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Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up?
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My above ground pool arrives next week. I have pool and pump/ filter ordered. Tether ordered too.

What else do I need? My neighbor has a mini pool already and says she has more chemicals than she can use- so is going to give me some. We already have fancy test kit for hot tub.

What lessons learned do you have?

This is 14x7x3- so really small but my arms are short.

Can I cover it with a tarp? It appears most covers are sold out. (My neighbors are very chill with kids and will be cool with that short term - cause pandemic and all).
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Moonrocket] [ In reply to ]
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I have an inground pool, but I think the main thing is to keep chlorine levels up. The other water parameters matter, but chlorine is by far the most important.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Moonrocket] [ In reply to ]
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A snorkel is a good idea for tethered swimming. I prefer to have the tether connected to my feet, rather than my waist. Try placing rocks, or pool toys or something on the pool floor. Then you can use those to gauge effort. The farther you pull out the harder you are working.

No cover...unless you live somewhere that gets cool at night. I live in the Dallas area, so I run my pump at night to help keep the pool temp down to reasonable level. In the spring/fall I reverse that to help heat the pool and minimize cooling over-night.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
I have an inground pool, but I think the main thing is to keep chlorine levels up. The other water parameters matter, but chlorine is by far the most important.

Chlorine is only effective within a certain pH range. Get your pH right and your chlorine will do it's job.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
I have an inground pool, but I think the main thing is to keep chlorine levels up. The other water parameters matter, but chlorine is by far the most important.

Ph is also important, as it drives the effectiveness of the chlorine. IMO, as an above ground owner for 15 years...this matters even more in a above ground pool. They tend to be a little warmer during the summer vs. an in-ground. That warmer temp allows algae to grow more easily. So, staying on top of Ph and Chlorine is a little more important than an in-ground.

Also, I tend to use an algicide, for the same reason.

Total alkalinity helps to stabilize Ph....so that it is less sensitive to minor changes in the water chemistry. Again, the point is to maximize the effectiveness of the Chlorine.

So, from a maintenance schedule here's what I do:

Spring:
1. Test and adjust Total alkalinity to 120+ ppm. That's usually good for all summer, except maybe small additions every 6 weeks or so.
2. Add chlorine stabilizer, which helps to minimize loss of chlorine over time. Once a year, only.
3. Adjust Ph.
4. Add chlorine, tabs and heavy shock.
5. Add a heavy dose of algicide.

Weekly:
1. Test Ph: adjust as needed. I almost always need to use Ph-UP. My ph tends to drop over the week. I never need to use Ph DOWN.
2. Add chlorine tabs to the floater.
3. Add a light shock.
4. Add a light dose of algicide.

Monthly:
1. Check total alkalinity, adjust as needed (or after a heavy rain).

There's also filter maintenance...but, that depends on the type of filter. I got rid of my sand filter a decade ago, and replaced it with a cartridge filter style. My filter and pump are both oversized for the pool. Above ground providers usually give you a undersized pump/filter. Again with the warmer water temps, a faster turnover helps with minimizing organic growth.

Over ground also tends to recirc the top portion of the water because the intake (skimmer) is on the surface...as is the return. It helps to have a slight bend in the return that you can point downward and help move the water up from the bottom of the pool. I have a 45 degree elbow on mine angled about half downward.

Last spring I bought a poolbot to clean the floor of the pool. This helps a TON. It also helps with stiring the pool water. But, they are kinda pricey.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Moonrocket] [ In reply to ]
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MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LEVEL AREA TO INSTALL IT ON!!!!!!

You do NOT want to have to drain & take down the pool, to re- level the area. (Unfortunately speaking from experience)

1-2” off level you can live with. Anything over that you’re going to resemble the countless “pool fails” videos on YouTube
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Floating Debris] [ In reply to ]
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Floating Debris wrote:
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LEVEL AREA TO INSTALL IT ON!!!!!!

You do NOT want to have to drain & take down the pool, to re- level the area. (Unfortunately speaking from experience)

1-2” off level you can live with. Anything over that you’re going to resemble the countless “pool fails” videos on YouTube

Thank you everyone!

This is the reason for the mini pool! We only have a 12’ wide X 20’ long flat spot- but checking with a 4’ level it’s really level.

I’m planning on just putting a tarp over the gras and putting pool right on top. It’s kind of dead in that spot already and needs to be re-sodded. Any thoughts on that?

How cold can I go with this pool? It’s 90s day time and 50s at night now and we usually get our first frost mid- sept. I live right outside Boulder.

It will have lots of kid toys in it I’m sure.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Moonrocket] [ In reply to ]
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Moonrocket wrote:

Thank you everyone!

This is the reason for the mini pool! We only have a 12’ wide X 20’ long flat spot- but checking with a 4’ level it’s really level.

I’m planning on just putting a tarp over the gras and putting pool right on top. It’s kind of dead in that spot already and needs to be re-sodded. Any thoughts on that?

How cold can I go with this pool? It’s 90s day time and 50s at night now and we usually get our first frost mid- sept. I live right outside Boulder.

It will have lots of kid toys in it I’m sure.


Ah....that helps a lot. Yes get a cover....a thermal one if you can. There's one made of heavy-duty bubble wrap like stuff. It will help old the heat in. Run your pump during the hottest part of the day to accumulate heat. Check a weather site to find out what time of day the air temp drops below your desired water temp. Only run your pump during that window.

But, realistically once the average outside air temp drops below your desireable swimming temp...it will only take 2-3 days and then your pool will be the same temp as the air. That's the curse of the above ground pool. I have a 16x28', and it is surrounded by a deck on all sides which helps limit heat exchange through the side-walls. And, I live in Dallas...and my above ground is closed by the end of September, and doesn't open until May 1st or so. I could swim longer if I wanted to use a wetsuit. But, it gets cold pretty quick up there in CO after labor day. I lived in Estes/Longmont/Loveland/FtC for 15 years.

ETA: as far as the site-prep goes....I'd give some thought to putting down a layer of sand, to smooth out the lumps on the ground.... Unless your ground is VERY smooth. Are you installing it yourself?
Last edited by: Tom_hampton: Jul 2, 20 9:54
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you! Yes, plan is to install it myself. (Will rope in engineer husband and 10 yo as well.)

It looks pretty straightforward- but I’ll take any tips.

It’s a desperation pool and my s curve is going to have to be good to swim in it. Can I do backstroke on a tether??? It’s more for kids- but will be nice to get a little swimming in. And decide if we want to plan for something bigger next year. I’ve always wanted a pool!

https://www.walmart.com/...mming-Pool/951766229
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Moonrocket] [ In reply to ]
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Biggest thing is just to make sure the floor is smooth before adding too much water. Even an inch is really hard to correct wrinkles. Go slow take you time.

If your husband is an engineer. (like me). I'm sure hell over plan for it anyway.....

Good luck! Have fun.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Tom - Do you know your CYA level, and what FC (Free Chlorine) level do you maintain? I ask because I'm surprised you need to use algicide. I would guess that your CYA level is high from using tablets, which in turn decreases the efficacy of your chlorine. Chlorine levels need to increase as CYA levels increase, and once CYA levels go sky high (anything 100 or higher), it becomes difficult to keep enough chlorine in the pool.

The root cause of high CYA is the use of tablets and shock, which have CYA along with chlorine.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
Tom - Do you know your CYA level, and what FC (Free Chlorine) level do you maintain? I ask because I'm surprised you need to use algicide. I would guess that your CYA level is high from using tablets, which in turn decreases the efficacy of your chlorine. Chlorine levels need to increase as CYA levels increase, and once CYA levels go sky high (anything 100 or higher), it becomes difficult to keep enough chlorine in the pool.

The root cause of high CYA is the use of tablets and shock, which have CYA along with chlorine.

Yes, I'm aware of all of that. CYA typically around 40ppm. FC between 1-2ppm. I rarely (if ever) have to add CYA except in the late spring due to over-winter / spring rains. The level does tend to creep down over time even with the trichlor tablets.

Don't misunderstand...I don't have any issues with algae...except in the spring, when I typically get behind...or rather the pool warms up more than I realize and algae starts growing before I get out there to make the needed season opening adjustments.

However, above ground pools do create the additional challenge of significantly warmer water---which increases bio-activity, and most other chemical reactions. So, I add a small amount of algicide as a bit of insurance. In reality its probably not necessary. Right now, my pool temp is 92F. I need to adjust the pump time-of-day. I think it has skewed back into the warmer portion of the day, again. Adjusting the pump cycle to the cool part of the night, usually helps keep the water temp in the high 80s for most of the summer.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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Okay good to hear. I've had to educate many of my neighbors who have been battling algae, not realizing their pools were sky high in CYA.

Have you considered increasing your FC? FC of 1-2 ppm with a CYA of 40 is low by today's standards, which would recommend 5-7 ppm at that CYA. Something to research.
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
Okay good to hear. I've had to educate many of my neighbors who have been battling algae, not realizing their pools were sky high in CYA.

Have you considered increasing your FC? FC of 1-2 ppm with a CYA of 40 is low by today's standards, which would recommend 5-7 ppm at that CYA. Something to research.

Yeah, I keep it low because everything in an above ground pool is plastic of one kind or another....specifically the pool liner (I'm less concerned about plumbing and other minor bits). So, I've mostly been trying to preserve the pool liner. Its worked well for 15 years, plus however long it was here when we bought the place---going on 20 total. Its getting long in the tooth now, though. New year will probably be "new liner year".
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Re: Who bought a mini pool- any tips for setting up? [Tom_hampton] [ In reply to ]
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I have a question on the sand on the bottom. I bought a tarp more than twice as big as the footprint. I was thinking I could fold it in half and put ~1” of sand on it and fold it into a pillow and gorilla tape seal it together into a tarp/sand/tarp sealed pillow under the pool bladder inside of t’s leg supports. Just to keep the sand in place so it doesn’t wash away into the grass etc.

Do you think this sand tarp pillow idea will work as a ground layer under it? On top of level hard ground of course. I have a 3” slope I need to dig into to get it flat tonight.
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