Ugggg...help with Intex Ultra 18' by 48"

[Pool doofus]

Hi everyone, username says it all.

I have one spot in my yard where I could put my pool due to septic field and slopage of the land. I tilled it to where I thought I was good and level. Then I brought in 2 tons of fill dirt, raked it to be free of rocks and leveled it. I then brought in two tons of sand and put it down. The slope is such that it sloped to the front and to the right. Thought I had it good and level and did but as the pool filled, the deepest part of the dirt and sand must have compacted more than the upper side.

As we began filling the pool I used 2x6 wooden blocks to keep the legs on the lower side from sinking in and as she stands now the FRAME is great. Nothing leaning, everything appears to be straight up. If you just looked at the frame, all would look good. My issue is that the low side has about 3-4" more water in it than the upper side. I pulled on and shook the frame and nothing's moving, it doesn't appear to want to shift downhill so the pool looks stable and appears to not want to collapse.

I didn't sleep a wink last night almost having panic attacks thinking that it might collapse and that I might wake up to 4" of water in the house!

Is this going to cause me a problem? I have a play set that I can move against the lower side of the frame to prevent total and utter collapse (my biggest fear) and sure the frame up.

If I drain it, I'm cutting it into pieces and throwing it away, so that is not an option. I plan to keep its water level just above the skimmer (skimmer is on the lower side) to keep water weight to a minimum. I've also warned the kids NOT to be doing the boogie board tidal waves.

 

[duraleigh]

3-4 inches is probably way too much out of level and the pool has a very good chance of slowly coming over.

General guideline is no more than an inch.

 

[Pool doofus]

Images..... not arguing here but provided the frame is standing up straight and not leaning, shouldn't I be okay (or better put can we just make it through this year's season and fix it next year).

I could get some 2x6" boards and use them to brace the pool's T bars to prevent any lateral movement of water from pushing it over.

The pool when full:

The high side of the pool (low water level side):

The low side of the pool (high water level side):

My choices at this point are:

1) Go with it as it is and pray it doesn't remodel my house or my neighbor's

2) Drain it, waste $150 of County water, get more dirt to try to re-level it

3) Tell the kids tough Crud and join the homeowner's association and let them swim in the neighborhood pool. Sell the pool at half price.


I'm over this already. I didn't sleep hardly at all for fear that thing was going to collapse---almost like living in the footprint of Krakatoa.

 

[Pool doofus]

Edited to add that I just measured it.

Low side 11 1/2" from the top of the horizontal rail.
High side 7 1/2" from the top of the horizontal rail.

4" out of level somehow.

 

[joshuaberman]

Re: Ugggg...help with Intex Ultra 18' by 48

For that size pool that's over 53,000 lbs of water. The manufacturer recommends it be within one inch of level. I don't think I personally would subject my child to that risk.

I'm new at this myself and in the middle of clearing and leveling my ground. It's no fun but it's extremely important and the first thing everyone here will tell you...level, level, level.

I would suck up the $150 water loss and level the ground properly and sleep better knowing it's correct. Also, it's always recommended to dig down to the lowest ground, not fill in.

Just my .02

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pool doofus]

I've decided to sell the pool to a friend at about 60% of the cost to me (on sale) and join the freaking HOA association.

I can't get the machinery into my yard to do the work (can't drive it over the septic lines which cover the portions of the back yard which aren't under the pool's footprint). I'm done with hauling tons of sand and dirt from my truck with a wheel barrow (4 tons was enough). My choices (due to various issues) is to build up or get rid of the pool. I'm making it into a garden now that I have the dirt and the sand.

I'm done....it will only cost me $200 to join the pool association which gives me fishing and tennis as well. Then I don't have to test daily and spend time cleaning, etc.

I'm over this....I was sold the pool on the 'it's easy to maintain' montre.

PLUS I just found out that I need a permit from the County AND an EPA site visit becuase of the septic field. More money and headache. Time to get it down before they get called by the none too friendly neighbors.

I'm going to let them swim tonight while my wife and I hold the frame for extra support and then drain it tonight (or start). The frame is actually very sturdy provided they aren't doing cannon balls into it. If I had the yard for it, I'd give it a second go, I just don't.