I don't want to have to rent or purchase a electric pump to pump the water out of my pool so are there other ways to get the water out besides the obvious (a bucket and alot of people). I am really tight on money so purchasing a device to do the work isn't a real option but I really need to drain the pool without damaging it.
On the off chance that you have a close area that is down hill from the bottom of the pool you could siphon it. Not a likely situation though. Siphoning is using a small hose, garden hose will probably be too big and sucking on the end of the hose to draw water though it. Once it starts flowing if the end is downhill from the bottom of the pool it will drain the pool all on its own.
You can do a back wash, which will drain it.
Hey, your idea about buckets and a bunch of friends sounds like fun. Have a pool draining party! Get a case or two of beer, grill some hamburgers. Then everyone in the pool and have fun. Of course tell them to bring their own buckets.
I have what is called a sump pump that I drain my pool with it works great. Ask a friend or relative if they might have an old one laying around. The sump pumps are generally used for pumping water out of basements when they flood but they work great in pools. I have 2, if you were near I would give you one
A garden hose will do it. Just make sure that the hose runs down hill at some point to siphon the water out. Make sure that one end is in the pool and one end is at a lower spot, street,yard ,drain wherever. Then suck on that end like a straw. It will work if you got the suction. Once the water starts to drain, it will continue draining until the pool is empty..Make sure your hose is long enough to reach the bottom of the pool once you get the siphoning to start. Also make sure the water has somewhere to go..A pool holds alot of water and could flood someones yard our house easily.
