INTEX 28131EH Easy Set Inflatable Swimming Pool Set: 12ft x 30in – Includes 530 GPH Cartridge Filter Pump – Puncture-Resistant Material – 1485 Gallon Capacity – 23in Water Depth

The very first thing to note is 2 things. First, the pool is great. You can't go wrong here. Second, keep in mind, it's not just the pool you'll need. The this version of the pool comes with a pump, necessary hoses, and 2 filters. Intex sells additional filters as singles or in a pack of 6. The filters you need are: Intex 29000E/59900E.We bought the 12 foot version in May of 2016. It's worked great so far. It took about an hour to setup. I used a tarp underneath which Intex does not recommend, but we did it anyway to protect the bottom. It took about 3-4 hours to fill up the pool. This one comes with the pump and filter setup which is a must to keep the water clean. We also bought some basic pool chemicals, and both available covers by Intex. The cover we use the most is the solar cover. Where we live its around 90-100 degrees F daily. You should also have a strainer for this pool to get the leaves and larger organic matter out of the pool. The included pump/filter setup is really just the get the stuff the strainer can't get.As far as having flat ground, Intex makes a big deal about having this pool level. See the picture of our setup. It's basically like a big bag, so think of what happens when you fill a bag with water on an uneven surface. It's going to roll to one side a bit. In my case the ground is about 4 inches lower on one side than the other. The pool still works fine in my opinion, just the water is not as deep as it could be, but I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old. The 2 year old can touch the bottom with ease yet the pool is still deep enough to for my 4 year old to swim laps and for my 6.5 foot frame to swim under water.I've never maintained my own pool before so I got some water test strips, PH booster, and Chorine Sanitizer. I have to put about 1/3 cup chlorine in per week. Go easy on the PH booster because using that will increase the Total Alkalinity, I recommend the Clorox pool products. Intex recommends you change the filter every 2 weeks. The first time I changed the filter at two weeks I saw surprised at how much gunk was in it. It seems like you could clean it yourself to extend the life of the filter but will try that next time. For a season Intex sells a six pack of filters so I bought that as well. For the cost the pump is clearly cheap, but seems to be well made considering the limit budget for materials. The pump on the 12 foot pool will filter 500 gallons per hour so you should plan to leave it on for at least 3 hours on most days. Also bought Intex's foot bath to wash the feet before getting in the pool (shown in picture). That helps to keep the junk out.Final price including a few pool Toys was about $350, including the $79 for the pool. So expect to pay more than just the cost of the pool, but after searching all over for an above ground temporary pool (one with no frame and expensive pump/filter setups) I can't be happier so far with this one. Just the thing we needed to keep cool in the summer and provide some fun for the kids.Aug 2016 update:Everything is going great. At one point, I had a problem with Green Algae, but apparently so did the pools in Rio for the Olympics. I n my case the problem ended up being too much Stabilizer, which prevented the Chlorine from doing it's job. I ended up replacing my chemicals and tester strips. Make sure your test kit includes a test for Stabilizer. I purchased the AquaChek 551236 7-Way 100 Count Pool Water Test Strips and I'm very happy with those.

I wasn't sure what to think about this pool because I had seen some mixed reviews.It did take me three different tries to set up the pool on three different days, but that is because I kept needing to relevel the pool manually with a shovel.Ultimately I just decided to risk it and set the pool up even though there was a slight...couple of inch difference in the levelness of the pool on one quarter section. I had read some reviews that insisted that the pool must be exactly perfectly level.... And am relieved to report that even though mine is slightly off due to some rock impeding my ability to achieve perfect level ground.... The pool has been up for almost 2 months now and it's doing just fine. I think if a whole half of the pool were off, this would be different.In any case, I have friends over regularly to do water aerobics and it's a lovely time. Pool is still going great.The pump works pretty good, but you are definitely going to need one of those vacuum things. I bought one on Amazon I think it was by Intex as well for 28 bucks. If you have any trees letting off leaves, you will want the pool vacuum thing.I also bought a pool skimmer device but haven't attached it yet because surprisingly the pool is pretty easy to maintenance if you do it everyday.The pool does not require as much work as some people make it out to be in my opinion. I find it easier to leave the pool uncovered and just fish out the leaves everyday. It motivates me to also use the pool on a regular basis and makes it easier to monitor the pool's cleanliness when I can actually see it.In terms of chemical maintenance, I just bought some 3-in chlorine tablets, put some chlorine stabilizer in every now and then because of its exposure to sun.... (The sun destroys chlorine more quickly for those who don't know and the sun also promotes the growth of algae if the pool is not adequately chlorinated.)I also shocked the pool when it gets cloudy, which has only been once in the last 2 months. I am usually pretty bad about maintaining stuff, so if maintaining the pool is easy for me, it should probably be pretty easy for most people. Seriously. It's a small pool and it has a filter that runs on a timer.I should also note that I don't like using the cover. It catches leaves and other crap that end up going into the pool when you remove the cover anyway. So it's easier for me to just leave the cover off and fish out some leaves whenever I see them floating. If they sit on the cover too long they disintegrate, and then you have to break out the vacuum instead of just using a net.I realize at this point it's at the end of pool season, but what a great time to get a deal on this pool. I'm disappointed I didn't wait a little longer to buy it because it was more than $100 cheaper a month after I bought it.Finally, I need to go back to the pool setup. It was actually very easy. Surprisingly easy. It would have been easier if my land were already level. Nevertheless it was so easy, that I set the pool up and took down the pool three separate times three days in a row while trying to get the thing level. I didn't fill it all the way the first two times but did on the 3rd.This pool is over 5,000 gallons, so be prepared for a giant water bill. Where I live, my water bill ended up being about $170. The base bill is normally $35.... And I don't normally pay more than $35 so.... Count on a steep waterbill whenever you fill it.As long as this pool holds up for a while, I would definitely recommend buying it again. And if anything happens in the next year or so, I'll update this. Otherwise you can assume that it's still going strong.