21ft SW pool build - first time pool owner shooting to stay around $2K equipment cost

[airforcematt]

Hey Guys!

Been doing a ton of research and almost ready to pull the trigger on the following setup. Looking for feedback from you guys. Shooting to keep my equipment costs (Other than the materials to prep the site) under $2K

21 Foot Lomart Verona pool - $1,070
GLI Expandable Pool Liner (Going to dig out about a 6ft wide "deep end" in the middle of the pool down to about 6ft) - $185
Intex Krystal Clear 2150 GPH Sand Filter Pump/Saltwater System - $306
Pool Cove - $57
Wall Foam - $84
Solar Cover - $86
Winter Pool Cover - $33
Last but not least TF-100 test kit - $70

Total cost so far = $1,891

Items I still need
1. Pool ladder
2. Chemicals
3. Sand/Footers
4. Pool vacuum
5. Foam (insulation?) for bottom of pool

Have a line on getting both the ladder and vacuum locally for about $100 total, we'll see if that falls through.

Any thoughts on the costs that I have thus far? Am I overpaying for anything? Forgetting anything critical?

Main concern that I have right now is the Intex filter/SWG - based on my math it should be enough for the pool but I'd love to hear feedback from you guys that have been doing this for far longer than I have.

Location where I'm going to be putting the pool had a pool on it before but it's been a couple years so I have some leveling and weed killing to do beforehand, plus digging out the "deep end". Photo below is what I'm currently dealing with.

 

[kellyfair]

I have that same pump and saltwater system - love it!

 

[CJadamec]

Welcome to TFP!

For that sized pool that pump, filter, and SWG are way too small. You need to be looking into a proper pool pump and SWG not the Intex versions.

You should be looking at a 19 inch sand filter and a 3/4 or 1hp 2-speed pump.

The circupool SWG's are good a good value. You should get a SWG rated for 20-30k gallons to keep your run time low and prolong the time before you need to replace the cell.

 

[airforcematt]

Welcome to TFP!

For that sized pool that pump, filter, and SWG are way too small. You need to be looking into a proper pool pump and SWG not the Intex versions.

You should be looking at a 19 inch sand filter and a 3/4 or 1hp 2-speed pump.

The circupool SWG's are good a good value. You should get a SWG rated for 20-30k gallons to keep your run time low and prolong the time before you need to replace the cell.

This was the answer that I was both expecting to get and simultaneously hoping I wouldn't get, lol. The low price of that combo filter/SWG was pretty appealing to me.

Back to the drawing board on the pump/filter/SWG side of the house!

 

[CJadamec]

Yea the Intex equipment is only meant for the Intex pools and even most people find them far underperforming if they leave the pool up all year round.

You can always add SWG next year or in a few months. You should spend the money on a good energy efficient pump and large filter.

Foam under the pool gets expensive and a 2 inch bed of sand under the liner in an above ground pool is the traditional way to go. You will need between 3-4 yards of sand for the base and coving. Maybe more since you are digging deep. Hope you have a machine for all that digging.

A simple skimmer and hand vac kit for 50 bucks will get you going.

Concrete block from home Depot is about $1.70 each just a guess but you will need around 20.

Is there power to your pool area?

You will also need about 50 in plumbing to hook the pump and filter up.

 

[kellyfair]

Yeah, I totally missed the size of your pool, which is funny since it is right there in the title!

 

[airforcematt]

Pool equipment update time

Took a road trip to the middle of nowhere (dead end of a dirt road two hours away) to pick up some gear that I found on Facebook marketplace and I think I made out like a bandit!

I got all of the following for $400

- Two SD40 Pentair 19in sand filters (One is probably just good for parts)
- Hayward 1hp pump (single speed - may upgrade to a two speed before the dust settles)
- Aquabot Poolrover Jr vacuum
- A bunch of pipe and fittings
- Two hand skimmers with poles
- A rubbermaid bin/shed to store all the pool stuff in
- A bunch of random pool chemicals
- Last but certainly not least, a Aqua-Rite SWG with two T-cell-3's

Thus far the only testing that I've done is plugging in the pump and the SWG - both of which power on with no issues. We'll see how things go with the rest once I get things setup to where I can test them but everything looks like it is in pretty good shape considering it was used gear.

I know that T-Cell-3's are on the small side for my pool so I may put them up on ebay and see if I can sell them for enough to offset the cost of buying a new T-Cell-9.

In other news, I purchased the actual pool and it should be here sometime around the 1st of June, time to start digging out the deep end!