Anyone have a pool? Just some info I found to maintain...

[burmjohn]

I've always wanted my own pool. I didn't want to dive into a above ground or in ground (never will happen to expensive) with out trying out to see if I was a "pool" guy. I know they can be a headache if your not on top of them. I did my research, and I bought one of those easy setup Intex pools... Wow... This this is great, it let me get a pool setup and going in a matter of a few hours for less then $300. I ended up tossing the stock crap filter and getting a real sand filter instead.

Its a 15 Round 48 inches high, 3,800 gallons, not to shabby for a temp pool.

Anyways, I went on the net to read about pool maintenance, and found this great site that goes over a method called the BBB method. BBB = Bleach, Borax and Baking soda. Not only does it work, it makes the water sparkle and you do not need any of those pool store chemicals. I test the water ever other day and everything is always pretty much perfect. Dump a little bleach in here and there to keep the chlorine level where it needs to be and the pool just sparkles. The key is a really good testing kit and staying on top of that FC level.

Long story short after the last 2 weeks, I think I'm a pool guy. Been in there every day taking the baby in to get her used to splashing and kicking. Wife has been using it as well. During these past few hot weeks our backyard would be nearly useless without having a pool to hangout and cool off in.

You can read on the BBB method here: http://www.troublefr...ners-t5208.html

[BizCT]

that puddle must be piss warm! Gotta be close to 90 degrees no?

[burmjohn]

LOL... was 86 yesterday, and today.. .Tomorrow I bet it will hit 88.

[BizCT]

yea, high 80's and you can stay in there for hours upon hours.

[SplitG2]

I have an inground freeform and love it. My two boys can't get enough.

[Zhe Wiz]

I used that site this year too. We moved into this house on January 13th, it included my first pool, an in-ground 20x40. Using TFP's BBB method I was finally able to clear up the pool. Ended up converting to a salt pool 10 days ago using advice on TFP and haven't added any chemicals manually since. Great site.

Zhe Wiz

[WNYBuckHunter]

Good stuff! We are thinking about putting an above ground in next spring at our new house. My mom had a pool that I had the chore of cleaning and upkeep when I was in high school. We always used regular pool chems, but Ill have to give this way a try next year.

[ants]

Thanx for the info. Im gonna try it. I've had an in ground for years and I spend a fortune every year on the chemicals. Infact the pool clouded up the other day and so far I've spent at least $30 trying to clear it up.

[Cabin Fever]

I've had an 18'x32' inground for 15 years now, as it was here when I bought the house... Never hated anything anymore than I do that thing! It's a freeking money pit! ALL last summer, my daughter was in it 7x, my son was in it 2x, and my wife 3x! Yet, ya still gotta skim, vaccuum, add water, run the pump/filter, and add chemicals! As hot as this summer has been, my daughter has only been in it 5x and my son 2x! My wife hasn't even gotten in at all! I haven't been in it in 3 years now!! No one wants to help clean it, but they expect it to be clean when they do want to use it! I'm in the process of putting my house on the market now and the next house will NOT have a pool!!

John, you've only had that pool for 2 weeks, so you're still in the honeymoon phase! But, being that size, it won't be anywhere near as bad as maintaining a big inground, where every leaf and piece of debris blows across the ground and into the pool!

Edited July 7, 2012 by Cabin Fever

[moosemike]

Yinz need to move a little farther south then you'll appreciate those pools. It's 100 degrees here right now, i just wish I had a pool to jump in!

[ants]

"Money pit" is right!!! Between the cost of buying the pool, landscaping around it, adding a patio, running the filter and buying the chemicals every year I could have sent one of my kids through college. I'm SERIOUS!!! AND THE WIFE & KIDS DON'T EVEN GO IN IT THAT MUCH ANYMORE!!!!!!!!

[Cabin Fever]

When you don't have one, or have to pay for one, a pool sure sounds great! It's been the 90's and humid for the past week and the pool has been used 1x!! The wife and kids pester me to open it, then it gets used a VERY few times all summer long! It would be a hell of a lot cheaper for me to buy them season tickets to the waterpark ~25 minutes away! I honestly despise that pool!!

It would be a lot easier if it was an aboveground, but I bet it would get used a lot less too! They mainly use the diving board and slide when they actually do get into the pool. When my son (17) brings friends over to swim, he gets in for ~5min to cool off, then he just sits out, bored with the pool!

[burmjohn]

I was a water rat growing up, so I'd love my kid to be one as well. I've had her in every day getting her used to splashing and whatnot. The wife is actually using it daily too. I'll see how it goes after this season, if its a success and we all use it then I'll venture into a bigger above ground. Using that BBB method on that website really makes the pool maint pretty freaking easy. I just test it every other day, 5 min of my time and it sparkles.

[ants]

Cabinfever---We are on the EXACT SAME PAGE!!! It's about 90 out right now and no one is even home!!!! My son is running around the neighborhood with friends and the wife and girls are at the stink'n MALL !!!

[ny hunter]

We had a inground when we were growing up as we all got older and were never home no one was using the pool,so dad said that was it had the pool removed and the hole filled in.he spent hours cleaning that pool and no one was using it.I belong to a club now,I would never get a pool.

[Paula]

Cabinfever---We are on the EXACT SAME PAGE!!! It's about 90 out right now and no one is even home!!!! My son is running around the neighborhood with friends and the wife and girls are at the stink'n MALL !!!

and you were on the computer

[burmjohn]

Im going in my pool again today for a few hours... Loving it so far

[Deerthug]

I live in a community of homes that runs a private pool for those families only about 30 homes. Cost is $450 per famiy for the season. Memorial day to Labor day. Its right down the block from my home and hardly anyone goes there. Best investment I made 20 yrs ago. No need to worry about maintaining it.

[ants]

Paula....ya got me!!

[Zhe Wiz]

It is expensive, that's for sure. Right now I have a 12 year old and a 9 year old and the are in it CONSTANTLY, quite often with friends. With the Chlorine generator all I have to do is vacuum every day or every other day which takes a half hour at most. I have no trees around it, so very little gets blown into the pool. I don't see that it's as bad as everyone says! Then again, I'm still in the honeymoon stage too, so we'll see in a few years how I feel.

I didn't want the pool at all. I wanted the house and land, the pool just happened to be there. No regrets so far though, the pool has been great. if it weren't for TFP I'd probably feel differently too. The chemistry was a mystery until I started reading that site.

Zhe Wiz