Remember when it was summer last week? It was just for a moment but I am confident it will be back!
I took some time this weekend to get our little stock tank pool ready, if you are dreaming up ways to stay cool this summer, I highly recommend that you get yourself one!
Below is a little tutorial; this is our 4th summer with it and we feel like we finally have it working how we want.
-Purchase a 700 gallon round stock tank you may be able to get it delivered, check your local farm supply shops.
-Choose a filter and pump, the Intex above ground pool salt water filter and pump are super user friendly and work great if you cut two holes in the side for the intake/out .
-Dig out the area where the pool will be placed. Pick a location that will get good sun to help warm the
water. Get it as level as possible, add a 2” layers of sand and 1 layer of foam core insulation.
-Buy a filter cartridge and pool salt, available at most hardware stores, get a 50lb bag of salt it it will last 2 summers. We also have an Intex rechargeable vacuum that is a must have!
-Purchase a round solar cover and cut it to size, this pool is 8’ diameter . At night we also put a foam board insulation cover on it which has made a huge difference in heat retention.
Last year we added a second solar heating system that sits on top of a darkroom door we have been carting around for the last decade! This coil of black flex pipe can be placed anywhere but full sun is ideal. We use a pond pump to pump water up through 200 feet of coiled black tubing. The pump is on a timer so the water sits up there for 20 min and then is pumped back into the pool. The pump is a little loud so we housed it in an old styrofoam cooler and tucked it under the deck. When we are actively using the pool we shut all of the pumps off so it’s more peaceful. With this solar setup up we average 80 degrees by mid afternoon, late June-late September. 
Last but not least, design your deck and landscaping. Having the half moon deck makes this a sweet spot to visit and dip your feet in. We find that we spend most summer afternoons in this little corner of the yard.
If you decide to get one and have questions, I am happy to help. We have found that if you google it, you get a handful of basic instructions, we tried all of the variations over the years and feel quite happy with this set up. Now we just have to keep the ducks out!
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