above ground pool advice

[Fumanzoku]

Any above ground pool owners out there have any advice ?
I'm about to purchase one of the larger ones for the
first time, ABAK and TEMPO "EDG" whatever that is, seem
to be the best value, I can't see much difference between the two, the second is EUR 160 more.

Kit piscine TEMPO ovale 7,30 x 3,70 m "EDG"
Dimensions : 7,30 x 3,70 m - Hauteur 1,2 m - avec
echelle double sans plateforme - Liner : 45/100 -
Margelles : 15 cm

- Hauteur : 1,20 m

- Paroi acier beige uni paisseur 40/100me

- 5 jambes de force de chaque ct en acier galvanis

- liner 45/100me bleu uni

- Vritable platine de filtration 6m3/h sable livre
avec du sable

- Tapis de sol imputrescible 200 gr/m2

- Echelle double sans plate-forme

- Cassette vido de montage


Kit piscine Acier "SAPHIR" ABAK 7.3 x3.7 x1.2 m
Kit complet - Bche bulles + Tapis de sol inclus
Margelles :15 cm - Filtration 6m3/h

- Structure en tle d'acier ondule paisseur 40/100,

galvanise chaud (traitement anticorrosion) prlaque
peinte, avec dcoupe skimmer et buse de refoulement
pour installation du systme de filtration extrieur.

- Garantie 1 an anticorrosion.

- 1 Liner : en PVC uni, souple, trait anti UV, soud
haute frquence, paisseur 35/100 pour une parfaite
tanchit.

- Margelles suprieures larges, 15 cm, laques avec
pices de jonction pour la fixation.

- Des profils mtalliques infrieurs et suprieurs.

- Des poteaux verticaux larges, 13 cm, en acier
galvanis chaud, laqus.

- Des jambes de force (2x5 jambes) et montants verticaux
13 cm pour une parfaite rigidit de la piscine.

- 1 kit de filtration complet 6 m3/h avec sable, tuyaux,
raccords, colliers de serrage ainsi que l'ensemble
skimmer et buse de refoulement.

- 1 Echelle peinte 2 x 4 marches 1,30 m

- 1 Bache bulle polyethylene

- Tapis de sol



TIA

[Washy]

Hi, we bought an above ground pool last year and have just been cleaning it up for this year. Ours has a wooden surrond and goes together like a log cabin, then the liner slots along a plastic channel and is held in place by the water. This we found to be very sturdy and withstood the neighbour's three kids running around the precariously (to me) narrow "margeles" and diving in for hours. Whereas we had problems with this in previous years when we inherited a steel sided pool from friends.

We bought at this time of year,in fact the weather was better and we bought it at Tridome in Narbonne in April 2003, for 1699 euros, on offer, they must have been the previous years stock as the prices went UP thnext week, so we were pleased wih ourselves.

The instructions were only in French so I translated these but self assembly was very easy including the sand fitre and pump, absolutely everything as included as your lists, even down to the alan keys, glue to stick liner around skimmer, repair kit (not needed so far!), every screw was counted and we had some extras. We did not get a video, but then the construction was simple.

Took ages to fill with water, but that's normal. The steps were not the sort of rem ovable up and over type, tey are wooden sloping steps on the outside and a typical metal pool set inside the pool. I find this hard to use as I have arthritic hips so we are looking to make a sloping set for inside as well.

Now, one can become obsessed about pool science. I did last year, testing the water, PH up Ph down, etc etc., do not be tempted to change the water if it goes like pea soup, getting the Ph balance right is hey key and I am sure someone else here could come up with any easy way to get this right.Knowing the cubic metrage of your pool is essential, there is a mathematical formula for calculating this......remind me someone???

We bought pre-filter nets which saved the pump grinding to a halt when it filled with rubbish, I certainly recommend these, we tried to use an old pair of tights, but they disintegrated in the skimmer, chemicals I suppose. Anyway these are washable and re-useable.

You will need a scoop for surface and bottom leaves. A thermometer is interesting but not essential. We bought a pool bottom cleaner, chugs around the pool on its own attached to the skimmer, not electric just works on suction from the pump this is excellent.

Site your pool on grass if possible. We had no option but to site ours on soil/shale but we bought an outdoor "carpet" and put a footbath next to the steps and this saves some muck getting in to the bottom of the pool.

A thermal cover is worthwhile as this will conserve heat and keep out some debris on a daily basis.

Warn visitors about too much sun oil as this really messes up a small pool.

At the end of the season we bought a very cheap plastic cover, and put in the winter chemicals. The cover was very hard to remove as it streatched down into the pool and the weight of water was immense. We are going to devise a way of making this like a tent over the pool so that it deflects leaves and water.

I hope this helps, get it up and running soon as summer is with us for sure now........

[Mpprh]

Hi

I've got a few notes about pools here : http://tlp.netfirms.com/pool.htm

I don't know too much about above ground pools, but local knowledge says :

Base must be absolutely flat

The base is crucial (1m3 = 1ton) and above ground pools are normally 25+m3

The liner is the weakest link - get the thickest liner you can

They heat up and cool down faster than in ground pools

Here, they break the 30C water temp barrier quite often in summer and this can result in algae problems

In very hot weather (40+C) it may be worth covering them by day and leaving open at night

Many locals just leave them uncovered in winter and sort out the mess in Spring

Be conscious that pool chemicals (galettes, ph+, ph-, hivernage, Cl shock, floculant) can damage the liner if not well diluted

Even the small ones are expensive to refill with domestic tap water (better to preserve the existing water, than replace)

Sand filters are more efficient than the cartridge types

Build a shelter for the sand filter

The fine yellow sand from the sahara is too small for the filter - pump it out to waste

As the temp increases, keep an eye on Cl (sunlight accelerates usage)

So, pool news from here - the winter cover was taken off two weeks ago. The sahara sand, etc was vacuumed out to waste.
Now clear and around 23C. I've even been in a couple of times.

Peter










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