desertcart.com: Intex Easy Set 10 ft x 30in Above Ground Pool
Set, Round Inflatable Swimming Pool with 330 GPH Cartridge Filter
Pump and Type H Cartridge : Patio, Lawn & Garden
Review: Easy entry point into pool ownership. - The very first
thing to note is 2 things. First, the pool is great. You can't go
wrong here. Second, keep in mind, it's not just the pool you'll
need. The this version of the pool comes with a pump, necessary
hoses, and 2 filters. Intex sells additional filters as singles
or in a pack of 6. The filters you need are: Intex 29000E/59900E.
We bought the 12 foot version in May of 2016. It's worked great
so far. It took about an hour to setup. I used a tarp underneath
which Intex does not recommend, but we did it anyway to protect
the bottom. It took about 3-4 hours to fill up the pool. This one
comes with the pump and filter setup which is a must to keep the
water clean. We also bought some basic pool chemicals, and both
available covers by Intex. The cover we use the most is the solar
cover. Where we live its around 90-100 degrees F daily. You
should also have a strainer for this pool to get the leaves and
larger organic matter out of the pool. The included pump/filter
setup is really just the get the stuff the strainer can't get. As
far as having flat ground, Intex makes a big deal about having
this pool level. See the picture of our setup. It's basically
like a big bag, so think of what happens when you fill a bag with
water on an uneven surface. It's going to roll to one side a bit.
In my case the ground is about 4 inches lower on one side than
the other. The pool still works fine in my opinion, just the
water is not as deep as it could be, but I have a 2 year old and
a 4 year old. The 2 year old can touch the bottom with ease yet
the pool is still deep enough to for my 4 year old to swim laps
and for my 6.5 foot frame to swim under water. I've never
maintained my own pool before so I got some water test strips, PH
booster, and Chorine Sanitizer. I have to put about 1/3 cup
chlorine in per week. Go easy on the PH booster because using
that will increase the Total Alkalinity, I recommend the Clorox
pool products. Intex recommends you change the filter every 2
weeks. The first time I changed the filter at two weeks I saw
surprised at how much gunk was in it. It seems like you could
clean it yourself to extend the life of the filter but will try
that next time. For a season Intex sells a six pack of filters so
I bought that as well. For the cost the pump is clearly cheap,
but seems to be well made considering the limit budget for
materials. The pump on the 12 foot pool will filter 500 gallons
per hour so you should plan to leave it on for at least 3 hours
on most days. Also bought Intex's foot bath to wash the feet
before getting in the pool (shown in picture). That helps to keep
the junk out. Final price including a few pool Toys was about
$350, including the $79 for the pool. So expect to pay more than
just the cost of the pool, but after searching all over for an
above ground temporary pool (one with no frame and expensive
pump/filter setups) I can't be happier so far with this one. Just
the thing we needed to keep cool in the summer and provide some
fun for the kids. Aug 2016 update: Everything is going great. At
one point, I had a problem with Green Algae, but apparently so
did the pools in Rio for the Olympics. I n my case the problem
ended up being too much Stabilizer, which prevented the Chlorine
from doing it's job. I ended up replacing my chemicals and tester
strips. Make sure your test kit includes a test for Stabilizer. I
purchased the AquaChek 551236 7-Way 100 Count Pool Water Test
Strips and I'm very happy with those.
Review: I like it! - I wasn't sure what to think about this pool
because I had seen some mixed reviews. It did take me three
different tries to set up the pool on three different days, but
that is because I kept needing to relevel the pool manually with
a shovel. Ultimately I just decided to risk it and set the pool
up even though there was a slight...couple of inch difference in
the levelness of the pool on one quarter section. I had read some
reviews that insisted that the pool must be exactly perfectly
level.... And am relieved to report that even though mine is
slightly off due to some rock impeding my ability to achieve
perfect level ground.... The pool has been up for almost 2 months
now and it's doing just fine. I think if a whole half of the pool
were off, this would be different. In any case, I have friends
over regularly to do water aerobics and it's a lovely time. Pool
is still going great. The pump works pretty good, but you are
definitely going to need one of those vacuum things. I bought one
on desertcart I think it was by Intex as well for 28 bucks. If
you have any trees letting off leaves, you will want the pool
vacuum thing. I also bought a pool skimmer device but haven't
attached it yet because surprisingly the pool is pretty easy to
maintenance if you do it everyday. The pool does not require as
much work as some people make it out to be in my opinion. I find
it easier to leave the pool uncovered and just fish out the
leaves everyday. It motivates me to also use the pool on a
regular basis and makes it easier to monitor the pool's
cleanliness when I can actually see it. In terms of chemical
maintenance, I just bought some 3-in chlorine tablets, put some
chlorine stabilizer in every now and then because of its exposure
to sun.... (The sun destroys chlorine more quickly for those who
don't know and the sun also promotes the growth of algae if the
pool is not adequately chlorinated.) I also shocked the pool when
it gets cloudy, which has only been once in the last 2 months. I
am usually pretty bad about maintaining stuff, so if maintaining
the pool is easy for me, it should probably be pretty easy for
most people. Seriously. It's a small pool and it has a filter
that runs on a timer. I should also note that I don't like using
the cover. It catches leaves and other crap that end up going
into the pool when you remove the cover anyway. So it's easier
for me to just leave the cover off and fish out some leaves
whenever I see them floating. If they sit on the cover too long
they disintegrate, and then you have to break out the vacuum
instead of just using a net. I realize at this point it's at the
end of pool season, but what a great time to get a deal on this
pool. I'm disappointed I didn't wait a little longer to buy it
because it was more than $100 cheaper a month after I bought it.
Finally, I need to go back to the pool setup. It was actually
very easy. Surprisingly easy. It would have been easier if my
land were already level. Nevertheless it was so easy, that I set
the pool up and took down the pool three separate times three
days in a row while trying to get the thing level. I didn't fill
it all the way the first two times but did on the 3rd. This pool
is over 5,000 gallons, so be prepared for a giant water bill.
Where I live, my water bill ended up being about $170. The base
bill is normally $35.... And I don't normally pay more than $35
so.... Count on a steep waterbill whenever you fill it. As long
as this pool holds up for a while, I would definitely recommend
buying it again. And if anything happens in the next year or so,
I'll update this. Otherwise you can assume that it's still going
strong.
