Pool is a Swamp

by Randi
(Tulsa Ok)

My husband and I just bought a home with a round in ground pool, neither one of us know much about pools and were hoping that we could fix it? The pool is about 5 feet deep and looks about as big around as one of those above ground pools. There is probably about 1 to 2 feet of water in the bottom which is dark green almost black, all kinds of debris, (concrete, leaves, dead frogs, trash, etc.) There are also large deep rust stains on the walls of the pool.

So basically my question is what is the best way to go about cleaning all of that? We would like to do the cleaning and repairs ourselves, you know like a little family project? If any one can help it would be much appreciated, thank you.

Hi Randi

I would have to think you are talking about a concrete in ground pool and not a vinyl lined one. Any time a vinyl liner pool gets this bad it is time for a new liner. When the pool is drained to allow for this much cleaning the liner will usually shrink and become unusable.

A concrete pool needs to be completely emptied and given an acid bath. To empty the pool you could start with renting a submersible pump and getting as much of the water out that way as possible. The rest will have to come out the hard way, with buckets and shovels. It can be a very messy job but the pool must be emptied before the cleaning can begin. You will want to clean as much of the dirt and grime out of the pool as possible before you do the acid wash.

You should probably ask the advice of several different local pool stores about the procedure and precautions for doing an acid wash in your area. Acid is a very strong chemical and you need to know exactly what you are doing before you begin. They could also recommend the proper amounts that you will need for your size pool.

A vinyl lined pool in this condition just needs a new liner. You shovel out all the crud, remove the liner, smooth out the base, and install a new liner.