Just finished setting up our above ground pool kit – worth every minute

[Peter K]

Hey everyone!

I just finished setting up an above ground pool kit in our backyard and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I’d been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the kids, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much myself.

We went with a full kit that came with the pool walls, liner, skimmer, and basic pump. I had to buy the ladder, filter, and a few extras separately, but overall it was straightforward. Setup took me a couple of days working solo, and there were definitely some moments where I questioned my sanity trying to get everything level, but once the water started filling up, it all felt worth it.

The kids are in there every day. It’s been a great way to get outside and spend time together. Plus, after a long day, just dipping my feet in with a cold drink has become one of my favorite little rituals.

If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure your ground is level and be patient during the setup. It’s not instant gratification, but once it’s done, it feels like you’ve added a whole new room to your house.

Curious if anyone else here has built their own kit or has tips for making maintenance easier. What did you learn from your first season?

 

[Jason Bennett]

Awesome! Congrats on getting the pool set up nothing like seeing the kids splash around and finding your own chill spot with a cold drink to make it all worthwhile. I put up an above-ground pool last summer, and I totally get the sanity-questioning moments during setup. Leveling the ground was my personal nightmare, but like you said, it’s so worth it once it’s filled.

For maintenance tips from my first season:

Test the water regularly: I got a cheap test kit and check pH and chlorine levels every couple of days. Keeps the water crystal clear and avoids any funky green surprises.

Skim daily, even if it’s quick: Leaves and bugs pile up fast, and it’s easier to stay on top of it than deal with a mess later.

Invest in a good cover: I was skeptical at first, but it cuts down on debris and saves you from constantly topping off chemicals.

Run the pump longer than you think: I aim for 8-10 hours a day, depending on the heat and how much the pool’s getting used.

What size pool did you go with: and any tricks you found for keeping the kids from tracking grass in?

 

[Juno_L]

Congrats on your new pool! Great tips, regular testing, daily skimming, a quality cover, and running the pump long really keep the water clean and clear.
For keeping grass out, try setting up a rinsing station or mat by the pool entrance to help kids clean their feet before jumping in. What size did you choose?

 

[syedsalman]

Hey everyone!

I just finished setting up an above ground pool kit in our backyard and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I’d been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the kids, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much myself.

We went with a full kit that came with the pool walls, liner, skimmer, and basic pump. I had to buy the ladder, filter, and a few extras separately, but overall it was straightforward. Setup took me a couple of days working solo, and there were definitely some moments where I questioned my sanity trying to get everything level, but once the water started filling up, it all felt worth it.

The kids are in there every day. It’s been a great way to get outside and spend time together. Plus, after a long day, just dipping my feet in with a cold drink has become one of my favorite little rituals.

If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure your ground is level and be patient during the setup. It’s not instant gratification, but once it’s done, it feels like you’ve added a whole new room to your house.

Curious if anyone else here has built their own kit or has tips for making maintenance easier. What did you learn from your first season?

Hey, awesome to hear it went well! Sounds like you really made the most of it, totally agree, getting the ground level is the trickiest part and can drive you nuts. Took me a couple of tries to get mine right too.

Setup solo in a couple days is pretty impressive, honestly. The kids having a blast makes all the hassle worth it for sure. As for maintenance, my biggest tip is to keep an eye on the filter and clean it regularly, that really helps with water clarity. Also, invest in a good pool cover to keep leaves and debris out, saves a ton of time.

First season I learned patience is key, especially with balancing the chemicals. Don’t get discouraged if the water looks a bit cloudy at first. Keep at it and enjoy! What kind of filter are you using?

 

[Sophia Henry]

Hey everyone!

I just finished setting up an above ground pool kit in our backyard and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I’d been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the kids, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much myself.

We went with a full kit that came with the pool walls, liner, skimmer, and basic pump. I had to buy the ladder, filter, and a few extras separately, but overall it was straightforward. Setup took me a couple of days working solo, and there were definitely some moments where I questioned my sanity trying to get everything level, but once the water started filling up, it all felt worth it.

The kids are in there every day. It’s been a great way to get outside and spend time together. Plus, after a long day, just dipping my feet in with a cold drink has become one of my favorite little rituals.

If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure your ground is level and be patient during the setup. It’s not instant gratification, but once it’s done, it feels like you’ve added a whole new room to your house.

Curious if anyone else here has built their own kit or has tips for making maintenance easier. What did you learn from your first season?

Sounds like you nailed it. That feeling when the water finally starts filling up and you realize it was all worth the hassle is totally relatable. I set mine up last summer and had the same struggle getting the base perfectly level. It took way longer than I expected, but I’m glad I didn’t rush it.

One thing I learned during the first season is to stay ahead of the water chemistry. I was pretty relaxed about it at first, and the water went cloudy fast. Now I test every few days and keep shock and clarifier around just in case. Also, getting a decent pool vacuum made a big difference. I started with a small handheld one, but eventually upgraded to a better model and it cut down cleaning time a lot.

Enjoy the setup. Once it’s in and running, it really does feel like a whole new part of the house.

 

[Richard Thomas]

Hey everyone!

I just finished setting up an above ground pool kit in our backyard and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I’d been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the kids, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much myself.

We went with a full kit that came with the pool walls, liner, skimmer, and basic pump. I had to buy the ladder, filter, and a few extras separately, but overall it was straightforward. Setup took me a couple of days working solo, and there were definitely some moments where I questioned my sanity trying to get everything level, but once the water started filling up, it all felt worth it.

The kids are in there every day. It’s been a great way to get outside and spend time together. Plus, after a long day, just dipping my feet in with a cold drink has become one of my favorite little rituals.

If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure your ground is level and be patient during the setup. It’s not instant gratification, but once it’s done, it feels like you’ve added a whole new room to your house.

Curious if anyone else here has built their own kit or has tips for making maintenance easier. What did you learn from your first season?

Congrats on getting it set up! It sounds like it’s already a hit with the kids and with you too. I totally get what you mean about the setup. Getting everything level is a bit of a challenge, but once it’s done, it’s totally worth it.

For maintenance tips, one thing I’ve learned is that staying on top of water chemistry is key to keeping the pool looking great. I also bought a pool cover, which has helped a lot with keeping debris out and making maintenance a bit easier. A skimmer net is another must-have for quick cleanups.

Another tip is regularly checking the filter and pump, especially in the first few weeks, to help avoid clogs or other issues. It’s not as much work as it seems once you get into a routine!

 

[Monica Cardona]

Hey everyone!

I just finished setting up an above ground pool kit in our backyard and honestly, I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I’d been thinking about getting one for a while, mostly for the kids, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much myself.

We went with a full kit that came with the pool walls, liner, skimmer, and basic pump. I had to buy the ladder, filter, and a few extras separately, but overall it was straightforward. Setup took me a couple of days working solo, and there were definitely some moments where I questioned my sanity trying to get everything level, but once the water started filling up, it all felt worth it.

The kids are in there every day. It’s been a great way to get outside and spend time together. Plus, after a long day, just dipping my feet in with a cold drink has become one of my favorite little rituals.

If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d say go for it. Just make sure your ground is level and be patient during the setup. It’s not instant gratification, but once it’s done, it feels like you’ve added a whole new room to your house.

Curious if anyone else here has built their own kit or has tips for making maintenance easier. What did you learn from your first season?

That’s awesome to hear! It sounds like the setup turned out really well, and it’s great that the kids are getting so much use out of it too. I totally agree about the importance of leveling the ground—it can definitely be a bit tricky, but once the water starts filling up, it makes it all worth it!​

As for maintenance, one tip I’d share is to stay on top of cleaning the filter and checking the water chemistry regularly. A good test kit will make a big difference in keeping things balanced. Also, adding a pool cover when it's not in use can save you a lot of time with cleaning, especially if you get a lot of leaves or debris around.

If you haven't already, think about investing in a good pool vacuum for those hard-to-reach spots. It saves a lot of time compared to manually cleaning. And of course, make sure to check the pool’s structure every so often for any wear or damage.

Would love to hear more from others about their experiences with first-season maintenance too!

 

[Andrew Coleman]

Nice work getting it up and running! That “is this even level?” stage is the rite of passage for above-ground pools, but once the water’s going in, everything suddenly feels worth it. One thing I picked up during my first season was to deal with cloudy water quickly, AquaDoc’s clarifier has been my go-to when things get hazy after a big swim day.

Other than that, just keeping the filter clean and giving the pump a little extra run time made life way easier for me. Enjoy the new backyard hangout!