Wrinkles In AG Pool Liner

[CarlD]

Here's a cheap cure, since you only have a foot of water in it:
Buy a new toilet plunger--the simple red rubber kind. Push the air and water out so it sticks to the liner and try to pull the worst wrinkles out. It may not work, but it doesn't cost much!

BTW, you should put a little bleach in the water in the pool to keep it from growing new algae. With a foot of water you have about 2,000 gallons in the pool. Two quarts of 6% bleach will bring it to 15ppm--the maximum shock value you should use.

[Catherine_B]

I had read that about the plunger. I have a 'blue' one, do you think it will work as well as the red?? ;-)

I'll bet it will help, but I wonder about those big folds standing at attention.

I'll give that a try. And thanks for the suggestion about the bleach; I was going to do something as soon as I was finished splashing around in there on my hands and knees. I had one of those 6-way shock packs from Home Depot. Those wacky toads came back yesterday for a love-fest, I had eggs to skim out again today. I heard them out there again tonight, too, lured in by that fresh, untreated water.

[CarlD]

I have no idea what's in a 6-way shock pack from H-D or how much. That's the problem. But if you must use that instead of bleach, be sure to dissolve it completely in 5 gallon bucket of water first. In fact, dilute the bleach the same way so it distributes better. It's just much easier to get the right amount with bleach.

As for the plunger: unless it's a rubber one, and has the shape of the old-fashioned plungers, rather than the newer, more effective ones (like the black rubber ones), you run the risk of damaging the liner and it not working. The plastic ones are definitely no good. Remember: You want to create a suction on a flat surface and you don't want to damage that surface. Spend the $3-$5 on the rubber one.

Good luck!

[Catherine_B]

Great advice! I can return that shock pack, and the 'pretty blue' plunger IS plastic, not rubber. I'll pick up a red one today while I'm out.

*What about removing the 10" of water again and doing something to flatten out the bottom, is that feasible?

[CarlD]

Great advice! I can return that shock pack, and the 'pretty blue' plunger IS plastic, not rubber. I'll pick up a red one today while I'm out.

*What about removing the 10" of water again and doing something to flatten out the bottom, is that feasible?

I assume so, but you are hitting on the limits of my knowledge of this here. Try the plunger first.

[Catherine_B]

Hi Carl -

I am buying one at Walmart tomorrow along with bleach as you suggested and will try that. Those big folds standing up have me perplexed though.

I'll post back how it goes.

Thanks so much!

[Catherine_B]

I promised to follow up. I had some things come up so only just today got back to the pool. I emptied it all the way out but could not get the wrinkles out, even though the liner is pliable, it just didn't work, even though someone was helping by pulling it out from the wall to give me something to grab on. It was like the liner was too narrow. I did try the plunger, but the size of the liner seemed to have changed, so the wrinkles would not stay gone, they would just reappear or move sideways.

I had finally decided that by mid-June, it was best to live with it and move on. The wrinkles did improve, though, which was nice. I rented a 'trash pump' and filled it from the clean creek right next to the house rather than spend days gingerly filling it with well water and worrying about using too much.

Thank you to everyone who offered their kind help and time!