Is just 1 (or 2) skimmer(s) and 2-3 returns sufficient for my round, above ground pool? We can't agree on the placement and whether or not we need floor drains. I'm seeing different opinions depending on the setup. We're about to raise the floor 6" and need to quickly decide if the drain lines need to be in there. There is already a main drain that just goes out into the yard, which we use each fall to empty before winter.
This is an unconventional remodel of a 28' round, steel stock tank originally built in the 1920s(?). 6' deep, about 26,000 gal(?), and a very rough concrete floor.
It sat empty for at least 25 years(?), and we started reviving it in 2022 by building a deck and pump house on the south side. We cut a 2" hole in the side near the floor to suction back to the filter, but realized it desperately needed a skimmer so we added a basket that hangs inside the wall and connects to that suction line. The pump and filter return the water up over the deck, down an old gutter, making a waterfall that circulates the water counter-clockwise. All of that worked pretty well, but we could not get the algae under control, partly because of the pitted, calcified walls and super rough concrete floor. It just held on to the algae and no amount of scrubbing or chlorine could remove it. And yes, I've been a member here and used the test kit to help with getting everything leveled out, but we were failing miserably, cleaning the filter nearly every day. It was not fun! And it still stayed kinda green, with black walls and floor. No one wanted to swim in it by the end of August. We bought out every gallon of chlorine in our little town, and finally just gave up.
Last year we added a Baja shelf and steps (old wagon wheel tire halves welded to the side and cypress boards from an ancient water tank), and we coated all the metal inside with an epoxy paint. Well, we tried, except the paint did not go as far as stated so we didn't even get one full coat on it. But we were in a time crunch for a July 4 party and had to just get on with filling it. So some rust spots came out and the floor turned black in a few places, but the walls did much better, even without a full coat of paint.
So this year, we want to raise the floor (so normal-height humans can touch the bottom), which would solve our rough pitted floor problem, but also allows us to add either an in-floor jet system or just suction drains back to the filter. We were advised to not surround the pipes with concrete, so we're adding 3" of sand, then 3" of concrete on top. (The concrete skirting around the outside is about 6" above the inside floor.) Then we'll paint the whole thing inside, walls and floor, with a different epoxy paint. And we'd love to add a SWG if we can get all the metal coated.
But if we don't need the drain lines in the floor, it might be simpler. Although we do get a lot of dirt and sediment because it hardly rains here and life is just wind and dust these days. What do you think? Can we just add 2 or 3 return jets to the wall (eliminate the waterfall), and keep the one skimmer, or maybe add an additional skimmer? We're also considering cutting the skimmers into the wall? Is that necessary?
Thank you for any input you may have!
This is an unconventional remodel of a 28' round, steel stock tank originally built in the 1920s(?). 6' deep, about 26,000 gal(?), and a very rough concrete floor.
It sat empty for at least 25 years(?), and we started reviving it in 2022 by building a deck and pump house on the south side. We cut a 2" hole in the side near the floor to suction back to the filter, but realized it desperately needed a skimmer so we added a basket that hangs inside the wall and connects to that suction line. The pump and filter return the water up over the deck, down an old gutter, making a waterfall that circulates the water counter-clockwise. All of that worked pretty well, but we could not get the algae under control, partly because of the pitted, calcified walls and super rough concrete floor. It just held on to the algae and no amount of scrubbing or chlorine could remove it. And yes, I've been a member here and used the test kit to help with getting everything leveled out, but we were failing miserably, cleaning the filter nearly every day. It was not fun! And it still stayed kinda green, with black walls and floor. No one wanted to swim in it by the end of August. We bought out every gallon of chlorine in our little town, and finally just gave up.
Last year we added a Baja shelf and steps (old wagon wheel tire halves welded to the side and cypress boards from an ancient water tank), and we coated all the metal inside with an epoxy paint. Well, we tried, except the paint did not go as far as stated so we didn't even get one full coat on it. But we were in a time crunch for a July 4 party and had to just get on with filling it. So some rust spots came out and the floor turned black in a few places, but the walls did much better, even without a full coat of paint.
So this year, we want to raise the floor (so normal-height humans can touch the bottom), which would solve our rough pitted floor problem, but also allows us to add either an in-floor jet system or just suction drains back to the filter. We were advised to not surround the pipes with concrete, so we're adding 3" of sand, then 3" of concrete on top. (The concrete skirting around the outside is about 6" above the inside floor.) Then we'll paint the whole thing inside, walls and floor, with a different epoxy paint. And we'd love to add a SWG if we can get all the metal coated.
But if we don't need the drain lines in the floor, it might be simpler. Although we do get a lot of dirt and sediment because it hardly rains here and life is just wind and dust these days. What do you think? Can we just add 2 or 3 return jets to the wall (eliminate the waterfall), and keep the one skimmer, or maybe add an additional skimmer? We're also considering cutting the skimmers into the wall? Is that necessary?
Thank you for any input you may have!
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