The Dreaded Question - How to take down the AGP...

[JessBlount617]

I have read every nook and crannie I can about successfully taking down my AGP. I have watched YouTube videos and read other online forums.

5000+ Gallons of water feels like a lot to move through a garden hose. And will likely take me a couple days.

Letting water out of the tubes/filtration once I am below filtration lines. Letting water out of my sand filter. Let this dry a couple days.

I know to store the legs and connector arms with the Ts completely dry and away from the elements (if I can find a long enough tote I will do that). If as I am taking this down I spot rust - is there some sort of further preventative I can use? Good ol' Bestway is completely out of stock on replacement legs and cross pieces...

But this liner. How on God's green earth does one get all the water actually out of this thing? Can I squeegee it? What about flipping it inside out and using my 15' trampoline as a means to dry it?

Okay once the liner is dry - then how the heck do you fold and store this bad boy?! (I live on the edge of a farm and critters in my yard barn, house, attic are a REAL thing) I do not want to unpack this in the spring and find it's been a breeding ground, poopie place, or something to chew on when they get bored...

And what about chemicals? Do those store well? I know chlorine loses its effectiveness. But muriatic acid? Stabalizer? What about the test kit?

 

[Newdude]

So this is for winter ? Many leave it up like a traditional above ground with no harm.

IMO the scratches you'll add to the frame by taking it apart and tossing them in a pile will cause more harm than letting it stand. Cuz let's be honest. When it's time to make a pile of pieces, you're already shot and probably won't be as gentle as you should be.

But yeah. Any flaws in the finish of the frame is where the rust will start when it does.

If you do take it down, the liner needs to ne dried well. Towels would probably help when it's just the drips left. Then let it sit in the sun to finish up. Sprinkle it with talcum powder before folding and hope no critters need a home over the winter. (Strike 2 IMO for taking it down).

For draining the usually have a plug/flap, but that doesn't mean it'll pour out in a good area so you might prefer the hose/submersible pump.

The bleach will lose some strength. I donate my leftovers to furniture or vinly siding cleaning. If I have any left after that, it will work great for laundry forever.

The other chems need to be stored dry and they'll be fine.

 

[proavia]

Store the test kit indoors (climate controlled). This is where your test kit should be year around anytime you aren't actively testing. My test kit never goes outside. I bring the water sample inside and test in the kitchen - except I mix the CYA sample and take it outside to test.

Muriatic acid needs to be left outside or stored by itself, away from any metals and NOT in the garage.

 

[JessBlount617]

So this is for winter ? Many leave it up like a traditional above ground with no harm.

IMO the scratches you'll add to the frame by taking it apart and tossing them in a pile will cause more harm than letting it stand. Cuz let's be honest. When it's time to make a pile of pieces, you're already shot and probably won't be as gentle as you should be.

But yeah. Any flaws in the finish of the frame is where the rust will start when it does.

If you do take it down, the liner needs to ne dried well. Towels would probably help when it's just the drips left. Then let it sit in the sun to finish up. Sprinkle it with talcum powder before folding and hope no critters need a home over the winter. (Strike 2 IMO for taking it down).

For draining the usually have a plug/flap, but that doesn't mean it'll pour out in a good area so you might prefer the hose/submersible pump.

The bleach will lose some strength. I donate my leftovers to furniture or vinly siding cleaning. If I have any left after that, it will work great for laundry forever.

The other chems need to be stored dry and they'll be fine.

Here’s where I’m at with taking it down… this Hoosier can get anywhere from 3” of snow to 3 FEET of snow. And sometimes it’ll snow in April…

I’m also partially sinking because the feet slipped off the pavers during the fill. I have some wrinkles I’d like to get off the bottom as well. Not to mention the two cross arm supports that totally need replaced (remember daughter’s dumb friend…)

If I can do it right - I also want to run electrical out to the yard for the pump and filter… and long game a patio around the base and some lights…

Good Paver. Bad Cross Arm.


Bad pavers. Good arm.


If I had done it right up front and leveled the ground, watched the pavers while I filled, didn’t deploy Joe Dirt, didn’t allow daughters dumb friend near the pool - I’d be set to keep it up and learn to winterize

 

[JessBlount617]

Store the test kit indoors (climate controlled). This is where your test kit should be year around anytime you aren't actively testing. My test kit never goes outside. I bring the water sample inside and test in the kitchen - except I mix the CYA sample and take it outside to test.

Muriatic acid needs to be left outside or stored by itself, away from any metals and NOT in the garage.

I have been keeping my test kit in a tote with extra hoses and pool filter parts in a shaded area of my patio. Whoopsies. I’ll move it in this evening. Probably makes clean up easier - I do wash the vials regularly in the kitchen and air dry them after a quick rubbing alcohol rinse.

Chlorine stays in the garage. MA stays there too but away from anything that can be damaged. (Usually in a 5 gallon bucket near my trash can). And stabilizer goes in the tote with the tubes, test kit, etc.

 

[Newdude]

If I had done it right up front and leveled the ground, watched the pavers while I filled, didn’t deploy Joe Dirt, didn’t allow daughters dumb friend near the pool - I’d be set to keep it up and learn to winterize

Riiiiiight. Ok so take down it is. If you're going through the effort, I'd take some time in the spring to coat the frame with some sorta rustolium.

Is there any play at the frame connections ? Both halves would benefit from some paint but it needs some free space or you'll just scrape the paint off when you reassemble it.

Go gentle stacking the pile O frame. I'd probably put towels or moving pads between layers.

 

[Pv2]

well, I was going to advocate for leaving up until I saw the pix. yikes. not the leveling so much, mine was starting to look like that too as the bottoms of the legs rotted off but the creased top rail. I think I would try rigging up some wood or pvc for that if you can't get a replacement piece.

 

[ajw22]

I'd take some time in the spring to coat the frame with some sorta rustolium.

I would coat all the metal pieces with Rustoleum rust neutralizer when you take it down in the fall.

No reason to let rust begin the chemical process over the winter.

 

[JessBlount617]

Riiiiiight. Ok so take down it is. If you're going through the effort, I'd take some time in the spring to coat the frame with some sorta rustolium.

I agree - definitely need rustoleum spray or anti-rust something or another. I’m sure I’ll have some rust to contend with when it comes down. I may just spray it all this fall before packing it away.

Is there any play at the frame connections ? Both halves would benefit from some paint but it needs some free space or you'll just scrape the paint off when you reassemble it.

I haven’t gotten up close to the frame connections well enough to know what I’m up against. I have a feeling I won’t really know until it’s all down.

Go gentle stacking the pile O frame. I'd probably put towels or moving pads between layers.

I was debating packing peanuts or bubble wrap.

 

[PoolStored]

Most 1/4-1/3 HP sump pumps can move at least 2000 GPH. Get a cheap sump...

 

[JessBlount617]

well, I was going to advocate for leaving up until I saw the pix. yikes. not the leveling so much, mine was starting to look like that too as the bottoms of the legs rotted off but the creased top rail. I think I would try rigging up some wood or pvc for that if you can't get a replacement piece.

What makes me most mad - Bestway doesn’t have replacements cross pieces. Jerks! I’d buy two new ones in a heartbeat! Replacements are $20 each and on Amazon they’re $60+ a piece.

I’ve also scoured FB Marketplace and no one has top rails. Plenty of legs though!

 

[JessBlount617]

Most 1/4-1/3 HP sump pumps can move at least 2000 GPH. Get a cheap sump...

Good call!! I have my Menards cash back vouchers!!!

 

[Pv2]

What makes me most mad - Bestway doesn’t have replacements cross pieces. Jerks! I’d buy two new ones in a heartbeat! Replacements are $20 each and on Amazon they’re $60+ a piece.

I’ve also scoured FB Marketplace and no one has top rails. Plenty of legs though!

keep an eye in the spring, intex does the same thing. stuff goes out of stock and then magically appears again. set some kind of reminder and check once a month or every couple weeks. they will turn up. or somebody may have some to give away locally that is getting rid of a pool for whatever reason - if fairly new and not already aged and rusty.

 

[JessBlount617]

Resurrecting this one. Haven’t had chlorine in the pool in almost two weeks - and frankly weather wasn’t warm enough for a good swim anyway. So SWAMP LAND here we come! It legit smells like a lake.

Sump pump is in and hanging off the bottom rung of my ladder. Once I’m below the intake/output I’ll start disconnecting hoses and draining my sand filter.

Such a gross process!

 

[proavia]

Resurrecting this one. Haven’t had chlorine in the pool in almost two weeks - and frankly weather wasn’t warm enough for a good swim anyway. So SWAMP LAND here we come! It legit smells like a lake.

Sump pump is in and hanging off the bottom rung of my ladder. Once I’m below the intake/output I’ll start disconnecting hoses and draining my sand filter.

Such a gross process! View attachment 606011

WHAT?

A pool is like a pet, you still need to feed it every day even if you don't want to play with it.
Maintaining the pool water chemistry is a lot less time and money intensive than recovering from a swamp.

 

[Donldson]

Such a gross process!

Would have taken two minutes and maybe two cups of chlorine a day to not have had to do that process...

 

[JessBlount617]

I’m taking it down for the season… that’s the only reason I let it get this way. My plan all along was for it come down - if you read the start of the thread I was inquiring about taking it down. It needs a few repairs anyway…

Otherwise I had been meticulous about testing and adding chems as needed.

 

[proavia]

Yeah, well - you are still going to need to fully clean the liner (or just dispose of it).

2 minutes daily times 30 days is 1 hour.
Clearing the swamp will take many hours and a lot more chlorine.

 

[Newdude]

2 minutes daily times 30 days is 1 hour.
Clearing the swamp will take many hours and a lot more chlorine.

Jess is draining and storing it. She's not fighting it.

She's out some scrubbing of the empty liner and that's about it.