Hey everyone!
This summer we decided to make a stock tank pool at our house, and it has been a hit! It is big enough to float around, sit in with some friends, and there is plenty of room for the kids to splash around. So keep on reading and I will discuss all of my tips and tricks!
Material List:
First, we started out by buying a 8-foot galvanized steel stock tank pool. We found ours at the local TSC (Tractor Supply Company), but I recommend checking out your local farmer supply stores if you don't have a TSC in your area. Make sure you look through them and pick one that is in good condition and has minimal dents.
Getting the stock tank home was another challenge, we decided that we could use Jason's truck to transport it - I don't know that I would recommend this plan but shoutout to all the kind people walking by TSC that helped us strap it down! We made sure to place it to the right so it wouldn't be in the way of oncoming traffic but be careful not to smoke any mailboxes on your way home.
Once we got it home, I sanded the outside with a sanding block. I believe I used 180 grit (the store only had one option). After sanding it, I took a scrub brush and white vinegar and scrubbed the whole thing, inside and out to clean it. After doing this, I let it sit overnight and dry completely.
Onto the fun part - Painting!
Pick your colors. I knew I wanted white and tan/beige, so I got a white primer. It is recommended that for the primer you use a flat or matte paint. The store only had 8 cans, so that is what I bought and it was the perfect amount. Before I started painting, I used painters tape and trash bags to tape off the inside to prevent overspray and have clean, crisp lines. You can you paper, sheets, whatever you have available and it will work just fine. When using spray paint, go light and stay moving. If you stay in one spot for too long it will cause runs. It may also cause runs if you hold the can too close to the area that you are painting. I would constantly move around the tank in circles and kept doing that and spraying different areas until the tank had a nice, even coat. Once your primer/first color is finished, let it dry overnight.
If you decide to do stripes, this part is for you! First, look at the tank and decide if there is an area that will be hidden or in the back. Make note of this, as that area doesn't need to be perfect. To make it easier for me, I decided to make my stripes the width of a normal white piece of printer paper (I used the long side- 11 inches). I held the paper right below the rim of the tank, starting on the side that will be most visible. I then made my way around the sides and ended on what would be the backside. By doing it this way, it allows for error and ensures the stripes are perfectly spaced where they are going to be the most visible. After making my marks, I ripped off small pieces of painters tape and placed a piece of tape in every other section. This was my reminder as to which side of the line the tape needed to be placed in the next step. I used my tape to mark what I wanted to be the white stripes or the "don't paint" areas. I like using the green Frog Tape when painting stripes. I started on the inside of the rim, on the inside of my marks or "white stripe" areas and ran the tape down to the bottom.
After all the tape was place, I taped together 3 pieces of paper, each piece placed vertically and taped about one inch in from the edge of the next. I repeated this process several times and used them to protect the white stripes from overspray. If you are using a roller or brush, you can skip this step. Next, I taped those pieces over the "don't paint" areas, again using painters tape and ensuring the areas I wanted to protect were fully covered. Lightly spray the tape lines with the primer to help create a crisp edge. Use your second color and start painting! It took me 4 cans to finish the second color. Once you have finished the second color, gently remove all the protective coverings and tape.
Time for the leveling the pad and adding the pump AKA recruiting your husband for assistance !
There are certain pieces that you need to complete the pump circuit. You will need an inlet, outlet, pull pump, and 2 hoses that run from the stock tank to the pump. This is the part that gets tricky, as there are several different sizes of inlets, outlets, and tubing. After trial and error and ordering parts on Amazon, I recommend that you go to a pool store and speak to someone there. We were able to get two inlets from the pool store and use one of them as an outlet. DO NOT get the Intex kit from Amazon, it does not come with the correct parts needed to secure it to the side of the tank and you will end up needing to buy additional parts. Measure the diameter of your inlet and outlet to see how big of the hole you need to drill. For ours we used a 2-1/2" hole saw to drill 2 holes. I was unable to find specific directions on placement of the holes, but per my understanding the outlet (pulls water from pool to filter) should be in the center of the bottom rib of the stock tank, and the inlet (filter to pool) should be in the middle rib. We placed the holes approximately 3 feet apart, I looked at the pump and put the outlet and inlet on the sides that correspond to their location on the pump. When placing the inlets and outlet in the holes, use marine grade caulking to ensure there is a good seal and then it is time to hook everything up! For the inlets and outlets we used, we needed 1.5" hoses. Read the instructions on your pump before turning it on, as each pump is different.
Maintenance + Extras
I got a chlorine floater and placed it in the pool with a chlorine tablet in it. So far, our pool has been very sensitive to the chlorine. If we put the floater in for about 3 hours every 4-5 days, the water stays perfect and clear. If we leave the chlorine in, it turns green within a day but finding your balance is going to be trial and error. The pump I linked has a timer which is awesome. We have ours set to run for 6 hours every day, but we keep it running while we are in the pool. We also ordered a solar cover from Amazing which has worked great at keeping the pool warm and keeping grass and bugs out!
