Hello all,
I am the new owner of an Intex 18ft x 9ft x 52In Ultra XTR Rectangular Frame AGP with Krystal Clear 110-120V 1,200 gph sand filter pump. It's still sitting in its box because it arrived early from the store AND, honestly, I've been spending days (okay, a couple weeks), viewing everything I can on how to manage setup with as few problems as possible. I've been over every advice video on leveling ground, paver stones, on water maintenance, on chemicals and on watching others' mistakes. At this point, I'm like the centipede who paralyzed himself trying to figure out how he manages to move all his legs in perfect order. I've over studied it all and still feel ignorant. I'm a bit paralyzed. I know 5,000 gallons of water will cost me a fortune here in So Cal and I cannot fathom putting this up and wasting that water investment.
Here's the mistake I've made already: I counted the cost of the pool and a big investment in water when determining if I should buy it. I knew I would also have to buy a few others things like a cleaning kit and some sand for the pump. But, I confused the sand I would buy for the pump with the sand I kept reading about needing under the pool once I'd leveled the ground. Then I found I couldn't till the ground myself and ended up bringing in my gardener to do it. He also says he leveled the ground, though... I'm skeptical. The tilling and leveling cost me $200 extra dollars (not in my initial estimate). And then I learned that I will need more than the 40-50 pounds of sand for the filter, I also need like a truckload of sand to go under the pool. There's another $225 (my gardener says he knows a guy who will give him a great deal and he's doing the labor cheap). I know this is a heck of a deal. But I'm now $425 over the budget I had anticipated. And I'm not wealthy. $400 is a lot of money in one month when I didn't expect to spend it.
Now I'm estimating the other things I need. I recall doing water maintenance on an in ground pool as a kid in exchange for the right to use the pool. So I thought I'd get a little plastic testing kit with some small bottles of stuff that I drop in to test the water and determine what chemicals are needed (it's been years, I was like 9 then). Anyway, I read on your starter articles that I should invest in a kit that costs $70-$90! Yikes.
So now, once I throw in the need for rakes and a vacuum of some sort plus chemicals, I'm probably closer to $600 or $700 over my initial estimate. And that is more money than I have this month or for the next couple of months. But, I'm up against a return window at the end of this month. I'm actually wondering if I should cut my losses and just send this back to the store and try another year when I'm better equipped with the full view of costs. However, I bought this when prices were much lower than they might be later. So, I'm torn.
My question is this: could I get by in the first 2-3 months with only what is necessary (and maybe cheaper items to start)? And, if so, where can I temporarily cut corners to allow me to use the pool while I save some money to invest in better things each month? So, for example, could I buy a less expensive model of a water test kit now and invest in one of the two good models you suggest in a couple months? I know I can't cut back on chemicals. But, are there other areas where I could start cheaper and build my investment over time?
I'd really appreciate your advice. These costs are freaking me out. TIA!
I am the new owner of an Intex 18ft x 9ft x 52In Ultra XTR Rectangular Frame AGP with Krystal Clear 110-120V 1,200 gph sand filter pump. It's still sitting in its box because it arrived early from the store AND, honestly, I've been spending days (okay, a couple weeks), viewing everything I can on how to manage setup with as few problems as possible. I've been over every advice video on leveling ground, paver stones, on water maintenance, on chemicals and on watching others' mistakes. At this point, I'm like the centipede who paralyzed himself trying to figure out how he manages to move all his legs in perfect order. I've over studied it all and still feel ignorant. I'm a bit paralyzed. I know 5,000 gallons of water will cost me a fortune here in So Cal and I cannot fathom putting this up and wasting that water investment.
Here's the mistake I've made already: I counted the cost of the pool and a big investment in water when determining if I should buy it. I knew I would also have to buy a few others things like a cleaning kit and some sand for the pump. But, I confused the sand I would buy for the pump with the sand I kept reading about needing under the pool once I'd leveled the ground. Then I found I couldn't till the ground myself and ended up bringing in my gardener to do it. He also says he leveled the ground, though... I'm skeptical. The tilling and leveling cost me $200 extra dollars (not in my initial estimate). And then I learned that I will need more than the 40-50 pounds of sand for the filter, I also need like a truckload of sand to go under the pool. There's another $225 (my gardener says he knows a guy who will give him a great deal and he's doing the labor cheap). I know this is a heck of a deal. But I'm now $425 over the budget I had anticipated. And I'm not wealthy. $400 is a lot of money in one month when I didn't expect to spend it.
Now I'm estimating the other things I need. I recall doing water maintenance on an in ground pool as a kid in exchange for the right to use the pool. So I thought I'd get a little plastic testing kit with some small bottles of stuff that I drop in to test the water and determine what chemicals are needed (it's been years, I was like 9 then). Anyway, I read on your starter articles that I should invest in a kit that costs $70-$90! Yikes.
So now, once I throw in the need for rakes and a vacuum of some sort plus chemicals, I'm probably closer to $600 or $700 over my initial estimate. And that is more money than I have this month or for the next couple of months. But, I'm up against a return window at the end of this month. I'm actually wondering if I should cut my losses and just send this back to the store and try another year when I'm better equipped with the full view of costs. However, I bought this when prices were much lower than they might be later. So, I'm torn.
My question is this: could I get by in the first 2-3 months with only what is necessary (and maybe cheaper items to start)? And, if so, where can I temporarily cut corners to allow me to use the pool while I save some money to invest in better things each month? So, for example, could I buy a less expensive model of a water test kit now and invest in one of the two good models you suggest in a couple months? I know I can't cut back on chemicals. But, are there other areas where I could start cheaper and build my investment over time?
I'd really appreciate your advice. These costs are freaking me out. TIA!