130]

@Watermom
I have a vinyl pool.