Above ground pool update

It is the middle of the fourth season I am using my above ground pool, so I'd like to share some learnings, tips, and recommendations.

CURRENT SETUP

Here are some photos from my current pool setup:

LINER

After the first two seasons, I stored the liner in a shed (as I mentioned in another post), but after setting it up for the third summer, I noticed multiple leaks at the bottom. I could not figure out where the leaks are coming from (tried using paint but it was useless), so I emptied the pool and lifted the liner against the sun. There were so many holes that repairing them was not practical, so I used a warranty replacement liner. I'm not sure what caused so many holes. Could it be me when I dragged the liner over concrete for a few feet? Could it be made by the ladder, since I did not use a ladder pad? Or maybe the vacuum that was running all the time? Or something else? So, just in case, I decided to:

• Use a pad under the ladder.
• Not use the automatic vacuum (just use a hand vac when I see it's needed).
• Keep the folded liner in place for the winter.

Here is what it looks like folded for the off-season (I also covered it with the cheapest tarp I could find at Harbor Freight, but once I removed it before summer, it pretty much fell apart, so I need to figure out a better alternative):

Here is another thing I learned about the liner: it may not be perfect right out of the factory. When using the original liner, I could not figure out why one corner of the pool was 1-2 inches lower than the rest. I triple checked the leveling and all of the feet support looked perfect. Regardless, I decided to raise the leg support just a bit (about an inch), but once I did, the new liner now has the very same corner higher than the rest. I suspect that the flaps holding the legs in place are not perfectly aligned causing the difference in the level. But I do not worry about it anymore. One inch does not make much difference.

SKIMMER

I attached an in-the-wall skimmer to both the old and the new liners. The first time all worked well, but I messed up the second time and made a hole that was a bit too big:

Once the panic phase passed, I used a piece of the old liner to patch the hole and so far, it is holding with no leaks, but the lesson I learned is that it is better to follow the directions to split the gasket into two pieces, attach the skimmer, and only then cut out the liner (I thought that cutting the hole first and attaching the gasket in a single piece would be neater, but life proved me wrong).

Also, another thing I did not do right was installing the skimmer a bit too high. When I do it again, I will make sure the skimmer gasket is right below the top seam. It's not a big deal either way, but it would be a better placement.

After writing the previous paragraph, I decided to take a photo of the patched liner under the skimmer and realized there is a small leak (like a drop every 5-10 seconds), so I need to figure out how to patch the patch. Worst case scenario, I'll keep it as-is and give it another look in a couple of months when I put it down.

ADD-ONS

After using the pool for 3+ seasons, here is the list of add-ons I found useful and would recommend (the following are the affiliate links):

• INTEX QX2600 Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump & Saltwater Systems with Electrocatalytic Oxidation: Good pump if you need a salt water system.
• Intex Pool Canopy Shade for 9ft and Smaller Rectangular Pools: Gives a nice shade on hot sunny days.
• Intex 28051E Solar Cover Reel: Makes rolling and unrolling a pool or solar cover easier.
• INTEX 28620EP Rechargeable USB Handheld Pool Vacuum: I suspect it may not be the best hand vac but it does what I need it for.
• Intex 28090E Innovative Hydroelectric 3 Multi Colored LED Relaxing Waterfall Cascade Above Ground Swimming Pool Attachment: Very cool fountain (can cool water a bit on a very hot day).
• Sand Filter Pump Cover: I use it for winter storage.
• INTEX 29080E Pool Foot Bath: Useful when kids are using the pool.
• Pool Float Storage Bag: Big enough to hold floating devices.
• Swimming Pool Pipe Holders: Handy for keeping water hoses straight.

CHEMICALS

I normally test water at Leslie's Pool Supplies and buy their recommended chemicals in the beginning of the season, but if you are short on money, here are some cheaper alternatives:

• Alkalinity Up is baking soda.
• Dry Acid is sodium bisulfate (look for pH down or pH decreaser).
• Hardness Plus is calcium chloride (check bulk calcium chloride pellets/flakes marketed for pools or ice melt products that are 100% calcium chloride, but check the ingredients to make sure there are no additives, such as magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, or other de-icers, which you don't want in a pool, and avoid anything with anti-caking additives or corrosion inhibitors not meant for potable/pool water).
• Instant Conditioner Plus is a stabilizer/cyanuric acid (consider generic granular cyanuric acid -- "pool stabilizer" or "conditioner" -- from any pool store or online in bulk bags; plain granular cyanuric acid can also work, but it needs to be dissolved in a bucket of warm water first -- or added to a skimmer sock -- since it doesn't dissolve well when broadcast directly).

Check with AI for alternative use, to make sure you are applying the chemicals correctly.

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