Ordered My Pool

[dcombs44]

Well, I ordered my pool today as well as a K2006 test kit.

We'll start working on the preparing the site this week.

For $1999, I got the following:

1) 24' x 52" Doughboy/Embassy Above Ground Pool
2) Heavy Duty Solid Blue Doughboy Liner
3) "Premium" Doughboy Pool Skimmer
4) 1 HP UL Pump
5) 16" Valueline Sand Filter (Undersized I know, but couldn't talk any shop into an upgrade. Have to make due for the time being)
6) All hoses and hardware
7) Ladder
8) Starter Chemicals (Not sure what's included. I'll use what I can and go BBB from there)
9) Maintenance Kit (Probably cheap, but it's a start. Should include, skimmer net, vacuum, pole, brushes, etc.)
10) Pool cover

Like I said, the filter is probably undersized, but I'll hope that it will do the job until we can afford to upgrade down the road.

I'll be testing the source water when the test kit get here and post results here. I'll probably need some help after that.

Excited, but nervous. Lots of work to do.

[aylad]

Yay! Welcome to pool ownership!! We'll be around if you need help with it...

Janet

[dcombs44]

Thanks. This all started with my wife wanting a $300 Intex pool from Wal-Mart. Then my OCD kicked in, and I started reading and reading. Now.........we'll have almost 15,000 gallons of water in the back yard.

I am glad I found this site though. Looking forward to learning more.

Thanks again.

[Watermom]

I'm concerned that your pump is gonna be too powerful for your filter. In the case of pool pumps, bigger is NOT always better and if your pump is too big for your filter, it can damage it. I also have a 24ft AG and when I replaced my pump a few years ago, I switched from a 1hp to a 1/2 hp and it does fine. I also have a 200# sand filter. How does that compare to the size of your filter?

Regarding chemicals, it is probably a good idea for you to test the water once you get this thing up and running and post results here before deciding which of those startup chemicals to add. Pool stores are notorious for giving you stuff to put in your water that you don't need.

Welcome to the forum. We are glad you found us. And, oh, by the way, I can totally relate to a $300 dollar project turning into a $2000 project ............

[kc571]

Am I allowed to ask where you got it from? And if you're planning on installing it yourself?

TIA

[dcombs44]

Thanks for the advice Watermom.

I read many of the suggestions on here prior to making a selection. I even inquired at the pool store about downgrading the pump.

I really questioned hard about the pump/filter size, and couldn't get the pool guy to move any. I told him I'd swap a smaller pump for a larger filter, but he "assured" me that this pool needs a 1 HP pump......I wasn't sure how to argue that.

Doughboy sells this set as a package (not that that means anything). I haven't pulled the final trigger on the order, but I did put the call in to get it ready to go.

I'm not sure what to do really. The cost of the pool is already way more than we'd planned to spend. I'm not sure if I should scrap the order and try to get a pool by itself and buy the filtration separately or what.

Suggestions on arguing with a pool guy and still getting a fair price? He was wanting to jack the price up to make changes.

[dcombs44]

I got the pool from a local shop in Southern Illinois. If it's not breaking any forum rules, I'd be glad to tell you where I got it, but you should be able to get it from pretty much any Doughboy dealer as it's advertised on the Doughboy website.

[dcombs44]

Also, I believe the 16" filter is a 100 lbs filter, but I'm not positive.

Also, I was planning on screening the chemicals here as I know they can have additional and unneeded affects. Like I said, I'm not sure what I'm even getting yet, so we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

......and yes, I already ordered my K-2006 kit, so I'll test my source water when it comes in. I had planned on using the pool calculator as a guide when initially getting my levels up to snuff.

I'm worried. Should I not go through with this?

[Poconos]

At this point you have to weigh the cost of just getting the pool and buying the equipment elsewhere, probably online, or getting the package. Not knowing for sure but you have a point that they sell it as a package and it will probably work OK. The danger of an oversized pump for the filter is too much flow through the filter and you blow crud right through. Your electric costs will be higher too.

As for forum rules? You're not bashing anyone so I see nothing wrong with mentioning names. That's my opinion.

Al

[dcombs44]

Yeah, I don't know. I'm going to try my luck with one more shop today.

My fear is that if the pump is too powerful that the shop owner will blame any problems on me and not the mismatch of the equipment. He made the statements that a 24' pool NEEDS a 1 HP pump and anything less won't suffice (which I didn't buy), and he told me that anything bigger than an 18" filter is too big (which makes no sense). It does; however, make me think that he's more ignorant than money motivated because he hasn't tried to get me to upgrade anything. He just keeps saying that he is positive that this combination will work.......probably because he knows that my problems will lead to lots and lots of chemical sales (which he's also wrong about).

Tough call. I'll probably keep searching for a few days before making a decision.

Also, according to the doughboy site and some other stores, the package only contains the pool, filter, pump and liner. The dealer I'm working with included chemicals, ladder, and maintenance kit at no extra charge.

Name of store is Paradise Pools and Spas in Du Quoin, IL