Now that you bought your pool it's time to install it. If you already have your pool and it was in storage then the instructions for opening your above ground Intex Easy Set pool is almost identical. I'll explain what to do for opening your pool and for a new installation.

When you get your new pool you and your kids will be anxious to get it up and running. Send the kids away for some ice cream because it will take you 1-2 hours to set it up. This is mostly because you have never done it before. Each year as you learn what to do, it will take less time. I set up my Easy Set 18×48 pool in about an hour. So let's get started.

Choose The Location For Your Pool

The first thing you need to do is choose the best location for your above ground pool. The surface needs to be level. It can't be off by more than an inch or two or you will have major issues. If your yard isn't level then you will need to either remove soil, add topsoil or add sand to level it off.

Checking for level

The easiest way to check for level is to get a friend to do it. Just kidding! If you don't have a handy friend then you're still in luck. The most accurate way is to use a water level. Measure out the size of your pool. (18 feet if you have the same pool as me.) Take the water level and check it. You may be surprised how far off it may be. Try to get your surface as level as possible. This is a critical starting point. If your yard isn't level you could be wasting a lot of time, money and water.

Position the EasySet Pool

Rake the pool area

This is an important step! Be sure to rake the area that you plan on placing your pool. Obviously, if you just laid out an entire 18×18 bed of sand you don't need to do this. If you are placing your pool on your grass or dirt area then be sure to rake it. Remove any rocks, sticks and anything that may poke a hole in your pool.

Note: This is the bottom of your pool where everyone will be standing in the pool. You need it to be as smooth as possible.

Layout a tarp liner

After you have your yard level enough for your pool then lay out a tarp or thick piece of plastic over the area where you want to place your pool. My pool came with an 18×18 tarp. Once you have the tarp down you can get a better idea of how the pool will look in your yard. It gives you a real sense of the size of the pool. The liner provides a layer of protection between your pool and the ground which could have those rocks, sticks or other pokey things I mentioned earlier. Do a quick walk on your tarp in your bare feet. If you feel any sharp edges find the culprit and remove it.

Layout the pool on top of the tarp

Now that your foundation is it's time to layout the pool on top of the tarp. The pool even without water is heavy and you'll want at least one other person to help. The more help the better for this. Locate the intake/output holes on the pool. You'll want to position the pool so that these holes will be on the side where you plan on placing your pump.

Remember, you need to plug the pool into an exterior GFCI protected outlet. I'm not a certified electrician but even so, I wouldn't recommend using an extension cord.  We are talking about water and electricity so be safe! Consult a certified electrician if you have any questions about the pump and electricity.

After you determine where to align the holes on your pool, position it in the center of the tarp. The tarp will be a bugger and move on you so be forewarned. Again, an extra set of hands will help keep the tarp in place as you layout the pool. After the pool is positioned on top of the tarp and in the right direction get inside the pool and straighten it out as much as possible. The idea is to get rid of as many wrinkles as possible before adding the water. This is something we'll continue to do as we add the base layer of water.

Clean the pool with a little soap and water

If your pool is brand new then you can skip to the next section. If you've stored your pool over the winter then now is a good time to get a little soap and water and clean out the inside of your pool. If you did a good job of prepping it for storage, cleaning should be pretty easy. On the other hand if you have some green junk in your pool then you should try to clean it all out before adding water. You want to start with a good clean pool. I usually let my wife and kids do the cleaning. I do the heavy lifting and they take the clorox wipes and paper towels and go to town.

Important: Be sure to take your shoes off before walking inside your pool. You should never walk on the liner with shoes. Socks or bare feet only.

Fill the Pool with Water

Blow up the top ring

This is very important. You need to blow up the top ring on your EasySet pool before adding water. You can blow this up using just your lungs BUT it will take you forever and a day.. and possibly another lung. It's a big tube. I have used an air mattress pump in the past. It takes a several minutes as well. They don't work so great either. Your best bet is an air compressor if you have access to one. I have an air compressor like this. I use it for all kinds of things. It's worth the investment if you can afford it.  If you don't have one that is fine too. It will just take a bit more time getting it pumped up. Remember patience is a virtue. 🙂

Install the inlet and strainer attachments

Next install the inlet and strainer attachments to the 2 big holes on the pool.

intex-easyset-intake-shutoff-valve

The lower hole (on the right) is for the strainer attachment. That is where the water will leave the pool and go to the pump. (photo above)

intake-shutoff-valve-easyset-pool

The inlet attachment goes in the higher larger hole (on the left) is where the water will return into the pool from the pump. Hand tighten these only. Be sure to use the rubber washers as well.

Turn the shutoff valves on the outside of the pool to the "Off" position. Turn it all the way to the lock position. This will keep the water in the pool as you fill it.

intex-easyset-pool-shutoff-valve

Take off your shoes and grab the hose

Now that you have the top tube pumped up it's time to add some water.  If you haven't taken off your shoes and socks yet then be sure you do now. Grab the hose, put it in the pool and turn it on. You will want to take off the nozzle. Just lay the hose in the pool and let it run. It will take a few minutes to get any substantial water in the pool.

As the pool fills up pick up the top tube and push the bottom of the pool outward. Work your way around the pool doing that. If you see any wrinkles remove them using that method. Once you have a few inches of water in the pool you won't be able to work out any wrinkles and you'll be stuck with them.  So, be quick while you're getting the pool started.

I will usually stop after I have 5 inches of water in my pool.  At that point I have already called the local water service and will leave the rest to them. The important part is getting it started and working out the wrinkles on the base of the pool.  As you fill your pool you will also be able to see if it's level or not. If you see that the level of the pool is not good then you should stop and fix your yard again. Sounds like a pain but it will save you a lot of wasted money and water.

If you plan on filling your pool up without calling a water service then just leave the hose in the pool and keep an eye on it. For the 18×18 Intex EasySet Pool it will take quite a few hours to fill up. Be sure to keep an eye on it.

The water level should be even with the bottom of the ring.

Install the Pump

Attach the hoses

Each pump comes with 2 identical hoses. Attach one to each of the shutoff valves. Hand tighten only. Position your pump in the middle of the 2 shutoff valves.

2500-gallon-easyset-intex-pump

Attach the right hose to the back of the pump. Hand tighten only. Now attach the left hose to the left side of back of the pump. Put a new filter in the pump and hand tighten the top.

intex-2500-gallon-easyset-pool-pump

Important: keep the middle air release knob loose. It's the knob directly in the middle of the filter cap. It will allow air to escape as you fill the filter up with water.

Next turn the right (strainer side) shutoff valve to the on position (turn it to the unlock position). Water will start filling up the pump. Don't waste any time. Go to the left side and turn the inlet shutoff valve to the unlock position as well.

Once water starts coming out of the top of the pump filter air release cap you can tighten it. I usually will loosen, release air, and tighten 2-3 times. You don't want air in the system while the pump is running.

Set the timer on the pump

Now you can plug the pump in. Turn it on to test it. If it works fine then turn it off. For me, I turn the timer on for my pump at the end of the night when everyone is finished with the pool. I run it 6 hours each night. The timer is 24 hours. So if you turn it on at 10pm it will run for the amount of time on the dial. The next day it will start at 10pm again.

Warning: Be sure you have your shutoff valves turned on and that there is water in the pump before setting the timer. I detached my pump from my pool to mow the lawn around it. I forgot about it and left it detached.  Long story short, I burnt up my pump. It needs water!  So, bye, bye 1,500 gallon pump. I ordered the 2,500 gallon pump. It was a blessing in disguise. The 2,500 gallon pump is so much more powerful than the 1,500 gallon one that comes with the unit but it cost me!

Test the Chlorine and PH levels

The only way to know if your water is suitable for your pool is to test it. You have 2 choices. You can take a sample of your water to the local pool store and have them test it or you can buy a kit and test it yourself. I recommend buying the kit. You'll need it anyway.

> Click here to see the kit I use and recommend <<

If your water is like mine it will have no chlorine and the alkalinity (pH) will be exactly where it needs to be. If your pH is way off then I would recommend having water delivered. The water they deliver will be good from the start. Starting with good water is a must. It cost us about $140 to fill our pool. It took about 10 minutes.

Now we can assume that we're starting with good water so let's move on to maintaining clear pool water all summer long. This is what I do to maintain our Intex Easy Set Pool.

Add Chlorine to the Pool

The water that I use in my pool is the same water that I would have if I jumped in my bath tub. No chlorine and that's fine with me! It's fine to start that is. If you don't add chlorine or a salt water system you are inviting trouble. Before you know it you will have "junk" growing in your pool.

The goal of chemicals is to keep your pool safe and clean.  I open our pool by using a chlorine skimmer with 2 chlorine tablets. Remember, my pool is a 18×18 EasySet Intex pool.

Warning: do not put chlorine tablets in your wall mount skimmer if you have one. It will ruin your pump and just doesn't work well.

I check the skimmer every week and replace the chlorine tablets as they deteriorate. Even with adding 2 tablets at a time our water never has high chlorine levels. We are always on the lower end and our pool stays crystal clear.

Tip: Add 2 chlorine tablets to your skimmer to open your pool. Check the level the next day. Too much chlorine can burn your eyes and skin. Don't over do it.

Like I've been saying all along, I have an Intex EasySet 18×18 Pool and these techniques work well for us. Our pool is crystal clear into September when we take it down and store it. It wasn't always like this. I tried lots of methods until I figured out the easiest and most effective way.

That's it! Now all you have to do is maintain your pool which is a piece of cake.