Every summer, we have this urge to be around water, cooling off or just relaxing near a water source. The reason is obvious: hot weather and dry ambiance. The solution is also clear: an outdoor swimming pool. What happens when you don’t actually have the space or money to build the pool you wish? An easy compromise is to make your own swimming pool using a livestock tank in the DIY project. The transformation attempt featured in these images is a successful one. The galvanized stock tank is perfect for afternoons of cooling off in the water or for your kids to have a small swim-around. Check out what has been done and replicate the DIY project in your own back yard.
The galvanized tank will rust. Get it coated inside and out with a pickup bed coating. I used Reflex ~ worked great.
Was wondering about that! Good info, thanks! How do you keep the water relatively clean btw?
I would put in a circulating pump to a filter and a heater. You treat it with chlorine tabs and test it daily.
that stuff looks expensive…where’s the best place to buy it? I am debating this or using a swimming pool liner. about the same price,
Check the tank carefully before buying. Some friends did this, but the seam across the bottom of the tank had a sharp spot and cut toes.
great idea! Love it.
Beautiful decking…personally if we go this far, I will leave one side free as we have found manufacturers are using less zinc in their galvanized tanks (thanks to the EPA!) and they rust faster. Leaving a side open would allow for easy repair/replacement without tearing out the lovely decking.
fill from your well, drain to soaker hoses…we did this with great results
Bought a 39$ pool from Walmart and put it inside the tank, works like a charm!
Have wanted to do this for years, but so far have found no good information on dealing with algae and insects (especially mosquito larvae) – Don’t want to use chlorine, does anyone have advice?
If you dont want to use chlorine you can use salt water… since the tank is small all you need is a small sand filter and use salt water.. talk to your pool dealer
I love this. But i live in Arizona. How would I keep this from getting hot so that it doesn’t burn hands or arms when you touch the side or top?
you could probably get pool noodles and slice a small slit down one side of the noodle and put it on the top edge of the tank to make it softer too and it would deal with the heat.
Or even better maybe, you might try polyethylene waterpipe Insulation tubes (hardier, denser foam noodles, already split, more sizes, 6 ft lengths, about the same price as pool noodles!) 🙂 If they don’t have them in your state, you can start by checking them on Amazon 🙂
cover the sides with white roof coating..or block..or whatever..for looks and repel sunlight…..for top edge…use pool noodles…..works great and gives paddining
I read the best article on UV ultra Ray light disinfect systems that clean everything from 80 – 90 %. They. Then recommended using only a .5 chlorine imstead of the usual 2/% for residential and 5% for commercial. But it is possible to have your pool completely chlorine free by using hydrogen peroxide.
I have a 27 ft. Above ground that I’m going to have to start from scratch next year . . . new liner, etc. How do you keep a pool chlorine free with peroxide? I have two young grandsons that will be swimming in it and that sounds wonderful!! Thank.
Where can you buy them? I’m in Massachusetts, not exactly cattle country. Any info is appreciated!!
tractor supply…
I just purchased one of the plastic stock tanks and use it !
If you don’t use a pump and you use chlorine in the water will that work? Thank y’all.
If you use a pump can you put the hoses over the top hanging in the side in stead of putting them in the side? Don’t want to cut the tank. Thank y’all.
Hello, Does someone know where to buy one in Belgium? (:
Any tractor supply will have them and they are all over