Uk - Intex Xtr 18 x 9 build

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Good to see the experiences of another uk punter!

I had the same issues with FAS DPD test kits. No idea why they can’t be sourced here. In the end I went for a lovibond photo meter. It was eye wateringly pricey. But it does all the tests and have been using it for a full season with no issues (I was a new IGP owner last year)

Be interesting to hear how you get on with the heat pump. I have a gas heater which Is pretty expensive to run in the winter.

I’m thinking about getting a SWCG but come up against the same issues of not something that the UK market Has woken up to!
 
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Great thread BoringDamo nice to see the photo's and hear the story. I'm also UK based - similar sized pool and just filling it up now for the first time. You already gave me some tips on the test kit. I've got a SWG, but understand you need to set it up as a chlorine pool first and then let the SWG take over. What are you guys using for chlorine / bleach? It seems in the UK everything is hard to get hold of. Thin bleach is only 1% in sainsbury and recommendations on here seem to be 6%. I've ordered some 2work thin bleach online looks to be 4.5%: 2work Thin Bleach 5 Litres - Free Next Working Day Delivery 5020379085564 | eBay
 
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BoringDamo said:
A few of the winter purchases.
1. Pump and filter combo - upgrade intex 1200gph to 0.75hp / 18” sand filter. Also needed because I got a pool heat pump
www.automatedenvironmentalsystems.co.uk

Remora FS Swimming Pool Filter Set for Above Ground Pools (Non Self-Priming) | Automated Environmental Systems

The Remora FS swimming pool filter set is exclusive to AES and offers a choice of six matched filter and pump combinations suitable for above ground pools
www.automatedenvironmentalsystems.co.uk

Pool heat pump - 15.8Kw on/off - Remora On/Off Swimming Pool Heat Pump with Built-in Wi-Fi - AES

Pump bypass valve

2. A pool cover reel (The intex one - had ok reviews and was only £80 from Amazon)

3. Skimmer (Ergh it’s beige. Completely missed that when I ordered. I wouldn’t order from the same place again)

4. Intex robot vac (£70 from Auto Pool Cleaner - looks like price has already gone up).

5. Boxer patch repair kit (just in case).
6. Skimmer socks (technically free because they took me over the free delivery threshold!)

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Wow that heat pump looks awesome. What temperatures are you getting your pool to with that thing?
 
bumblingbee said:
Wow that heat pump looks awesome. What temperatures are you getting your pool to with that thing?
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Err... nothing right now, still finishing the plumbing and hopefully got the electrician booked in next week!
Last year (pre TFP) I was just using Dichlor Chlorine granules. This year I’m hoping to use liquid chlorine which should be available from local pool supplies shops. TBH I only filled last week and have been using the dichlor because my cya was zero anyway. Nobody is swimming yet so keeping the granules going either until we are ready to swim or my cya hits 40. Google to see if you have a pool store near you, there seem to be plenty about but well hidden.
 
My local pool store does liquid chlorine or you can buy it Mail order. Price seems to have gone to up since last season unsurprisingly!

Running at about 26c as minimum that is comfortable to 28, or 79f to 82f for the natives here.

I run my CYA at about 50. Largely because it was at about 300 and that’s when I got bored doing a water replacement. Seems to work ok but I have no idea what optimal CYA level is for London area.

Where did you source your SWCG- imported I assume?
 
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BoringDamo said:
I just got 20L of 15% liquid chlorine for £27 at my local pool store.
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Seems about the going rate. 26 for me last week. The thing that worries me is how fresh it is and so whether it still is 15pct or has degraded to something lower if it’s been sat since last season. Even if you tested it I’d be surprised if you’d get much traction trying to return it
 
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Ok, I finally opened my pool this weekend for the first time - my chlorine didn't get here in time so I bought 5L bleach from Travis Perkins for £10 at about 4%. Did the pool math, measured it in, and the chlorine score was perfect when I tested on Saturday. Now letting the SWG take over hopefully..... CYA is at about 70. @UKjames - I bought the Intex SWG 26670 - I think it is for AGP's only. Current temperature - 14C. Wetsuit time for the kids! Need to setup the solar heater now.
 
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3 long days of working 8-9 hours (but office job) then 4-5 hours on plumbing.
I realised my pad wasn’t quite deep enough or wide enough so ended up being a harder job than it should have been.
The bypass valves also meant plenty of cuts and joins as well as my heat pump inlet being at the bottom with filter outlet up high. I also ran out of long lengths of pipe at the end so had to do a few more joins with the smaller stuff I had left over.
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Only one small leak that I could see (slow drip from clear viewing backwash thing on the filter so need more sealant) but it’s wet outside anyway so hard to spot. I’ve tested the pump as I already had power down there and all good but now need electricians to come and hook up the heat pump.
 
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BoringDamo said:
3 long days of working 8-9 hours (but office job) then 4-5 hours on plumbing.
I realised my pad wasn’t quite deep enough or wide enough so ended up being a harder job than it should have been.
The bypass valves also meant plenty of cuts and joins as well as my heat pump inlet being at the bottom with filter outlet up high. I also ran out of long lengths of pipe at the end so had to do a few more joins with the smaller stuff I had left over.

Only one small leak that I could see (slow drip from clear viewing backwash thing on the filter so need more sealant) but it’s wet outside anyway so hard to spot. I’ve tested the pump as I already had power down there and all good but now need electricians to come and hook up the heat pump.
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Looks great - nice job! How was gluing the flexible PVC stuff? Did it handle much like the rigid stuff when gluing up? I'm going to be doing a bit of rigid PVC myself this year, but might use the flexible intex hoses for the final connection to the pump for this year. Might want to beef that up to the flex PVC stuff next year!
 
The flexible pvc are actually Intex hoses. I found using a 2” male threaded pipe connector and the L shape gasket that comes with the Intex pumps actually works with getting them just to screw on.
 
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I had flex PVC on my Intex, rather than the stock Intex hoses. The Intex hoses just did not hold up well in the hot Florida sun.
 
Really need the water to warm up so I can get in and install the skimmer. It’s freezing (technically not freezing but very cold mid to high 50s) so not doing it yet.
I only skimmed this manually an hour before.
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