desertcart.com: INTEX Ultra XTR 32 ft x 16 ft 52 in Above Ground
Pool Set, Rectangular Swimming Pool with Steel Frame, 2800 GPH
Sand Filter Pump, Ladder, Cover, & Ground Cloth : Patio, Lawn &
Garden
Review: Great pool, best desertcart purchase ever. - It's been
one year since we bought our Intex 24x12 pool. My wife sent me
link to a intex pool on Prime day for a really good price.
Honestly a above ground pool never crossed my mind, we talked
about a in ground but of course the price always scared us away.
I pulled the trigger on the pool quickly after reading the
reviews. Then it kind of set in what I did when I read that I had
to clear grass out and level the ground. In august heat! I didn't
know what to do with the foundation, do I get sand, do I use foam
boards? It seems every time I had a plan, I would read about
someone else saying NOT to do it that way. I made the decision to
rent a sod cutter (def do this) remove the grass and attempt to
level the dirt by hand. We set a date for install, rented the sod
cutter and we sweated the day away playing in the dirt. We used
long 2x4's with a level on it to attempt on getting the ground
level. I decided to get one of the ground covers made to go under
the pool, as well as the tarp that comes with the pool. No sand
or pavers, since they have a tendency to break. Fed up with
research I just decided to stick to our plan of no sand or pavers
and get it as level as we could. After the ground was ready pool
install was very easy. Starting filling and let it fill
overnight. One thing I wish I did was pay more attention to the
legs. A few of them didn't get pulled out all the way and they
are a little crooked. Once water is in the pool to force them out
there is no way you are moving them, so that's how they still
sit. Our pool did not turn out to be level. There I said it! If
yours isn't perfect don't worry about it. Ours is off maybe two
inch's in both directions and to the normal person they will
never notice. Ours has survived all winter, kids playing, few
pool parties and numerous torrential down pours. Maintenace is
also fairly easy and once you get a routine and see what works it
gets even easier. I run my pump for 8 hours a day. 4 hours in the
morning before I leave for work and then I run it for another 4
when I get home. I put a chlorine tablet in a floater until its
gone and also a clarifier/alkalinity tablet maybe twice a week.
So far this summer my levels are always perfect and in the middle
range. I do have a skimmer and I also hand skim it probably once
a night just for piece of mind. It's kind of relaxing for me. I
also vacuum maybe every two weeks, but I do skim the bottom when
I'm in the pool and remove debris that way too. I had one algae
issue end of last summer but that was my fault for not keeping up
with the chemicals and pump routine. Took numerous shocks and
cleaning to fix it but it did clear up. I also backwash once a
week mainly due to my pump pressures getting too high and the
flow rate goes down unless I backwash. Not a big deal. We use the
pool almost every day. Kids swim during the day and I enjoy
getting in at night to wind down before I shower and go to bed.
Water temp stays warm (we are in southern VA) and I mainly cover
it only if we aren't going to use it for a few days or if I'm
trying to bring the temps up. We do have a solar bubble wrap
looking cover and it does work. Mainly need it for early summer
or when the nighttime temps start dropping. Peak summer it's not
needed. It really is a nice pool. I'm not sure what it is but the
water seems to stay clearer than most in ground set up's. Liner
feels good on your feet, and it's an attractive pool. 100%
recommend the pool for the price. Yes, the ladder isn't great,
and you need to get a skimmer, but other than that I can't find
any other issues. For winter I bought a winterizer kit,
inflatable pillows, huge tarp and removed the pump. It stayed
clear all winter and after I uncovered it, we were swimming the
next day. Very impressed with that. So, if you are reading this
you are thinking about this pool i would say go for it. Your kids
and friends will love it!
Review: Solid Pool! - This will probably be a lengthier review
than I would normally commit to, but I hope it helps somebody.
Read on to find out what you need to know before getting this or
any above ground pool. I ordered the 24ft by 12ft Intex Ultra for
the family. It was a decent price, but a little scary for the
budget minded do it yourselfer. I researched, and priced some
hard sided above ground pools, and man are they expensive! A
company here in Arkansas wanted $10,000.00 dollars for a 24ft
round above ground pool. I had to provide a dump truck full of
sand and have electric hooked up to the area for filters, but for
that price it came with the sand filter, and tools plus
chemicals. Still, THATS ALOT OF MONEY FOR AN ABOVE GROUND POOL! I
had a 12ft easy set big blue thing a few years ago and learned
some things about setting up a pool that helped me with this one.
This is what you really need to know!!! What you pay for this
pool will not be the price in the end meaning that there will be
costs associated with ground leveling, etc... The Intex Ultra is
an excellent pool, and I believe, a good value for what you get.
I bought the package with the pool and sand filter. (You must
have a sand filter or your pool will suck.) Paper filters are
junk and all you do is change them. Dont do it. This one comes
with a nice sand filter! Next you need to know that when setting
up a pool this size that a level surface is key! It is an
absolute! DO NOT set these pools up with one side higher than the
other. The pool will sag on the sides and will eventually
implode. I have a gravel area in my back yard where I put this
pool. I built a 1x4 treated lumber frame 28ft by 18ft and leved
the frame with a string and a line level (clips to the string).
Then I raked out the gravel until it was as close to level as I
could get it (it was within a quarter of an inch everywhere
inside the frame. Then I bought 1 inch thick foam board
insulation at the home improvement store. They sell it in 4ft by
8ft sheets like plywood. I put that down on the gravel inside the
frame and taped all of the seams with gorilla tape. (Note... if a
rock gets under your pool liner it will eventually create a
hole.) So the foam board gives your pool floor a nice cushy feel
and protection from whatever lurks underneath. The setup of the
pool was pretth simple, but it was hard work in the hot sun. My
Wife and I put it up with no issues. The instructions are good
and they explain everything well. We put a 12x12 inch paver under
each leg as recommended by the manufacturer. The legs would sink
into the ground, foam, sand or whatever if you do not do this. It
is important! After that we began to fill the pool. We set up the
filter, and eight hours later we were swimming! This pool is a
nice pool. It is sturdy, affordable, and big enough to allow for
swimming and fun. Small rinky dink pools always seem to be a
dissapointment, but it depends on the room you have. These are
the notes to remember with this or any above ground pool. Your
area must be level! Your foundation must protect the liner. (Any
rocks, sticks, roots, etc... will eventually pierce the liner no
matter how good it is.) This pool comes with a "ground cloth" we
put this over our foam floor, but it is simply a tarp. It has
very little protection value. You must place blocks under the
legs of the pool to keep it from sinking. The 24'x12' pool that I
bought hold 8,500 gallons of water. That is over 4 tons of
weight! The legs will sink if they do not have a proper
foundation. I hope this helps someone looking to invest in some
family fun. I plan on encasing this pool with treated wood to
make it a more permanent feature at our home. Good luck!
