8'X2' Stock Tank Pool :)

[matthys333]

Well this is fun....my second time writing this post since Chrome decided to crash just as I was about to submit it.

Anyways...........

I briefly posted about my stock tank pool in the Welcome section, but decided to post here in case anyone has/wants a stock tank pool.

I searched for other threads on stock tanks but they were all just "considering" doing it with nothing more.

So since I did do it, here's my thread about it...lol.

I've posted a pic below so you can see it as well.

I've considered maybe doing an actual AGP next season, but the problem I have is a narrow backyard.....maybe 12 ft from house/patio to fence. The 8' stock tank leaves just enough room by the patio for a walkway and enough room by the fence for pump system. So I can't go bigger than 8' anyway.

So that leaves me with 2 options if I want a pool deeper than 2 ft. (which works great for my toddlers standing up and us sitting down)

1) Get an 8' AGP anyway

2) Get a second stock tank and stack them. The plan here is to sink the new one 2 ft so its lip is level with the ground. And use the current one above since it already has plumbing. From the outside everything would look the same as the current setup, except that it would be 4' deep (2 ft underground).

I don't remember what else I said in my first post...haha.

But I do welcome any thoughts/advice....

 

[kimkats]

How cool is that????

Are the side hot when the sun is coming up/going down and shining right on the metal?

Look in your reply box and see if your other post auto saved. There might be a yellow box that says something about "restore saved" or something like that.

What are you using for a skimmer?

Kim

 

[matthys333]

How cool is that????

Are the side hot when the sun is coming up/going down and shining right on the metal?

Look in your reply box and see if your other post auto saved. There might be a yellow box that says something about "restore saved" or something like that.

What are you using for a skimmer?

Kim

Haha...thanks I did try looking for the "auto saved" version but couldn't find it. Figured it would be faster just to rewrite it than keep looking for it

I'm actually not using a skimmer as of yet. Just scooping stuff with a nylon strainer...lol. I'm pretty new to owning a pool, so I don't really know what all is needed. Most of what I've learned has been here....but started after I already put the pool together. If everything is ok without a skimmer, I'll probably wait until I get/make a deeper pool so I don't lose any more water level.

The sides do get warm, but hasn't been hot, so it's been fine

 

[matthys333]

Nice, I assume it has some sort of coating on the inside?

Actually it doesn't

I was just in such a hurry to get it up and running, I didn't think to much about what to do with the inside and outside of the stock tank. The metal is a very smooth surface and doesn't really get hot. But it does warm the water, especially it not holding that much water. But I don't mind...I hate cold water...haha.

If I do end up doubling up on stock tanks, I plan to put a liner in, or some kind of epoxy/paint/whatever I'm supposed to use. And then wrap the outside with a bamboo fencing.

As of now it serves its purpose. For me it's a good starting point so I can learn water maintenance chemistry. If I screw up, it's easy to empty and start over. By the of the year, I'll probably have the water chemistry down and then can figure out what next step to take for a deeper pool next year.

 

[kimkats]

Really the main reason for a skimmer is to get stuff out of the pool. You and your net are doing it's job so all is good!

Kim

 

[zea3]

I don't think we have had anyone try to stack two stock tanks, but we did have someone last year uses grain bin rings to build a pool. 5 boys and a grain bin...new AGP build DIY

 

[matthys333]

Really the main reason for a skimmer is to get stuff out of the pool. You and your net are doing it's job so all is good!

Kim

Ok I see....yeah it's mainly a few bugs and some tiny stuff. Only takes a minute a day to clear out. We'll see when it turns Fall how much falls in...lol

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Covering it with bamboo would be a shame in my opinion, I like the "industrial" look of your pool.

I like it too...but we're going for a "tropical" look in our backyard (first new house). So we'll be adding tropical plants and a makeshift patio by the pool and around the fire pit make of large flat rock and sand. So a metal container would stick out a bit...haha. But we'll see

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I don't think we have had anyone try to stack two stock tanks, but we did have someone last year uses grain bin rings to build a pool. 5 boys and a grain bin...new AGP build DIY

Nice...I'll get to be a first Yeah I read some of that thread. That pool is enormous! And clearly took a lot of time. Probably would be easier to stack 2 stock tanks.

After looking at the spacing again, if I shift the pump/filter off to one side by the fence, I could get a couple feet or more on that side. And the side by the patio could get a foot or so without being too close. So maybe a 12'X4' AGP would work (if they make that size).

Good thing is I don't plan to do anything until next Spring, so I've got plenty of using this pool to decide which way would be the best next step.

 

[Casey]

I love reading threads like these and see what people come up with to beat the heat! Welcome to TFP!

 

[matthys333]

I love reading threads like these and see what people come up with to beat the heat! Welcome to TFP!

Thanks for the welcome Casey

We love it. Never had a pool before. So it's a simple starting point.

Since we have 2 toddlers, they're able to walk around and play in it without needing to be held, them holding onto the side, or floaties. And as adults, we can just sit in the pool with the water up to our shoulders. And the rim makes a good arm rest. I've even seem pics of stock pools where people use the short leg beach chairs in them.

Pretty versatile for a little pool

 

[Casey]

Whatever works! I remember being a beached whale, 9 months pregnant, in a kiddy pool 22 years ago just trying to find relief!

 

[matthys333]

A tropical like garden sounds cool! Better start building a waterfall too then, no tropics without the sound of water.

Actually, I face the directional jet on the return at an angle that pushes the water just over the water surface. So for now that's our running water sound...haha

 

[kimkats]

LOL love it AND it makes a great "lazy river ride" as well! Just remember that will push the pH up. Keep an eye on it!

Kim

 

[matthys333]

LOL love it AND it makes a great "lazy river ride" as well! Just remember that will push the pH up. Keep an eye on it!

Kim

Definitely makes a mini lazy river...more like a lazy whirlpool...haha

 

[banditig]

That is very creative! I think you should add a "T" to the suction line at the bottom and add another through port on the other end (or a skimmer). There is a risk of entrapment with the pump on, Im afraid one of your kids would get stuck on the suction port.

 

[matthys333]

Because of the "not so stable" summers here I have given a swimming pond aka natural swimming pool a thought or two (If the weather is bad, you at least have a nice pond to look at) and if I start digging a waterfall including small stream is definitely on the wish list. Not exactly a lazy river, but close enough for me!

Haha...nice.

 

[matthys333]

That is very creative! I think you should add a "T" to the suction line at the bottom and add another through port on the other end (or a skimmer). There is a risk of entrapment with the pump on, Im afraid one of your kids would get stuck on the suction port.

I believe you are correct here. The pump is very strong for the little pool I have. And I have put my hand at the intake. Boy does it pull hard.

I'm thinking about a skimmer setup. Only catch is that since the water level isn't high to start with, the skimmer could force the water level even lower.

Maybe there's a way to rig a skimmer to where the intake is only the size of the other two ports. And the skimmer is outside of the pool with the new port fitting pulling water into it, and into the pump...along with the bottom one.

 

[pabeader]

I believe there is a thing called a floating skimmer. It moves up and down with the height of the water. You might consider looking into that. It will take up some of the space in the pool though...

 

[DarrelB]

Love it! But what about the floor on the second tank if you stack them? Is it removable or come all as one piece lip rolled onto the side?

Might be a bit to paint it, looks galvanized or zinc coated. Special primer required either way, but do-able.

 

[matthys333]

I believe there is a thing called a floating skimmer. It moves up and down with the height of the water. You might consider looking into that. It will take up some of the space in the pool though...

Interesting...I'll look into that. If it has a fitting to attach to the intake fitting that I already have, maybe I could just have that setup instead of cutting out a second hole. I'll have to see how it works...

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If you attach a PVC T piece to your inlet you can attach a PVC tube with a 90 degree elbow. secure the tube to the wall of the pool and you have a simple yet effective skimmer.

hmmm...not sure I completely understand. Is this setup inside or outside the pool? And how would it catch large stuff without a basket-like thing?

 

[matthys333]

Love it! But what about the floor on the second tank if you stack them? Is it removable or come all as one piece lip rolled onto the side?

Might be a bit to paint it, looks galvanized or zinc coated. Special primer required either way, but do-able.

The tank is galvanized steel I believe. It comes as seen in the pic. If you could see how it's fitted together, the bottom is made up of 2 semi-circles and the wall is one long piece that goes around. It's all sealed together with some kind of grey bond. The bond is a little soft, as in you can squish it a bit. Not sure what it is...

So I would probably cut that part off the bottom to remove the bottom off one of them. Then figure out what the bond is and use it seal the stack together somehow....maybe.

We kind of enjoy it's size right now and may not do any changes for a while. But we'll see