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Are you thinking about making your own DIY stock tank pool? We just got our stock tank swimming pool done and it is awesome! I wanted to show how we made it and share some pictures!
We love to keep things frugal around here, but are always open to spending a little money to make our home perfect for us. Being at home is my favorite thing to do, and projects like this stock tank pool make it even more enjoyable!
DIY Stock Tank Pool: Our Backyard Paradise
I have always enjoyed our backyard, our small farm, and our cozy home, but things just got a little better! We just finished our DIY stock tank pool!
My husband said, “It feels like we are on vacation!” when we got in it for the first time. I say, if you feel like you are on vacation at home, you are doing something right. That, or we have low vacation standards! 😉
It didn’t take a lot of money or time to make our backyard even better with our stock tank pool, and we have been enjoying it so much these past few, really hot weeks!
I wanted to show you how we made our DIY stock tank pool and answer a few questions you might have.
How do stock tank pools work?
Stock tank pools are pretty simple. You just need a galvanized metal stock tank (from a feed or hardware store), a small pool pump, and a few pool hardware pieces.
You will need to drill holes in your stock tank for the jet and strainer, connect the hoses to the pump, and you are ready to fill it up.
The hardest part was getting all the parts in the middle of summer, as many things were sold out. As well as getting our ground level for the stock tank to sit on. Hooking everything up was the easy part!
How much are stock tank pools?
The price will depend on what size stock tank you get. We paid about $400 for a 8′ round, galvanized metal stock tank.
Check your local feed or hardware store. Tractor Supply, CO-OP, or livestock feed stores should be able to get these.
How much does it cost to build a stock tank pool?
Our final cost for the stock tank pool was about $590 for the actual tank, pump, and fittings to get the pool going.
Here is what we had to buy:
8′ Round Galvanized Metal Stock Tank (Bought from a local livestock feed store)
Intex 1500 GPH Pump (Get the Walmart In Stock Alert if unavailable)
Here’s the item number for the pump we got:
Additional Fittings Kit – Ebay (Intex 26005E-LARGE Pool 1-1/2″ Fittings Set 1900-2500GPH with 2 1-1/4″ Strainers)
2 Additional Rubber Gaskets – Ebay (Intex Replacement Wall Gasket Flat Washer for Above Ground Pools 10255)
We also needed these supplies:
How do you make a stock tank pool?
I followed the directions from this DIY stock tank pool tutorial from Hey Wanderer.
Here are some photos of our installation:
Deciding on the spot in the yard:
We put down weed barrier fabric, lots of sand to get the pool level, and then packed in dirt around it to keep the sand from washing out.
Next, we drilled the holes for the jet and strainer. Then, screwed those in with the rubber washers, and attached the plunger valves to each.
Once all of those pieces were on, we made sure there were no leaks and filled the pool up!
We decided to add some paver stones we had leftover from our patio project as a border around the pool. Then, we filled everything in with a few stepping stones and some river rock.
Are stock tank pools worth it?
100% yes! We have so enjoyed our small backyard pool.
Having this pool in our backyard is so nice to cool off after working out in the yard, or just to hang out in at night.
The water has been very comfortable and we have had some very hot days lately!
There is some maintenance involved with skimming the pool to get rid of floating debris/bugs and keeping the chlorine and ph at good levels, but it is so worth it!
I love improving our home and backyard with DIY projects like this one. It makes our house so enjoyable – we don’t even want to leave!
I added this little bench and side table we found at a yard sale to make this space even more enjoyable and functional.
This might be my favorite spot in the backyard! 🙂 I know we will enjoy this for many years to come.
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