Levelling ground for a biggish above ground pool - how??

[partystress]

We are thinking about buying this above ground pool on the basis that if we are not owed a decent summer this year, when are we?

There is nowhere in our garden that is completely level - we're not on a slope, just slightly uneven. Can you just bung sand down to even things out or do you actually need something hard and flat underneath? Any other tips or warnings from experienced owners gratefully received .

Anyone?

Hi, we've got a 12ft one of those. My garden was sloping a bit so I got someone to dig it out a bit to level it and then bought sand to go on the bottom to get a smooth surface as the soil wasn't smooth.

My boys love it. They spent ages in it last summer and have started nagging me to put it up everytime we get a bit of sunshine!

I bought some solar heaters for it to try this year. They connect onto the filter pipe so the water goes through the filter and then through the heaters before going back into the pool.

You'll need chemicals to keep the water clean which will need checking each day. And the filters need changing quite often as they get filled with gung.

Hope this helps.

So that explains your MN name! Thanks v much - good to hear that even last year it was well used. Do you put it away in the winter? If so, do you just put up with a bare sandy patch over the winter or do you cover it with something else? Think we'll try and manage without heaters, but think we might go for a solar cover.

I've used these for about 10 years, they are great fun.

The surface will need to be flat and quite smooth so if you are going to do it with sand, make sure it's fairly fine sand. I'd also put a frame around the sanded area to retain it as all the jumping about in the pool can cause the sand to move and gradually work its way out from under.
Also, think about how you will drain the pool - is there a handy manhole/drain into which you can direct a hose? It's a lot of water to get rid of in the autumn.
I've tried solar heaters and electric heaters but the most economical way I ever found to keep the water bearable was to have a hot water tap fitted outside, drain a couple of inches of water in the morning and top up with hot from the tap. It also helps prolong the life of the filter pads. A solar cover helps too.
The dc used to walk through the front door after school, discard clothes through the house on their way to the garden and get straight into the pool. And when they were in bed, I used to go out and relax by floating on the lilo in it. Fab!

Springlamb you have just described my vision - hope the reality lives up to it! But you have also given me pause for thought because we are not on mains drains. I had naively assumed we would just gradually let it out and the ground would soak it up... Do I need to think again? We do have a manhole but it leads to our sewage treatment/septic tank thingy, which doesn't cope that well with its normal 'load' in periods of heavy rain, so I don't think that's an option.

It's a real lot of water to lose when it comes to the end of the season, partystress.
You could let it siphon into water butts and re-cycle it I suppose but you'd need a lot o barrels. Otherwise, hose it over to an area of garden that can be ignored for a few weeks and accept you have your own personal Marshland.
Don't put the pool up until you've decided how you'll empty it, once it's up it's immoveable.

Yep I take it down over winter (well last winter as only bought it last year). I haven't done anything with the sand - just left it there. It seems to be OK.

Springlamb is right about draining it. It's a hell of a lot of water and takes hours to empty. I attach a hosepipe to mine with the other end in the drain.

Springlamb - like your idea with the hot water. Do you do this in the morning if your children don't use it until after school?

Mine are exactly the same regarding shedding clothes on the way to the pool after school. I live next to their school so 5 mins from the bell going they're in the pool cooling off!