Have bought a pool and now realize I don't have a clue what I'm doing!

[ikorodu]

Hello From England!

Last summer during the main school holidays, we struggled to entertain the kids on hot days (we do get some hot days in the UK). The suggestion was made by my wife that we get an above ground pool. Our retired neighbor has one and it looked like a good idea for summer fun.

So, 2017 arrived and I bought this:

Bestway Power Steel Metal Frame Round Pool 14ft x 42 - 56641 - Metal Frame Round Pools

Since ordering and its delivery yesterday, I've been reading these forums and now find that I simply don't have a clue what to do next! Here are some of my questions that I hope you more experienced pool owners can help with.

1. I had intended to install it on the lawn. I've now seen that leveling is essential. Some appear to have used paving slabs under each leg. Is this essential? If so what would your bed the slabs on to, would a sand bed be ok for the slabs to rest on?

2. I am now slightly concerned by the fact I'll have 15000 litres of water in a 'bag' at the end of the garden. Are these types of pools resistant to the rough and tumble play of my 13 year old, 11 year old and 8 year old boys?

3. Can domestic cats rip this type of pool from the outside.

4. The pump that comes with the set is pretty poor from what I've read on here, any suggestions for a suitable pump/filter that's available in the UK?

5. Will it be too cold for the kids? Anyone else in the UK have experience of this type of pool and the water temperature. I've seen this heat pump would this warm things up to a more enjoyable temperature?

Sorry for all the questions, but despite reading this forum for the last week, I've got more questions than ever!

Thanks all!

Rob

 

[NoTime]

Welcome to TFP!

1)some get by ok without pavers, but in a rainy area, you have a much greater chance of ground softening, then posts sinking.
You would want the pacers sitting on firm ground, with the top of the pavers level with the rest of the pool base.
If you install 1cm of sand, then you dig in the pavers so that they are 1cm above the dirt with the remaining 1cm filled in with sand. Sand moves so you cannot use sand for major leveling. Cutting out dirt is a better way to make level.

2) I had similiar pools, and they were fine with my boys jumping, splashing and playing volleyball, etc.

3) my outdoor cats never caused a problem. I don't think the smooth surface was fun to claw like any wood post.

4) I would look into an Intex sand filter like this (there are different models, this was the 1st one I found at your link)
Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump 1200 Gall/Hr - Pool Pumps Counter Current

 

[ikorodu]

Hello

Thanks for the advice so far!

Attached should be a picture showing where I'm hoping to install the pool.

Had a thought this morning about using artificial grass as the base. Idea would be to cut out and level a rectangle of existing lawn and replace with artificial turf. Thought I could cut out the bits were the pavers would go. Should mean that the surrounding area doesn't get muddy.

Any one one here used artificial grass for under and around a framed pool?

View attachment 63304

 

[smitty195]

Hi Rob... having lived in the UK for most of my life before moving back to Australia i have little bit of advice i can give you..
The pool you have purchased is a great starter pool to see if you get a decent amount of use out of it..... given the uk weather and how un pool freindly it can be...
Leveling with this type of pool is essential... to within a inch difference all round.
Changing out the filter is the very next thing you MUST do... the supplied filter you get with the model you have will end you swimming pool dream real quick as you will spend more time cleaning and balancing than swimming. (imo)
The next question is how you are going to heat the pool..a solar cover is an essential piece of equipment... i don't know how well off you are nor is it any of my buissness but it does factor into the heatpump you mentioned..... heat pumps are extremely economical to run in countries with a warm climate... however... given the way they work... i believe it could be a very costly experience for you.... they work very well here in Oz because the air is warm most of the time... but the UK is far from warm most of the time..(my mother lives in Norfolk and complains to me every week over the phone).
Solar heating is another option... but takes a bloody long time to heat the pool... and if you don't have pool cover... you can loose all the heat overnight and your back to square 1 the next day.
So... not that i want to through a negative edge the questions you've posted... but unfortunately there is a downside to owning a pool of this type in the UK... believe me i know what im talking about... i owned an intex pool when i was living there.
Hope this helped answer some of your questions...at least.

 

[ikorodu]

Thanks for the advice.

I have both a solar solar cover and new pump/sand filter on my list!

For heating I'm looking to use the Hydro S 7.5kw heat pump. From reading about another uk pool user on this forum it appears that this is the most economic way forward. I'm hoping that around 5 hours of pump and heat pump running per day, during our cheaper rate electric period (we pay 6 pence per kWh at cheap rate) should work out at around £1 per day so over a 3 month (if we're lucky!) season it's around £90. Let me know is I'm a mile away on the running costs (which I could well be).

The up front cost of getting everything (pool, filter pump, heat pump, covers, ground works) will be around £1250. Assuming we get the use of of this pool then we may go bigger next year but I'm aiming to get the filter and heat pump of a size that could do a larger pool.

 

[smitty195]

Hi Rob...
Those numbers seem quite reasonable....
I was reading an article yesterday for another person but cant remember if it was on this forum or not... but i cant find it to copy any paste it to you... anyway.... she ended up running her heat pump for 10 hours a day (Uk based) with a gain of about 3 degrees... and even with a cover she lost that heat gain overnight... lets just say she wasn't very happy with the information she was given...
I suppose the answer is research and more research is paramount...!
However.... as far as filtration is concerned... bigger is better... i personally went with a 24 inch sand filter to begin with and 1 1/2 HP variable speed pump.. but then changed to a large cartridge filter as the sand filter didnt hold the very fine dust that entered the pool... it would go straight through the filter and sit on the bottom of the pool... i spent more time vacuuming than swimming.... granted i am a bit fussy and like a very clear pool...(OCD I THINK LOL)
The 2 no brainers that i tell my clients (im a pool tech) is a variable speed pump (saves a fortune in electric) and a robot cleaner.. saves hours of vacuuming.... think heavily about buying a krystal clear system... they are not all their cracked up to be... if your budget allows go bigger... you can always tranfer them across to the next pool you get.
Leave those thoughts with you.

 

[ikorodu]

Right if I'm ever going to get this pool up then now is the time! I just hate spending money, I can't do this for nothing.

My current plan, for my 14ft bestway pool is:

Mark out 16ft circle
Mow grass down as low as I can within circle.
Check for level with 6ft level taped to 8ft timber
Dig out by hand(!) to get good level.
Dig out 14 off 450x450mm squares for these pavers. Bed pavers on some sharp sand.
Lay down a covering of sand over what will be pool base.
Erect the pool with a leg on each paver.
Fill with water and add chemicals and children.

Sound reasonable?

 

[ClareJ]

Hiya Rob.

Im also in the UK and have the exact same pool as you, this is my third year with it. It started for me about 10 years ago when I bought a cheap 8ft easy up pool, thinking id fill it with water and job done, how wrong was I? Since then I've had a few pools, which seem to be getting bigger each time!

1. My pool has never been level, I've just got some smooth paving slabs under the legs on the 'low' side. You want to try and get it as level as you can, but I wouldn't worry excessively about it.

2. The pool will be fine with your kids in it, over the years I've had tons of people going crazy in mine. I'm always a bit wary of letting people kick off the walls too hard though, but thats just me being paranoid.

3. Cats stay away from my pool, I was more worried about cats trying to get in it and drowning than actually making a hole in the pool, I always show my cat that its full of water to deter her!

4. The pump it comes with may as well go straight into the bin, the intex or bestway sand filters are good, you can use others but its more difficult to adapt the plumbing, whereas intex and bestway fit each other, I currently have this smaller pump which works just fine, I did have the slightly bigger one before it broke but find the smaller one to be just as good and much quieter.

5. I'd say the pool without any heater is too cold. I wasted money on a ton of different heaters before I got my heat pump, all of which were useless. I'd say an air source heat pump like you posted is the best option. You posted a 7.5kw one which would do the job but you could get away with a smaller one, mine is 5kw. Also worth getting is a decent (not an intex or bestway) solar cover, something like this Only issue being its hard to get hold of a 14ft one, I have the 15ft cover from my previous pool, it works fine but its a bit too big.

If I can help you with anything else just let me know

 

[ikorodu]

Hello Clare!

Great to hear from someone in the UK, especially as you have the same pool. I'm afraid I'm honing to have a a lot more questions.

Firstly thanks for your responses so far, all very useful. I've added the pump you've recommended to my shopping list. I'm relieved to hear that you have had plenty of energetic youngsters in the pool and it's still standing.

I'm hoping to tackle getting the thing up this weekend, having just moved a load of paving slabs from the drive to the garden i was beginning to think I'd bitten off more than I could chew.

So a few more questions if I may;

- how long do you keep the pool up for each year?

- how long do you run your heat pump each day? Also any idea how much the heat pump costs you to run?

finally do you have any pictures of your set up!?

Thanks again for you advice so far.

Rob

 

[ClareJ]

I usually set my pool up towards the end of May and it comes down sometime in September, I usually leave it until then hoping we'll have a hot September, never seems to happen though.

I set my heat pump on a timer to come on at 11am, and it goes off at 6pm. You want it running during the hottest period of the day and in full sun if possible. Just had a look back at previous energy bills, looks as though I use about 3-4kws extra during the summer, so potentially around 60p a day. Im sure the timings could be tweaked and cut down, its just finding what works.

I don't really have any pics at the moment, only this which was more of the inflatable than the pool lol.