How much is a stock tank pool for your backyard?

People love asking me “Hey, how much is a stock tank pool?” all the time! The answer isn’t as simple as you might think because a lot goes into a stock tank pool setup. It’s still a lot cheaper than getting a large above-ground pool and of course especially a lot cheaper than an in-ground pool. Plus you can easily set up a stock tank pool yourself.

This is why I thought I’d write an entire blog post just about prices with different options. Our little stock tank swimming pool is a bit elaborate since we had to dig it into the hill and added extensive hardscaping, meaning rocks, to it. We bought our stock tank in 2019 and prices have definitely changed since they have become so popular over the pandemic.

How much is a stock tank pool set-up?

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The cost of a stock tank pool set-up can vary greatly depending on several factors such as the size of the tank, the materials used, and the accessories or equipment included. Plus what landscaping or hardscaping do you want around your stock tank pool? A basic setup can cost anywhere from $500 (for the smallest) to $5000 for an elaborate setup.

Different stock tank pool sizes and prices

I mentioned above that we got our 700-gallon galvanized stock tank in 2019 from the local Tractor Supply Company. Back then it was only $400! Since then the price has gone up to about $600 at the tractor supply company. They also have different tank sizes or an oval shape instead of round which is a bit cheaper. I also just realized that Walmart offers some of the smaller metal tanks on their website.

10′ x 2′ galvanized round tank (1,117 gallons of water) – approximately $940 but this largest stock tank isn’t available everywhere
8′ x 2′ blue plastic round stock tank(625 gallons of water) – approximately $900
8′ x 2′ round galvanized stock tank pool (700 gallons of water) – approximately $600
8′ x 3 ‘ oval galvanized stock tank pool (294 gallons of water) – approximately $400
6′ x 2′ round galvanized stock tank pool (390 gallons of water) – approximately $450
2′ oval galvanized stock tank (40 gallons of water) – approximately $230

All these prices vary according to the state and area you live in. Some places deliver them for a fee, ours didn’t have a delivery option. So obviously you either have to add the delivery fee or if you need to rent a truck or trailer the fee for that. We were lucky to have a neighbor who could help and didn’t have to pay to get the stock tank home.

different size and shapes of stock tank pools — Good brands for metal stock tanks and plastic stock tanks are Hastings, CountyLine, Behlen Country, and Tarter.

Lining your stock tank pool

If you decide to buy the more expensive blue plastic stock tank, then you obviously don’t need to worry about rust. For us, plastic pools weren’t even an option because only the metal could support all the backfill and rocks that were needed in our outdoor space. We could only have a backyard pool if we dug a metal stock tank into the hill.

You can line your metal pool with a standard 8′ pool liner made for above-ground pools as we did which is a great way to protect your stock tank pool from rust. I have also seen someone spray their stock tank with blue-tinted spray-in Raptor Liner made for truck beds. This is definitely a bit pricier. Both options are a bit expensive and the prices vary constantly.

a variety of supplies needed to set-up your stock tank pool

What pump do you want to use?

We use a 10-inch INTEX Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump for Above Ground Pools for about $160 because we didn’t want to keep buying filters. The sand works great and is only about $20-$30 per bag. We usually only have to get one bag of sand per summer if I keep skimming and cleaning the top layer of the sand consistently.
A lot of people use the small INTEX Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter Pump which costs about $60 and the 3-pack replacement Intex pool filter cartridges cost around $12. Keep in mind, depending on how dirty your water gets, you have to replace the filter 1 to 2 times a week which can certainly get pricey even if it sounds cheaper initially.

To set up the pump with the pool, you need inlet and outlet valves, connectors, and silicone caulk. The connections are not the same for the different pumps but will both cost you around $60.

IMPORTANT! Keep in mind that you might also have to have an electrician add an extra GFCI outlet for the pump. That is what we had to do and it definitely added to the overall price. It was $400 for that even with my husband digging the trench for the cable. We wanted to be safe and not have an extension cord laying on the ground. It’s just way too dangerous.

Free-standing stock tank or added deck and landscaping

As I said earlier, we added a ton of rocks around our pool. It didn’t really cost us anything besides the gravel backfill because we had the landscaping rocks already in our yard. If you decide to go for the same look, it can cost you quite a bit if you have to buy them.

A deck around your stock tank pool can be pricey as well.

free standing stock tank with pool liner and bamboo fence

Do you need a fence around your pool?

To keep everyone safe, you need to make sure that your pool is enclosed which can obviously cost a lot depending on what material you use. We had a fence already and didn’t need to worry about it.

The cost of this, once again depends on where you live and whether you DIY it or have someone do it for you. I am unable to give you an estimate for that.

Adding water to your tiny pool

Water can cost you quite a bit depending on where you live. So I can’t really give you an estimate on that but it’s definitely something to keep in mind. You obviously also need to have a garden hose to fill up your small pool which costs around $20 to $50.

Hiding your pool pump

We chose to hide the stock tank pool pump because I didn’t want to look at it. I used a faux rock for that which cost me around $190. It was so worth it though.

hiding a stock tank pool pump with a faux rock — Also, check out the DIY outdoor art I made that is pictured above!

Do you want to invest in various pool accessories?

Depending on your preferences, you may want to add items like a pool cover, lights, or pool vacuum. These can add anywhere from $50 and up.

Check out our stock tank swimming pool blog post for even more detailed links and sources of what we used exactly.

pool skimmer – around $10
chlorine float – around $12
chlorine tablets – around $50 (so far we haven’t needed any other pool chemicals)
vacuum – we have a self-contained spa vacuum which is around $80, you can get fancier ones that go up to about $200
pool cover – we bought a 10 ft. solar pool cover and cut it to size for about $30
water testing kit – around $12 to $25 (we don’t use one anymore)
pool lights – around $25 to $50
pool noodles – around $20

Check out my Amazon list for all the items I have.

Updated price list for our entire stock tank pool set-up

8′ round stock tank pool – $600
8′ pool liner – $189
waterproof sealant/caulk – $14
paver base for under the pool to create a flat surface $96 – around $6 a bag (we needed 16 but that depends on what tank size you get)
bamboo fence for around the pool – $168 ($84 for one and we needed 2 since we only needed it for the front, if you have a free-standing pool with this set up you’ll need 3)
sand filter pool pump for $160 and filter sand for $20
pool hose connections and inlet-outlet valves – $60
chlorine float and bucket $12 of chlorine tablets $50 (lasts a long time)
skimmer – $10
vacuum – $80
2 3/4″ hole saw drill bit for $14
faux rock to cover pool pump – $190
GFCI outlet installation – $400
(rocks were free but we had to buy several truckloads of backfill and I can’t remember how much it was. I believe with delivery it was around $200)

This brings the overall total of our specific stock tank pool setup to $2263 and that doesn’t include fancy accessories that I bought over the years like pool floats and such.

Complete stock tank pool setups for sale

If you live in the Houston or Austin Texas area then you have the option to buy an entire set-up and professional installation from Cowboy Pools for $2150 or just the stock tank delivered with pre-drilled holes for $650. They even have a heated stock tank set-up option for $3350 but only for locals. Having the hot tub option is definitely cool! Adding a heating element yourself can be scary.
For everyone else further away, they sell a DIY stock tank pool kits for $975 that comes with everything needed except the tank. You have to find one yourself, drill the holes, and set it up. So with a tank and DIY kit, a simple stock tank pool with no frills would cost around $1575.

Check out more of my outdoor-related posts

stock tank pool pool ideas inspired by our own stock tank setup
my favorite outdoor solar lights I used in and around the little oasis
how we opened up our stock tank pool after the first winter
DIY outdoor solar lantern
How to clean a painted concrete patio or porch
How to repaint a painted concrete porch

I hope this post gives you a good overall idea of how much a stock tank pool set-up costs and how the overall stock tank pool cost can vary depending on the specific details of your unique project. It’s important to research and budget accordingly to ensure that you get the pool set-up that meets your needs and fits within your budget. With this guide, you can hopefully pick and choose which set-up you might want and get a rough idea of how much it will cost you. Keep in mind that availability and prices change constantly.

Tschüß,