Salt water and stairs....

[Kailuamom]

Hi all - thanks for the forum! I've been lurking for a while but now it's time to ask questions...

We have an easy set 48x18 at our weekend place. We are typically up there at least twice per week, but never there for more than three days in a row. So far, the chemicals seem to be ok but we have some upcoming travel and I'm concerned that we won't be able to take care of the pool properly.

As such, it's making me think of getting the intex sand filter with saltwater system. Am I correct that this will require less daily chemical maintenance?

Also, completely unrelated, the ladder that came with the pool is too wobbly for my super large teenager. What is the most recommended after market set up? I would like to have something more stable.

Thanks for your help!

[Watermom]

A SWCG will require less daily maintenance. If you do get one of those units, disconnect the copper electrodes. Most people think it is high chlorine that stains things and causes blonde hair to turn green but in fact it is copper that does so. You do NOT want copper in your pool!

I can't help you with the ladder question. Hopefully someone else will come along who can give you some advice about that.

Welcome to the Pool Forum! Glad to have you join us!

[PoolDoc]

An SWCG helps on an unattended pool . . . but I wouldn't use an inflatable soft side pool that way. Birds, squirrels, and cats kills those doughnuts pretty regularly. You're likely to return to a drained pool and a burned out pump! Get a frame pool!

[Watermom]

Good catch. It didn't occur to me that it was a soft-sided pool when I read that post.

[Kailuamom]

Thanks for the feedback - but here's the thing. This is what we have right now. So- if we are going to replace the pool, then perhaps we will do things differently. But... For now, it's installed and full of clear water now. I'm trying to figure out how to best manage what we've got.

Thoughts?

[PoolDoc]

Suit yourself.

An SWCG will work if you can get it hooked up. Personally, on doughnut pool, I'd use a trichlor floater to cover the 3 days you're away, and save the SWCG money for the replacement pool.

[Kailuamom]

Thanks - the three days don't worry me too much, it's more a bunch of upcoming travel. Since you're clearly not a fan of our silly pool (and I say that because I think it's silly too!), what would you do to manage it with some upcoming travel? We'll be gone four days, then back about a week, and then gone another week.

If we go for a more permanent pool, it's likely to be in-ground, and in our neck of the woods, I'm sure it's at least 50k. It's gonna be awhile before we will save that up!

[PoolDoc]

There's a huge jump in reliability between the Easy Set, and the Ultra series. But you can get even the largest Ultra - which is larger than many in-grounds - for less than $2,000. Small round pools, similar in size to the Easy Sets can be had for less than $600. From what we've seen, Easy Sets rarely make it more than one season, and often don't last the season without multiple patches on the doughnut.

What I'm trying to say is, if you leave your pool for 4 - 7 days, you're likely to come back to a pile of wet vinyl, in which case chlorine levels will be the least of your problems.

Still, if you want to try, a trichlor feeder is your best bet.

Ladders? As far as I know, a sturdy ladder for an Easy Set is a roll-you-own sort of affair.

[Kailuamom]

Ok, so it sounds like you're saying that since the doughnut could have a problem. We shouldn't set the filter to run (since it would burn up). Obviously, we shouldn't upgrade the gear, we should just cover it and leave it? If it's busts while were away, it will leave a muddy mess but won't hurt anything else.

I don't have any desire to preemptively drain 5000 gallons of water.

Then, basically wait for this pool to die with current equipment, and replace with a totally new set up when it does.

[PoolDoc]

Yeah, if you have a cover, and can maintain the water while you're there, and cover it while you're gone, that would be a practical solution, I think. Pretty low maintenance, too.

Just don't make the mistake of forgetting to chlorinate fully when you arrive, and then trying to 'catch up' right before you leave. When chlorine burns up goo (mostly, people goo), it produces intermediate compounds that are broken down by chlorine + sun. If wait, and dose right before you leave, those some of those intermediate compounds will go to forms volatile halogen gas forms, accumulate under your cover, damage it, and then stink like crazy when you pull the cover off.

So, add your big chlorine doses when you arrive, and not when you leave.