Soon spring will be here and it will be time to undergo the task of opening your above ground swimming pool. Planning will make your job a whole lot easier. There is nothing worse than realizing you're short one bag of pool shock when you are in the middle of prepping the above ground swimming pool. So first, you need to make a list of pool chemicals that are needed.

The needs will vary depending upon the type of above ground pool you own. Therefore, this article will talk about it in general. You should always refer to your pool and pump instructions for additional information. Things you will likely need are liquid or powder shock, bromine, chlorine powder or tablets, sanitizing cartridge for the cartridge filters, pH increase or decrease and a test kit to test the pool water chemical levels.

Do not take off just yet and order your above ground pool chemicals. Stop and take a few minutes to check out all of your hoses, skimmer baskets, clamps, gaskets and o-rings.

Now that you have the easy part finished, it is time to begin the fun. The first thing required taking the cover off. You will want to enlist help for this, because you want to avoid getting any top water into the pool water. In an above ground pool, you should siphon the water off with a hose.

To get a good siphon started, hook up the hose to the spigot and put the other end of the hose into the top water. Turn the hose on for a minute to fill it. Next crimp the hose a foot or two away from the faucet, and with your other hand, disconnect the hose from the spigot. Position the hose at a downspout drain to discharge then let go of the crimp. The water will reverse and start to drain.

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As president of Real Pool Deals, I'm often asked about my own personal swimming pool setup. I'll give you the skinny on what I've got -- and why I made that particular pool choice:

Our Pool: A 27' round swimming pool
We evaluated our site, took measurements, checked local laws and eventually decided on a round swimming pool for our square backyard. Because we have two kids and tons of family and friends, the 27' round pool made the most sense – it fit into our backyard and our lifestyle.

Steel Or Plastic? We Chose a Steel Pool
Plastic "resin" swimming pools may seem to be the logical choice, but the jury is still out on how well they hold up to the sun over the years. We chose the "Jamaica" North American steel swimming pool because like many other steel pools, it has an excellent rust-proof coating and it's proven to hold up well over time. We'll wait and see how well resin swimming pools survive.

Ian's Pool Liner of Choice
I really prefer the "J Hook" or unibead pool liner. It can work with a bead receiver kit or simply by itself.

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