I'm probably going to be watching my grandson quite a bit this summer being my DIL is having trouble finding a daycare center for him. He is 5 years old and hard for me to keep up with especially because my wife can't really help . He loves the water so I'm going to try and convert this stock tank into a pool for him to play in. It's only 2' deep but it's 8' wide and holds around 700 gallons of water. I bought a roll of peel and seal roofing and plan to put it on the bottom and up the sides a ways to hopefully prevent any leaks. I've got a little bit of cedar that I plan to build a small deck so he can get in and out easily. Wondering if anyone has rigged up something like this?(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/84699276-47B4-4602-9900-038FF33528A7.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=358915)
Look at Henry's RV Roof Coating at one of the home improvement box stores. It will be easier than the peel and stick roofing.
When I have helped install them for their normal purpose we usually put a gravel pad under them to level them and help with drainage. In my youth I'm sure I swam in a couple. ffsmiley
The ones I got into were green and slimy. I would check for sharp parts at the seams. It should not leak initially although not sure if ones made today are as good as the old ones of yesteryear. I would get a floating chlorine dispenser, so the water is clear and not smelly. If you have a garden, you might put it close enough that a water change can go on the garden, after letting the Cl concentration go down. If you build a deck and have younger grandkids, or neighbor kids, you might put a gate and railing so someone else cannot get in it by accident. heck maybe have the slide land in it. :thumbsup: ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy
I've been doing a little research into setting the thing up. Seems that a lot of people have been making a pool out of these tanks and there are filtration pumps and chlorine tablets that can be used to keep them clean. I only have the one grandchild and he's big enough so that 2' deep should be safe for him although I'll have to keep a close eye on him. Probably would have been cheaper to have just bought a big plastic swimming pool but I don't like the looks of them and thought that later on I could use this for something else. Good idea on the gravel pad to get it level. I've got a pile of gravel I use to keep my driveway in good shape so I'll use some of that. Who knows maybe I'll take a dip this summer from time to time .
Put it under a tree branch so he can have a swinging rope. ffcheesy
Don't take too much advice from these guys, or soon you'll have a whole water park made out of items from Tractor Supply😂
Better to have grandson with you than daycare. Always better with people that love him. And you can teach him stuff.
I just had a cheap above ground pool and I'm sure you can retro-fit any kind of filtration into it. I got a saltwater filter for mine, pour a bag of water softener salt in and turn the machine on and it cranks out nice, clean water without messing around with chlorine, as I understand it the salt turned into a kind of chlorine, but I never smelled it or experienced any eye burning, like I do with chlorine.
The salt in mine would last a season, probably 3 or so bags, but my pool was probably three or four times bigger, and every other week or so take the titanium (I think) plates out and soak them in vinegar for a couple hours to remove the salt build-up, good as new after that. I would turn a greening pool clear in a few hours.
I think this is a neat project! I want a small feed trough for a cold tub in the summer, until I can convince myself to spend the money to seal up the pond so I can swim in that.
Keep in mind chlorine and salt are corrosive. That Rv roof coating will help separate the metal from the chemicals as well as seal seams. It also will help provide a little traction on the wet bottom instead of slick metal.
Use white roof seal.
To help the water warm up, a sheet of clean black plastic floating on pool noodles works. It's light weight and storable. "Solar covers" for pools are just big sheets of bubble wrap. Either a sheet of black plastic or a solar cover will help keep leaves and stuff out.
A small pond/ fountain pump and filter setup would probably be enough for a stock tank pool. Simple and easy. Submersible. Pull it out to swim, Toss it back in when you're done. An extension cord on an outside GFI and you're done.
Or,
Used Pool pump and filters are often available on Marketplace or similar for cheap after people give upon their pool or the liner fails.
I may even have a cartridge filter option sitting around, never used, if you are interested. It came with the pool I got but we opted for the sand filtration unit instead. Not sure if my wife ever threw it away, if it was in the shed it's still there because she doesn't go in there much- eek, mice!
Finally got back to work on my pool project. Ended up building a little bit larger deck than I had planned because my grandson has a couple small plastic slides and my DIL would like to bring one up so he can slide into the pool. Don't have enough cedar to cover it so I bought treated deck boards. Might get them on this evening if the rain holds off. (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/8FC79E55-E18E-4F38-A266-0722532D8A08.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=359107)
To me it looks great but I'm sure the design committee will be along to suggest various changes, improvements and enhancements! ffcheesy Those guys have a way of spending other people's money!
There will be things like lights, rails, Bluetooth sound systems, benches, cushions etc suggested by those guys! They may even suggest a shade cloth or umbrella for the parents and grandparents to avoid the sun.
But you do you! ffcheesy
Seriously, that grandson will enjoy that a lot but I suspect the grandparents will get even more out of watching! Lucky kid!
Looks great, no suggestions by me! ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy :thumbsup: :sunny:
Where's the swinging rope go?
I don't need any help spending money. I've got a pump and filter system ordered and I bought a cover for it. I got the deck boards on this evening but I'm short one board so I had it figured pretty close. Now I need to make some sort of marking jig that I can move around the radius of the tank that will mark the top of the boards so I can cut them with a jigsaw. I need a little clearance to get the cover on and off. I think I'll hold off a while on the rope swing :wink_2:(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/1F359519-6458-4655-8439-E33E1A8FF4A1.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=359110)
I definitely think it needs a slide. ffsmiley Looks good!
It looks great! A cardboard template would make marking that edge easy. After using the jigsaw to cut the semicircle, a round over bit in a router to ease that edge nearest the pool would be good.
Great job Bill!
Safety Steve here reporting in, You need to fence it or restrict access, keeping an eye on a 5 year old who can climb over its 2' walls is a recipe for disaster. It doesn't take but a few seconds of distractions to lose sight of him. In fact I would bet your local bylaws will require it. It will be money well spent. Its a great idea.
Finally got my stock tank pool project completed. I don't seem to have any leaks and the filter system is working properly. I've got a cover for it to keep leaves and other stuff out. My grandson is going to love it. I sent a picture to my DIL and she showed it to him and he said "water". He's been diagnosed as autistic and he doesn't talk much.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/D92B0E62-053F-45D1-923C-25BC3296DB45.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=359389)
he may have sensory integration issues and take a bit to acclimate. my daughter tolerates cold better than anyone in the family.
Doc, this is what I had for him last year and he loved it. I felt sorry for him as he was trying to balance on the rim so he could jump in. I told him Pap Paw was going to rig up something a little better. He doesn't seem to mind cold water. He was wading in the creek in March.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/862B6D4B-FD15-42F3-9C6C-9C9D51655213.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=359391)
Looks like fun! Lucky kid!
That is excellent. My daughter loves the water. if we open the pool early, we jump in as a challenge and get out. she goes on swimming till we suggest she get out. He is a lucky guy. my daughter has Aspergers.
That is a most excellent pool setup. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
You get my vote for "World's Best Grandpa" Bill. That's going to be one happy little man!
I have a grandson with Asperger.
Finally got warm enough to try out the pool. My son and DIL brought my grandson up today and we gave it a work out. My little buddy loved it. I bet he sleeps good tonight. I know I will.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/DD563234-0525-4DC4-B0D5-A3578EE28FE9.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=359788)
I am sure that there was also a Birthday Party for an Old Fart today. :thumbsup:
MM ,today was a great day for a birthday even though the old fart had a little trouble getting out of the pool.
he is having a blast. He will never forget the pool that grandpa made for him.
Good job!!!!
Lucky kid! Lucky grandpa! Good to see!