After several years of the $10 inflatable kiddie pools from the drugstore, I’m thinking of breaking down and getting an above ground pool. I realize you can’t actually swim in the thing, but the kids can learn to tread water, dog-paddle, and get comfortable in the water. I certainly don’t have the space or money for an in-ground pool.
There seem to be 2 main types, the metal frame ones, and the QuickSet/EasySet style with the inflatable top ring, which tend to run about $100-$200 less than a comparably sized metal frame one.
Any experiences, good or bad?
Insights into pros and cons of the two styles?
Warnings?
Ground prep is essential. It is also a lot of work.
Don’t plan on buying it Friday night and swimming Saturday afternoon.
Yep: It’s only as good as its filter. Pools are pretty good at holding water, but what makes it usable is a combination of location (open area, flat and PLENTY of sun), along with the most important thing: filtration.
Filters are generally ranked in this order:
Diematacious Earth (aka D.E.) = best
Sylica Sand = good
Cartirdge = maybe
There is overlap. I have an outstanding sand filter that is better than many D.E. filters. A good cartridge filter can be as good as a sand filter.
I am sure you will find something round to hold the water. So, think about the filter, because that will really drive your pleasure time.
A friend has one. She loves it, but listen to Rick about ground prep. My friend didn’t do anything to the ground the first summer she had it, but the second year she dug down a bit and filled the space with sand and leveled it out. She says it’s a lot easier on your feet and your butt.
You need a fenced yard. I think there are also alarms you can put on pools these days that will notify you if a child has fallen in.
California has some pretty strict laws governing fences, gates, and similar safety issues with pools. Check with your local building department for more information.
Also, check with your local water district before buying anything. We’re in a **bad ** drought season, and you might not be allowed to fill the pool. The water districts up here are already talking about banning things like washing cars at home and controls on lawn and garden watering.
The local regulations are your first concern, then you can decide what to buy to comply.
Don’t position it so that it’s directly under an enormous overhanging tree branch. We had a fairly large above-ground pool when I was a kid and that’s where my dad placed it. That, plus his refusal to run the filter properly because of the resulting high electric bills, took the pool from a delight to a leaf-choked swamp in the space of a summer. He finally sold it to some other sucker.
On the plus side, for my high school sophomore biology class, I was able to locate all 50 species of insect life needed for a project from the pool.