Summer Escapes Self-Rising Pool
We purchased the pool for about $130 on sale, and included with the pool was a cover, ladder, filter pump and hoses, a skimmer and a water vacuum. Included with the filter pump, is one filter. You do need to purchase the chemicals, and chlorine separately, as well as a water tester kit, and a pool blanket (tarp) so that it's not sitting directly on the ground. I was told the the paper testers were about worthless, and was suggested that I get the tester with the liquid drops. It's pretty simple to use.
After locating an area in the yard where I THOUGHT it was level, I started filling the pool. After about 5 hours through the garden hose, the pool was not very level. Water was up to one top of one side, and the other could come up a ways yet. After putting nearly 5,000 gallons of water in the pool, I opted to let it go until I had to empty it and put fresh water back in. However, the next day, my middle step-daughter came over to use the pool, and then told me that it was only half full. Apparently one side had somehow collapsed, and lost half the water. We emptied it out completely and moved it to a more level spot.
From that experience, I suggest this. Find a fairly level spot in the yard. Put a round stake in the ground about where the middle of the pool will be. Tie a clothesline to the stake, and mark out a 15 foot diameter (or whatever the size your pool is) circle. Get some sand or top soil and evenly spread around your circle you just marked out. You can get a small level that clips to a string line from your hardware store. Clip it to your line to keep the string level, and smooth out your dirt using that as a guide. It will save you a lot of trouble in the end. Next, lay out your 15 foot tarp over the dirt, then carefully lay out your pool with your helpers. Now keep in mind that the pool sides will be impossible to keep smooth, but that doesn't matter, as it will even out as it fills with water. Just worry about the bottom. Try to smooth out the wrinkles as best you can. As you get the first few inches of water in the pool, you can step in it and smooth it out with your feet. Once that's done, just leave it alone. Let the water do the rest.
There is a ring on the top of the pool sides that needs to be inflated. You can do that just before you start filling with water or after you start it. Through the next several hours, you'll see the pool start to take shape. Don't forget to put the plugs in the holes for the filter pump though! Once your pool is filled, it should settle evenly on the dirt you laid down.
The pump works fairly well. It has a reservoir for 1 inch chlorine tablets. It will hold up to ten, but I suggest maybe eight of them, otherwise you may have too much in the water. But it's important that you test your water to be sure.
We've been using the pool a lot already, and are pretty happy with it. It's serves it's purpose for those that can't afford an in-ground pool. If you have neighbors with little kids around as we do, I suggest also that you keep the cover on the pool when not in use, as well as remove and lock away your ladder! It'll help prevent an accidental drowning.
Happy bobbing!
Published by Highflyer
Married with three step-daughters and a new grand-daughter, and two female German Shepards. Yeah... A LOT of estrogen floating around! ;-) Former police officer, EMT, airline pilot, and Marine Corps M.P. View profile
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13 Comments
Post a CommentI also bought one of these "wonder pools"-like everyone else things went great untill the pool was filled !!! The problem I found was the seam where the pool and the ring go together, quite a few patches and 2 tubes of silicone later it seems to work-SO FAR !!! So if yours leaks-check that seam before you put any water in,you'll hear the leaks-hope this helps cuz it sucks to throw away good money AND have no pool !
I wanted to thank you for the instructions on filling this pool....I am a single mother with older children and a new Grandaughter myself. I decided to get this pool because I was using the baby pool and I have been disabled and out of work for almost 2 years. I thought this may work better for heeling my legs if I walked in this. I wasn't as lucky as you were and did not get a cover with mine and certainly did not get in for only $130. Cheers to you! Thank you also for describing the other things that are needed, by you taking the time to do that I will save a lot of money. My kids are very busy and do not have the time to put it up so I am hoping that this may be easy enough to do myself. I now know what not to get and saves me many trips to the stores. I may get it up this year instead of ten years from now. I thought the ring was going to be simple to fill and so far that has been very difficult. I have a very good pump and it blows everything else up so quickly. O
We have a leak in our rim, can you help us find the leak
We purchase a 13 ft round pool that came with a cover. It is our 2nd year and with a lot of storms this spring, we need a new cover. No one seems to sell the 13 round. I can get a 12 or 15 but not a 13. Where can I get a new cover?
I just got a 16'x48" Summer Escapes pool. It was a lot of work to level my yard and it took two fills to get it level enough. I took a string to measure the 16' circle and spray painted the area to dig. The I used a rototiller over the entire surface and started moving dirt to the low side. Then I tilled the high (7" lower than when I started) and filled the low (up about 5") using a 2x4 and a level. It was finally level. When I filled the pool I didn't account for the dirt compacting and that the force from all the weight needed a larger than 16' level area. One side eventually collapsed a bit and I had to start again. This time I did an 18' square and dug the middle to be lower than the edges (2" tops). Now it works like a charm. Bottom line is that this will take work if you don't have a level yard. You don't need a physics degree, but a basic understanding of the physics involved will make your life easier and the learning curve smaller. It cost me three solid days of work and $175
I have one of these pools and purchased a vaccum from Target but cannot get the vacuum to work well AT ALL!!! How do you vacuum your pool?!?!!
We have the same pool, it was much easier to level the yard by digging rather than filling with sand. The sand was nothing but a waste of money and time. Great pool once you find or create a level spot.
my husband and i bought a easy set pool friday before the holiday weekend with delusions of relaxing with our kids over the holiday. this pool has been NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE to me since we brought it home. we have had to fill and empty the darn thing 3 times...it is supposed to be 33 in yet will not raise above 18 inches of water before the sides collapse and water spills out. we have moved the location thinking the ground was uneven but that did nothing at all! I am EXTREMELY frustrated and unsatisfied with this product. how do i get rid of it and get my money back?
I put up this pool, filled it,and it had a leak. Couldn't find the leak...had to empty pool and look for the leak. New pool,and the liner had a small hole that was patched at the factory and it leaked.
Had pool up filled and couldn't take back.
The cost of filling the pool and now refilling the pool this is nuts. I am so disappointed with this I wish I had the address of this company to send them a letter.All the work of putting it up with the pipes and the sand it is not worth it. Will never do this again, I will pay for someone to put up a GOOD POOL.
I purchased the pool in Toys r Us and I also purchased the extended warranty, the filter came broken after one month of use and when I moved the pool for cleaning purposes the pool got a hole, I claimed the warranty and they kick my ass