Having to Drain

[jennpleez]

I *just* got my 16'x48' Ultra Frame Intex pool set up and ready for the next step - was planning to run the filter tonight. Came home from being gone a couple hours tonight to find that some neighborhood kids had unplugged and begun to drain the pool while we were gone. It sunk a few inches into the mud all around the pool - more so on the side near the drain plug. It was *perfect* - and would've been ready to swim tomorrow - now it's uneven and I have to drain, wait for the ground to dry, find a way to dig up the sunken legs and re-level them, refill, re-salt, 24 hr pump run, etc. ( Waaah!!

I mostly just wanted to cry on your shoulder cuz I knew you'd feel my pain. lol


If it was just a little off I would've left it, but you can actually see the difference in the frame - it's slightly torqued now. I don't guess there's anyone who can tell me it's ok to just leave it like that, is there? :?

BUT ~ soooo thankful I didn't have the filter/pump running when the pool drained!

 

[woodyp]

You need a mean dog.

 

[jennpleez]

ROFLOL @woodyp

 

[jennpleez]

Re: Having to Drain *update and pictures*

I decided that maybe I would like to seek advice after all. Would like your experienced opinions on whether I really have to drain or if I could get by with it as is.... (just in case there's a chance!)

torqued joint (across pool)

difference in water level where it's sunken deeper
(the pool had actually drained below the outflow valve, but DH had started refilling before we decided to drain)

 

[BadOleRoss]

I am not familiar with that type of pool but I do know after all of that work I could not live with the pool being un-level. I would drain, level and fill. A pool vacuum hose will make short work of the draining.

 

[supertune]

When we did our 15X48 for the first time it was 3 blue squares off from level with the waterline.
Didn't have any problems, just maybe a little with the bigger kids doing cannon balls and whirlpool and sloshing out water.

Chuck

 

[crookm11]

Sorry to hear about your pool.
Do you have any pics of the ground at the unlevel section of the pool?
Did you put any sort of paver or wood under the legs?
The unlevelness is easy to fix without draining. I fine tuned the level on my pool and also helped my neighbor level there pool after it was filled with no problems. Their pool was off by 5".

What you want to do is jack up each leg and stick a paver or wood under the foot of the leg. First you need to make a brace for the leg. To do this you need to take 2x4 and pound it in to the ground about 1 foot deep and about 6 to 8 inches away from the leg. Next get another 2x4 cut to length between the pool leg and the 2x4 you just put in to the ground. You need this because as soon as the pool leg is off the ground the presure from the pool wall will push the leg out. Now get a floor jack and another 2x4 cut to length from the bottom of the cross section of the "T" post at the top of the leg to the floor jack. Jack up the pool until the leg is at the height you need it and just put the paver or wood under the leg. Do the above for each leg. You may need to do thid a few times on each leg to get everything level.

I will post a pic shortly to explain further.

 

[jennpleez]

Thanks - I'll watch for the pics!

No, we didn't put any pavers. Should have I guess. :-//


Here's pics of the most sunken side:

 

[jennpleez]

@Ross - not sure how to use the pool vac hose to drain. That would be awesome tho! Is there somewhere on the forum you know of that has instructions for setting that up?

@Chuck - it's the bigger boys and their play that has me worried the most! lol

 

[crookm11]

Thanks - I'll watch for the pics!

No, we didn't put any pavers. Should have I guess. :-//


Here's pics of the most sunken side:

YES!! Even though the instructions don't mention anything about pavers under the legs, it is highly recommended you do so. It provides a wider solid bace for the legs.

I will have the pic drawn out this evening to help explain the leveling process.

 

[Nina Li]

Yep..I watched the set-up video to put up my pool and they never mentioned putting anything under the legs..so far everything has been holding up fine..but one leg is slightly lower than the rest of them. I didn't notice it while I was filling it up. Maybe the pool settled that way. Seems to be fine though. All in all I think my pool is about 1 - 1.5 inches off. About those kids, I can feel your pain about starting over again especially when it was level and ready for some fun. You can have it up again in no time if it's really that bad - then you can post those great pics when it's done!