Intex Ultra Frame Pool Hard Plumbing

[PoolDoc]

Hi LabMom;

I'm guessing you had a previous AG pool, replaced it with the Intex, and reused the gear from the earlier pool?

There's nothing wrong with that . . . except for one thing. Intex pools are NOT designed for high flow pumps and filters, and using the Intex suction inlet with such a connection is potentially very hazardous. I'm not sure which pump you have, but most Hayward 1HP pumps can literally suck the guts out of a child, if they are hooked up wrong. I mean that 100% literally - your child's organs could end up in the pump strainer basket. (I hope I'm scaring you -- I'm really trying hard!)

Please send photos of what you have, and how you've hooked it up, to poolforum@gmail.com. I'm far less concerned about your hoses than I am your children.

[SafetyBob]

Labmom56, I have had reasonable success using the rubber plumbing connectors designed to connect PVC plumbing together that I got from Lowes to connect the threaded big Intex return and inlet pieces. I believe I used 1 1/2 inch or two inch ones with the two clamps that came with the rubber connector. I coated the threads with regular RTV and clamped the crap out of them and they still leaked a bit. Remember the Intex pools flex alot, that's why hard plumbing really won't work well with these types of pools.

I used that big 2500gph filter pump on an 8 foot small pool and i was worried that I wouldn't get a good "effect" on the new 10 foot metal frame Intex I just got set up a couple of weeks ago, but with a clean filter it moves the water more than good enough for my 10 foot and I am reasonably sure it would be acceptable for your 16 foot. However that is with the cartridge filter not the sand filter. Don't you dare think I have not "eyed" the sand filter.....I so much want to ditch my cartridge for something much less expensive to use (like sand), but wonder if there is a big reduction in water movement with the sand setup.

If you go with the bigger pump filter setup, the only way I could see to reduce the intake suction hazard would be to plumb two or perhaps three intakes. Using basic Y plastic plumbing parts and the big Intex hoses you can screw onto regular 2" threaded PVC plumbing stuff but you willl need to cut 1/4 inch rubber gaskets to go between the screw in hose and the threads in the PVC plumbing parts, a litte RTV goes a long way too. You can get a leak free connection. Been there done that. IF you want I can post a picture...give me a day or so to do so.

Bob E.