Our Stock Tank Pool: Part I

You may remember the pool we set up last year in the backyard. It was absolutely perfect. Around 7.5 feet by 9.5 feet and just around 2 feet deep. The kids had so much fun splashing around all summer in those 870 gallons of H2O. The setup worked well, and it was relatively inexpensive. If you're interested, I would highly recommend these Bestway pools as a first step into learning how to care for a pool.

But we had a mouse issue in the fall and they got to the pool. So, we needed a solution for this year . . . and hopefully for many years to come. I've seen so many articles about stock tank pools crop up in recent years. I was always too intimidated by the process of getting a huge galvanized tub to my house, so it was on the back burner.

This year, we decided to pull the trigger.

For those of you who have been asking me questions (and there are many of you!): We picked up our 8 foot stock tank at Tractor Supply. It's 24 inches deep. Our store does not do delivery, so we asked a friend to help us get it home. It wasn't too bad a process -- aside from one roadside adjustment -- and ended up being much easier than we anticipated. When we got it home, we gave it a good scrub because the store had been displaying plants inside it.

From there, it was all about re-leveling the area we had dug out last year.

Surprisingly, it took a few hours to get the area absolutely perfect. Last year, we settled with level-ish. But one benefit of getting this type of pool is that you can leave it out all year. We're hoping to leave it in place, so taking our time was in our best interest.

When that was done, we put it where we want it to go and got to work on the landscaping. Mostly rocks that we bought at the store and pulled up from the creek area behind our house.

I love how it looks! So much prettier than the bold blue with white supports from last year.

This stock tank holds around 700 gallons of water, so it is smaller than last year's. I had to buy a new filter pump that we are going to drill/hook up tonight. That will be part II of my posting. But if you're interested in doing a similar project at your home, I highly suggest checking out the number of really helpful tutorials I found online.

Here are some of my favorites:

DIY Stock Tank Pool: Everything You Need to Know
How to Make a Stock Tank Pool
Stock Tank Swimming Pool Ideas

Just a budget breakdown. We ended up getting the tank for $349 plus tax at the store. They're usually $399, but we got it on a Memorial Day sale. The new filter we bought was $35 on Amazon. The rock was around $30 because we already had some leftover from last year. It's not the least expensive upgrade we could have done, but I am hoping it will pay off in the long run.

Why didn't we go with a larger option? Well, partially because we didn't want to eat up our yard with a pool the whole year. Or have a big hole when it's cold outside. I like that it's shallow enough that Eloise's head is well above the water. But yet it's big enough to still get in as an adult and cool down. It looks nice, though I understand the style isn't for everyone. And we are hoping that the galvanized steel is durable and lasts for many years.

If you have further questions, I'd be happy to answer them either in the comments or on Instagram!

I'm going to do another post once we get it up and running to talk about any issues we run into or any tips I have. But I won't be writing out a full tutorial. Again, I highly recommend the links I provided above. We're learning as we go.

Happy Monday!

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More Thoughts, Fewer Ideas

Of course, when I write about possibly stopping writing . . . I all of a sudden have so much to say. First, I wanted to extend a big thank you to those of you who sent me comments and messages on this topic. That's the reason I've continued on as long as I have. This community is so supportive and kind. I have loved "knowing" some of you for the past decade, give or take.

It seems like you guys mostly understand where I am right now with blogging. I love writing. I don't love content generation. Also, I think some of you were confused when I wrote that I like watching YouTube and Instastories more lately. I don't mean I'm considering replacing writing with these things. In my experience, putting together videos for my YouTube channel takes so much more time and energy. Writing flows. I also don't have to get dressed or put on makeup to write. I suppose I don't need to do that to record either -- but you know, vanity.

The more thought I've put into the whole situation, the more I've decided that less is definitely more. As a writer and as a reader, I think this idea holds true. A return, perhaps, to the good old days of blogging may be my thing. A 2005-style (thanks, Chrissy!) of longer or at least more poignant narratives, less often. More of my thoughts and less take-home ideas (though I'm sure bits and pieces will spark things you may want to try for yourselves). A recipe where it feels right, but not testing and tooling for recipe creation's sake.

Obviously, I'll continue to share the everyday things I'm doing. Like how we're building a glorified kiddie pool with a filter (!!!) so we won't have to continually dump and refill all summer long! (By the way, if you've wondered where I've been on social media recently -- I've been digging and leveling.)


I've always been meaning to share more about my homesteading efforts, too. I just planted our garden for the year, for example, and I'm excited to start small.  I had all these sweeping plans to be much more impressive, but -- again -- the theme this year seems to be less is more.

A longstanding goal of mine is to grow more of our own food in the backyard. I have had many missteps along the way. But instead of forcing . . . sharing my tips and tricks, I'd rather just share the chronicles. Because I actually don't know what I'm doing! I'd rather write about my observation of the pesky robins and other birds who jump the fence I took a good hour erecting. They laugh in my face as they nosh on the would-be eggplants and peppers.


Somehow when I inserted that last image, it deleted the rest of what I had written. Several paragraphs. Fail. So, I mostly wanted to say that I appreciate there are some of you who still read blogs. Already, writing in this more narrative style versus TIPS and DIY THIS and PIN ME! It's just easier. It suits me more in this stage of life.

So, if you'll keep reading . . . I'd love to keep at it in this way. And if you read blogs that are in this style, please share them with me. I'd love to get back to more reading, too.

Let's begin this resurgence of old-school blogging. I'm all in!

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