Aquasport 52 oval lifted once it was full of water

[Chapstick]

Hello. I'm having a problem with an aquasport 52 oval that I installed myself a couple weeks ago.

I had it set nearly perfect with my spinning laser but unfortunately I forgot to add the pressure plates and it lifted. I drained it and installed the plates and it lifted again anyway.

It hasn't moved any more after a couple weeks so I'm thinking it's where it wants to stay now.

The far ends are within 1/2" of each other but the straight runs are 3/4" higher than one side and 1-1/4" on the other side. The straight runs are exactly the same elevation to each other.

The pool is going to be semi inground and right now it hasn't been backfilled yet.

So should I drain it and check if it goes back and backfill as I fill the pool with water to try to keep it in place ?

I'm going to put a concrete cap on the coping so I can hide the discrepancy by shimming but I don't want to backfill and find I created a major problem later.

After doing some reading it sounds like these oval pools always have problems on installs but I can’t find a rule of thumb on how much fluctuation is to be expected or tolerable.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mknauss]

Sorry you have not received any responses.

Let's see if this bump can find some.

 

[phishwaves]

I Had a similar problem with the same pool but mine was due to clay dirt. I had to fill the pool over 5 days so it would settle correctly because of the clay. Once the pool was filled the middle section started to bow outward. I had to drain the pool and I inserted extra trex decking I had that fixed the middle section, it looked perfect refilled the pool and then it happened again but this time it was the sides that were off and the middle was perfectly straight. I drained the pool again and put a few more trex boards under the bottom of the ends of the pool so it was even then refilled the pool. Now 3 months later the pool is perfect.

 

[Chapstick]

I Had a similar problem with the same pool but mine was due to clay dirt. I had to fill the pool over 5 days so it would settle correctly because of the clay. Once the pool was filled the middle section started to bow outward. I had to drain the pool and I inserted extra trex decking I had that fixed the middle section, it looked perfect refilled the pool and then it happened again but this time it was the sides that were off and the middle was perfectly straight. I drained the pool again and put a few more trex boards under the bottom of the ends of the pool so it was even then refilled the pool. Now 3 months later the pool is perfect.

Dude that’s exactly what mine did. I just left it but it’s getting corrected in a couple weeks. Where exactly did you place the trex boards ?

 

[Chapstick]

I Had a similar problem with the same pool but mine was due to clay dirt. I had to fill the pool over 5 days so it would settle correctly because of the clay. Once the pool was filled the middle section started to bow outward. I had to drain the pool and I inserted extra trex decking I had that fixed the middle section, it looked perfect refilled the pool and then it happened again but this time it was the sides that were off and the middle was perfectly straight. I drained the pool again and put a few more trex boards under the bottom of the ends of the pool so it was even then refilled the pool. Now 3 months later the pool is perfect.

And I also have clay dirt.

 

[phishwaves]

For the middle section the "uprights" needed the trex boards underneath. When installed we used paver blocks under the uprights and framing of the pool. Because of the clay and settling it pushed the uprights outward at the top and the bottom pavers tilted an inches or more. Putting the trex board under the uprights corrected it and straightened the middle section.
The sides also sunk an inch or two here and there. So after emptying the pool they added more trex boards under the pavers in those spots and it corrected the problem 90% After a few months nothing else changed. and the settling is better. I need to see how it looks in spring.

 

[Chapstick]

For the middle section the "uprights" needed the trex boards underneath. When installed we used paver blocks under the uprights and framing of the pool. Because of the clay and settling it pushed the uprights outward at the top and the bottom pavers tilted an inches or more. Putting the trex board under the uprights corrected it and straightened the middle section.
The sides also sunk an inch or two here and there. So after emptying the pool they added more trex boards under the pavers in those spots and it corrected the problem 90% After a few months nothing else changed. and the settling is better. I need to see how it looks in spring.

Ok I understand. You guys determined where the pavers sunk and shimmed up those spots with trex boards. I must have the exact same issue. I used 12”x12” pavers hoping the larger footprint would help with that but I guess it didn’t work.

To me it seems like the size of pressure plates might have something to do with it because the aluminum base of the pool actually came off the ground ! You can see the outline of the pressure plates bulging against the pool liner.

In retrospect I wish I set a bench mark somewhere and wrote down the exact elevation of the pavers so I could reference them now and check with the laser. Maybe I can access one where it didn’t lift up.

 

[cj133]

I installed three pools in clay.
We used it to our advantage and found it very easy to compact especially if you added a little water and worked with it and let it dry. We were even able to backfill with it and get it to settle very fast.

Our current pool has been in use for 3 seasons and nothing has moved. I would say I'm within 1/8" all around. So far.

Regarding the "pressure plates". Are these large plates that go under the liner to counteract the water pushing the walls out? If so, mine had to be 3 inches below the sand and on very solid ground. The plates, and outside of the framing needed to be solid, no sand to wash out etc. The side the wall is picked up on, is the opposite side on the ground? Could it be pulling the other wall up?