To get one of those massive pools in my garden this summer?

[ziggiestardust]

DH and I are weighing it up, because last summer we were absolutely baking and wishing we could make better use of the garden.

This summer, we've moved into a place with a bigger garden and I'm considering getting something like this The cost of filling it doesn't really bother me, it'd be great to try and get DS (3.5) in the water more often, we would be able to enjoy being home a bit more, and our friends would love it as well I bet!

However, the thing looks awful. Just awful. It really is an eyesore, and what if we have a terrible summer? Then it's wasted, and the grass will take an age to recover (although nothing that couldn't be sorted with a bit of tlc and some grass seed at the end of the summer).

What shall we do?

Don't do it!

I got an easy up pool last year as DS hates being hot.

It took ages to fill up.

Cost a fortune in water treatment kits and a filter pump which hardly made any difference.

It was freezing and DS only went in it twice.

Then it went mouldy and had to be put in the bin.

Complete waste of money and time.

You can get heaters for them but they are about £50. Filter was about £40 and treatment kit was £25. The filter didn't get all the little bits of crap out so we had a carpet of mud bits on the bottom on our pool.

The grass is only just recovering.

I have one of these

They are great,Ive had one for years. ( got bigger ones as the kids got bigger ). Mine is 16 foot by 36 inches deep I think. I got one of these so I dont use ANY chemicals,just attach it to the filter.

The pool fills up easy and you dont have to worry about the kids collapsing the sides. It folds away and stores really easy in the fall too

theoldtrout I like the idea of the salt system; doesn't it make your eyes sting though?

We've got one of the ones Reallytired posted too

We've got a heater and treatment thing for it

We got the pool on offer a couple of years ago, with heater, etc, it was about £150 ish if I remember

Not the most sensible purchase ever granted, it takes ages to fill, it's a PITA to empty and put away and it knackered the grass but the kids absolutely love it and have great fun every summer

Salt is fine - its used a lot in baby swimming pools as its gentler than chlorine. Plus a lot of the swimming instructors I know go for the salt based system as its easier to maintain and cheaper.

I think I probably will go ahead and treat the family to one, even if it does turn out to be absolutely freezing! I can always buy a heater as well. Thanks for all the advice

My friend got one year instead of going on holiday. She also got a heater and a chlorine kit thing. She said there was quite a bit involved with keeping the water clean, one year all her DC's friends ended up with ear infections. Cleaning it out at the end of summer was a mucky job. She said she had to climb inside and scrub out all the muck.
Having said all that the DC absolutely loved it and said they preferred having the pool for the whole summer than lots of days out or a holiday.

chicken yes, I'm thinking about getting one of those Krystal clear systems, or an automatic chlorinator thing to keep on top of it rather than just using test strips and balancing it myself. They're expensive, but it seems worth it!

That sounds good. It's nice being able to have staying in days in the summer and enjoying the garden.

ziggiestardust The water isnt actually salty,well not enough to taste or irritate eyes or skin. When we fill the pool we dump 1 1/2 bags pool salt in (depends on pool size ). The system makes its own chlorine when it comes on. we switch it ob for a couple hours in the evening after Dd is done playing in it. Ive never added a single chemical to the pool,no shock,no algicide nothing. Ive had the salt water system for years,would never not have one. The only problem we had was that the pump and filter that came with the pool was on the very lowest power that the system would work with,played silly buggers some times. we just bought the next size up filter ( was $30 ) and had no problems since.

I also know from experience that the 8 and 10 foot pool is the PERFECT size for an adult to sit on the bottom of with lovely cool water up to mid chest and the inflatable ring at the ideal hight to rest head and arms on while clutching a long cold rum/gin/pims/beer drink :o

OOh yeah and to keep the muck off the bottom you can get this great little vacuum like thing you attach to a broom handle and a hose,they are wicked cheap and work like a charm

this

End of season just run the saltwater system for a couple hours,vacuum, drain and fold away till next year.

How many days is it hot enough to warrant a pool though?

We have friends who have built a proper pool 'enclosure' for one of these.

They cleared the grassed, packed down sand and put up a proper pool fence.

In the summer up it goes and then in the autumn it comes down again so they don't have to maintain it.

Very good idea IMO, but we are in Oz so it is worth it and we do have proper rules about fences etc.

If you posted this in an Australian forum you would be flamed. An unfenced pool is a huge drowning risk for your toddler. It takes about a minute for a toddler to drown and it is a silent death.

You could get a small paddling pool that can be emptied after use?

I agree with aussiemum, I'm in NZ and you would be shot down like a tonne of bricks. You would have to be watching him all the time and he should know how to swim, especially with no fence. Toddlers drown so easily especially if the don't know how to swim. I really wouldn't recommend letting him go into the pool without an adult.

Just get a smaller paddling pool- easier, cheaper and safer.

If we had any of these I literally would not sleep! DP nought similar and I drew a line in the sand and said no way. ESP after googling and finding that drowning is the highest cause of death for under fives in US. Seriously it's not worth it! At. All!
Link:
m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5155542

Not to mention that most of those happen within a few metres of their parents see (see mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/)

Good grief, why on EARTH would I let DS near the pool on his own?! He doesn't even go out into the garden unsupervised! Surely no one does? A paddling pool is just as much of a risk if you're not going to bother supervising them properly I think.

Surely a toddler stands more chance of drowning in a paddling pool than the pool you posted in your OP?
Once the steps are removed from the OP's pool it looks reasonably safe.

I find the last few posts exceptionally patronising. I'm guessing OP knows how to parent her children.

Not patronising, we have just had in drummed into us forever.

And still, so many are lost every year or if not lost, then often left brain damaged.

Unfenced pools/toddlers not properly supervised around water makes me feel all cold sweaty.

When we had a pool, with a proper fence etc, I still regularly double checked the back doors/windows/gates.

We have a 10' pool for the summer. and a 3 year old & a 1 year old. Neither goes into the back garden without an adult present anyway so not a problem. Vigilant parenting works for us. If we can't be out there neither can the children.

That's a shame really because though my children are now teenagers, I have many fond memories of warm summer days where my littlies ran in and out of the patio doors to the garden while I kept half an eye on them as I got on with other stuff.

we had a huge pool that was the biggest inflatable type we could get when ours were young, many a happy hour spent in a small inflatable boat or on inflatable jet skis ahhh fond memories

I know are naff but I fancy one of those massive inflatable jacuzzis!

That was our thinking when buying AnyFucker.

So much more relaxed without one.

I'd prefer them to be able to but it's just not suitable for them to run in and out. Maybe when they're a bit more sensible