Just ordered an above ground pool, were we daft or will it be the best thing?

[drivinmecrazy]

We've just ordered a pool for the garden but now I'm feeling buyers remorse.
Will we actually use it or will it stand unused or loved?
We're a family of DH & I and two DDs (late teens) and a high energy five month old puppy.
Just wondering if the water will be too cold to enjoy or will we wonder why we didn't get one before?
I will add that haven't had one previously because usually we spend the summer holidays at my mums in Spain. But this year DD2 is finishing her a levels so we're going on our travels early and will be home for half of July and all of august.
Tell me all the good things that are coming our way this summer

I've just bought one too, OP!

We had our 10 ft paddling pool for yonks and the kids loved it - but the inflatable ring at the top burst years ago and it's been persistently wonky and a PITA to fill up ever since. (I have to stand over it for 2 hours, pulling up the sides as it fills)

This year, I pulled it out to find that it has been nibbled by micelings!! So it's well and truly spent. I have now ordered a 12 ft pole type one. Replete with sand pump, ladder, chlorine and net, also solar cover. Hoping it lasts as long as the old pool and is even better, because it's definitely an improvement.

Usually we go to the local swimming pool once a week throughout the year. If we skip just 6 family visits to said pool, and use this one instead, I have "made my money back"

Can't bloody wait to get it set up! How long do other posters find that theirs takes to fill?

We’ve had one for several years. It gets filled once, then we manage the filtering/ hoovering/ chlorinating/ testing so that we don’t need to fill it again. It is brilliant.

We had a smaller one during covid then the mice chewed through it. I was 😡

Had totally forgotten about them until I seen your post op. Think I will treat us to one for this summer.

In the bigger ones can you swim lengths?

Just seen an 18ft one on Amazon I am tempted to buy its £800 though.

@GnomeDePlume - the fiddling about is the best bit IMO!

@ToneDeath ours is 2mx3m and takes around half a day, maybe a bit longer.

We bought a 4.5m by 2.2m last summer and loved it. I would recommend foam pads underneath to slow heat loss and protect against stones or banging of heads.

I went with a filter and floating chlorine tablets and have had crystal clear water.

Keep a pool cover on to help convert the suns heat when not in use (dark covers only).

I have a solar heater but not sure how well this works as it’s the first time of use.

I am toying with using a chimnea and piping to heat the pool this year but need to work out how to do this safely but this is to extend the use later in the year.

Kids love it and have been in nearly every day.

Enjoy and was the best £160 I spent last year!

That’s good going, I was advised that Intex normally last for three seasons and anything more is a bonus!

There are much cheaper shops. I bought mine through a company in Germany who deliver to the UK. They were much, much cheaper than Amazon.

So pleased I posted, my buyers remorse has dissipated.
Any tips when filling it, I've read that it's useful to have someone on hand to iron out the creases as it fills?
Also how durable is the lining? If the dog decides he wants a dip would it be the end of it?

SiL did have to empty and refill theirs once last year - looking very murky after loads of kids were in it after Gds’ outdoor birthday party on the hottest day of the year 😱- sun cream plus (we suspect) some of the little dears peeing in it…

Must say I’ve enjoyed sitting in Gdcs’ pool on a very hot day, and having SiL bring me a nice cold G&T 😎

Ddog loves my neighbours one, he went in by accident (he'd been playing ball with the children in the communal car park whilst we were pottering and followed them into their garden, he hopped straight in!) and now they call over the fence for him to come around. Great in warm weather, their parents are laid back and think it's hilarious

Thanks @Huytffdddc the 18ft one had rubbish reviews. I would like one that I could swim in.

I actually swam in the river yesterday early morning so not much time for it to warm up! Was a bit "ooh" getting in but it was refreshing and I got used to it very quickly
Imagine a pool would be fine!

We had to enforce a clean feet rule to stop getting dirt in it (camping mat with towel by the side before climbing in) and positioned the pool, during covid, near a tree so I tied a bungee cord around me and I could swim crawl in a static position it was great fun if a tad cold!

Yes get as many creases out as possible before adding water, then stay in the pool as it fills (for a short time) and get as many as you can out, you only have a few cms before you won't be able to remove creases anymore, check the legs are straight and even as it fills too.

We love our pool, have always had one since I was about 12, now my children are that age.

Maintenance isnt hard work if you keep on top of it, especially chlorine and netting out any debris.

But on weeks like this, it's so so so worth it.

Ohh do you have a link/names please? I am going to replace ours next year for certain (and maybe this year) and am a bit 😯at how expensive they are now. I got ours for well under £100 pre-covid. I really want one of the Bestway ones that have little porthole windows in the sides!

You can buy the intex foot bath things but a washing up bowl of water could do the same thing just to remove any grass etc. We just brushed off as best as we could when we remembered and let the pool hoover and filters do the rest of it. Dc did like the net though.
ive just been reminded that that summer dh was referred to as the pool boy as he was constantly out there tinkering with something or other 😂 he does enjoy tinkering, suits me as I just want to get in and have fun 🤣

Do you have a groundsheet for it? We found this protected the bottom well. Also, totally obvious but absolutely check for stones etc before starting to fill it. We always put ours up on the patio to get it as level as possible.

Do you know where you will drain it to? It's worth having a piece of hose (which will reach) ready just in case you need to empty it before you expected to.

I'm going to jump on this thread hoping for some advice please? We bought one a couple of weeks ago and I just can't get the chemical levels right! The pH was fine, alkalinity low and chlorine non existent even after shocking. What do I need to do?!

I think if you shock it, it should be at night as sunlight breaks down the chlorine (or something...??). I've never been able to get the alkalinity right in ours either. We have soft water - maybe that's something to do with it?

If it rains for the next 3 months we know who to blame. 🤣

My old Staffy clambered in after we ordered one the other day as I rushed out to stop her in case it did ruin the lining but much to my surprise it withstood her sharp claws and fat arse and she’s nowhere near light at just under half my weight so I’m assuming your pup will be fine altho you may want to lift him in if he struggles with the jump. We had a smaller version last year but it was defo worth upgrading to the one we have now.

What I will say tho is make sure chemical levels are correct before and make sure to rinse them off after as I’m unsure if it’d dry their skin out mine suffer from allergies though so may be being overly careful as I know many a dog in hotter countries happily enjoy a normal pool

We also got a bigger version of the foam jigsaw type mats like the child’s play ones as a smooth and flat base which I recommend as it is a lot more comfortable when in there.

Crazy that's really reassuring.
We have a five month old Weimaraner so not a small puppy!
Great to see your dog enjoying the pool!