Above ground pools - thinking of buying one, advice for ?

[pete]

We are thinking of buying an above ground pool, rather like http://www.piscineprivee.com/piscine-in ... p6008.htmlprefering the 7m model.

Any one got one ?

or any other recommendations ?

We will fence it and comply with french regulations but dont really need the expense of a built in model, so do they blend into the garden in the end ?

Are they value for money ?
What happens in the winter ?

many thanks in advance

peter

[The Olive Grove]

We had a similar, round one when we first moved here. The water did get very hot - it was like a hot batch. I know some people find them OK, but it is not something I would buy again. Ours wasn't rigid like the one you are considering, so it had to be on a hard surface, so not really able to blend into the background.

[Montana]

We don't have one, but do know of a chalet in the Haute Savoie with a British owner (it's a ski resort but hot in summer, so perhaps similar to your climate?) which has a circular version. If you'd like their details to contact for feedback or their views, PM me - no idea what happens to it in the winter though

[la vache!]

I'm pretty sure that the French regs only apply to inground pools, not above ground ones, pete, so not sure you would have to bother with a fence/alarm etc.

[KathyG]

We've got something similar Pete, although it's only part above-ground so still have to comply (I assume) as you can enter it at ground level at one end.

In the winter we just cover it with a winter cover and then filtration runs for 4 x 15 minute blocks throughout the night. It's survived the last 4 winters quite happily like this. There's also a pump that automatically adds chlorine if necessary during its filtration runs.

[pete]

thank you for comments so far,

I am sure that we will fit an alarm if not a fence, just for safety, and the fact that our garden is a deer run so dont want the little horns pricking the liner !

that sounds really difficult with the pump, hope it comes in the manual, we are having a sand filter delivered (its ordered now) does that work the same ?

can I fill it with well water ?

[ED16]

Hi Pete
I've recently installed a 8.5 x 4.3m above ground pool from the very same company. It was all going so well until 3 days after we filled it and primed the pump, when the liner developed a tear at the junction of the bottom and side panels - what a bummer... 37,000 litres of water wasted!!!

Thankfully, the guys at PiscinePrivee were fantastic - I emailed them last Tuesday and got a confirmation before close of business that a new liner was being sent out (after sending them photos of the tear). It arrives tomorrow.

One thing I did notice on the filter head was that the sticker that tells you where to position the main lever for FILTER, WASTE, BACKWASH etc had been stuck down in the wrong place. When I thought I was filtering I was actually circulating, when I thought I was backwashing I was actually rinsing...

I've pointed this out to them and they've said they'll check the entire batch of filter heads to make sure no-one else is inconvenienced. It might be worth checking yours when you get it.

I started filling mine up from our well, but the level fell below 7m so our poor garden pump couldn't suck hard enough to bring the water up - we did manage about 20,000 litres though.

Bonne chance!

EAMONN

[KathyG]

This is the pumping system that we have that automatically detects whether more chlorine/Ph- is required. The heat pump is disconnected and drained for the winter and we use a minimal amount of chlorine during the winter, the pump is running for those 4 x 15 mainly to protect the pipework but we're still disinfecting the pool so by the Spring the water is spotless.

In France, when we applied for planning permission for the pool, they wanted to know the volume per hour of the pump and the size of the filter. There is a requirement in France that your pump is capable of filtering the entire volume of your pool in under 4 hours, (can't remember the stats exactly but it's 3.5 or 4 hours) standard kit supplied with a standard pool will normally take double that time.

In the UK for example for a commercial pool you have to turn over the pool volume every 2 hours. With the injection system that we have our turnover is 2.5 hours.

Salt water chlorinators can only deliver very small quantities of chlorine (continuously) so aren't able to react if the water quality crashes - if for example loads of people suddenly get in the pool altogether, hot sun burning off chlorine, and the family dog jumps in too. (Big no no!)

With regard to filtration, Zeolite is a much more effective filter medium than sand. Sorry!

[The Olive Grove]

We need to replace our sand over the winter. Can you give me more information about Zeolite? We are at the moment looking at a new glass filtration medium.

[Jimbo]

... do they blend into the garden in the end ?

pete, when we were looking to buy a gite complex, we viewed several properties with above ground pools. Whilst not ugly, these were big and visually intrusive structures which loomed out of the ground, even though the owners had made efforts to try to meld them into their environments. Of course, this may not matter when set against how much cheaper above-grounds are when compared to an in-ground pool and how much pleasure you and your guests will have splashing about on hot days. But you did ask!

If you do go ahead, welcome to the arcane world of test strips, chlorine-smelling fingers and unexplained leaks. Put two pool owners together and they'll rabbit on about little else!

Jim

[pete]

I am assuming that because its movable (?) I dont need planning, spose I better go to the mary

mrsp wants to plant lavender all around it so it smells nice and I guess they never do have the looks of a proper pool but for us its a budget issue.

What happens in the winter when it freezes ?

[pete]

Put two pool owners together and they'll rabbit on about little else!

bit like golf then !!

[KathyG]

What happens in the winter when it freezes ?

Did you read my two posts above Pete?

[KathyG]

Can you give me more information about Zeolite? We are at the moment looking at a new glass filtration medium.

Here's one website giving info on Zeolite Margaret although are dozens. I can't only vaguely remember why we went for it and it was mostly to do with the fact that it'll filter out more if not all skin cells than sand. And I'm pretty sure you don't need the same quantity as sand so it's cheaper in the long run.

[pete]

so the winter cover and the filtration stop it freezing ?

ours will be completely exposed on all sides,