I am preparing my back yard right now to put up the above pool and came here to see if there is an idiots guide to doing this that includes all the information in a single post.
I have landscapers currently leveling a 42 x 24 foot part of my backyard. It required about 2 feet of depth at the house side of the area. I am having retaining wall put all around this area and filling with 4 inches of crushed gravel with a layer of landscaping cloth and then 2 inches of rounded pea gravel. I plan to buy one of those under the pool liners to put on top of the pea gravel. Are there any recommendations on brand that is best? I was looking at Rhino, it is said to be 1/8 inch thick...
I was planning to get the INTEX 26377EH Ultra XTR with saltwater system but reading the forums, it sounds like the filter system is not really big enough to really keep the pool clean? If this is the case, saving several hundred on the pool might be better to get the INTEX 26373EH Ultra XTR and spend the extra money on a different pump/filter/saltwater generator system?
If I end up needing to replace the filter system, what pump/filter/saltwater system setup is preferable?
I have read about ozone generators built into one of the intex saltwater systems, is ozone a good fit with saltwater systems or is it meaningless or detrimental to saltwater? I have read that it destroys chlorine but have not actually found any authoritative statements on this.
I plan to add a heater/chiller to the pool if we end up deciding that having a pool long term is what we want. It will likely be about 140,000 BTU. So, the pump/filter/saltwater system should be compatible with a heater/chiller of this size.
I have read that an above ground pool needs to be both grounded and bonded. I am unfamiliar with what bonding is. Grounding should be doable with a rod driven into the ground. What does bonding require? Does it have to happen before the pool is fully assembled?
Also, the side supports of the pool need to be supported, supposedly some kind of 2 x 12 or something and I have seen people discuss using paving stones such as 16 x 16 x 1-1/2 thick. Would these paving stones work ok with a crushed stone base? Some commenters discussed them breaking and I read one recommend reinforced ones. I have never seen reinforced ones online. Are these home made or something? Does someone have a recommendation for supports? If we keep the pool long term, I think we would want to leave it up overwinter. We have mostly mild winters here, no snow most years. So I would want what ever supports I use to last at least 3 years and preferably 5.
Is the pool cover easy to put on and off and if I leave it tied to one side of the pool does that make it easier?
Sorry for all the questions. It just looks like this is going to be a pretty heavy lift for me, and I want to go in prepared as I doubt my body would be able to put this up, be forced to take it down and then be capable of putting it back up again in short order.
I have landscapers currently leveling a 42 x 24 foot part of my backyard. It required about 2 feet of depth at the house side of the area. I am having retaining wall put all around this area and filling with 4 inches of crushed gravel with a layer of landscaping cloth and then 2 inches of rounded pea gravel. I plan to buy one of those under the pool liners to put on top of the pea gravel. Are there any recommendations on brand that is best? I was looking at Rhino, it is said to be 1/8 inch thick...
I was planning to get the INTEX 26377EH Ultra XTR with saltwater system but reading the forums, it sounds like the filter system is not really big enough to really keep the pool clean? If this is the case, saving several hundred on the pool might be better to get the INTEX 26373EH Ultra XTR and spend the extra money on a different pump/filter/saltwater generator system?
If I end up needing to replace the filter system, what pump/filter/saltwater system setup is preferable?
I have read about ozone generators built into one of the intex saltwater systems, is ozone a good fit with saltwater systems or is it meaningless or detrimental to saltwater? I have read that it destroys chlorine but have not actually found any authoritative statements on this.
I plan to add a heater/chiller to the pool if we end up deciding that having a pool long term is what we want. It will likely be about 140,000 BTU. So, the pump/filter/saltwater system should be compatible with a heater/chiller of this size.
I have read that an above ground pool needs to be both grounded and bonded. I am unfamiliar with what bonding is. Grounding should be doable with a rod driven into the ground. What does bonding require? Does it have to happen before the pool is fully assembled?
Also, the side supports of the pool need to be supported, supposedly some kind of 2 x 12 or something and I have seen people discuss using paving stones such as 16 x 16 x 1-1/2 thick. Would these paving stones work ok with a crushed stone base? Some commenters discussed them breaking and I read one recommend reinforced ones. I have never seen reinforced ones online. Are these home made or something? Does someone have a recommendation for supports? If we keep the pool long term, I think we would want to leave it up overwinter. We have mostly mild winters here, no snow most years. So I would want what ever supports I use to last at least 3 years and preferably 5.
Is the pool cover easy to put on and off and if I leave it tied to one side of the pool does that make it easier?
Sorry for all the questions. It just looks like this is going to be a pretty heavy lift for me, and I want to go in prepared as I doubt my body would be able to put this up, be forced to take it down and then be capable of putting it back up again in short order.
Some answers for you:
