50 Comments

  1. Ah, you transformed your backyard so well. I love how it turned out, super cute. My kids would love this so much.

    1. Caroline Caine says:

      WHERE do you find 8 foot stock pools?
      Everything but where you can find the large ones???

      1. Hi Caroline, you can find them at Tractor Supply company and some other places. I linked to the exact same one and where I bought it.

  2. Thanks so much Marty! We are ready for summer 🙂

  3. This was such a cool project! From start to finish – how long would you say it took?

    1. Thank you! The longest and hardest part was the digging and since we had to struggle with weather and my husband was mostly only able to dig in the evenings…the digging took at least a month. And the rest we knocked out pretty quickly in about 3 days.

  4. Wow–what a lot of work you guys did–but it looks amazing! I love how it’s built into the hill–I know that’s what made it so much work, but it looks way cooler that way than if it were on flat ground 🙂

  5. What a beautiful backyard oasis! Looks like the perfect spot to unwind and forget.

  6. Sheila A Ghiglieri says:

    Awesome! How much this entire project cost? Thanks for sharing!! Sheila

    1. Thanks Sheila, that’s a tough question to answer and I didn’t want to put an exact number on it since you can pick different pumps and parts as well as the prices of the stone and rocks. Also, a lot of times the prices for everything are different depending on where you live. The stock tanks are around $400, the liners are around $100-$200, the bamboo is around $150, the pumps are anywhere from $60-$300, the parts are around $50 and then throw in the chemicals or salt system and other items you need to keep the pool clean.

  7. I think I may be a little obsessed with this project now, haha. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be able to convince my husband to dig for days, but I’ll start by showing him this post. 🙂 This is the perfect size water feature to cool off and enjoy, without the expense (and maintenance) of a large pool….your own personal oasis! Thanks for sharing your experience from start to finish.

    1. Thanks Kristin! Like I said in my post, it took me years and years to get my husband to dig LOL

  8. You two did an amazing and beautiful job! Hope you can enjoy it for many years.

  9. What an amazing addition to your yard!!! I’ve wanted one of these, but yours looks so much better than ones I’ve seen!!!

  10. Beautiful and back breaking job! I say this after hauling about 100 or more buckets of stones from my neighbor’s house to my place.

    1. Wow you did that all yourself?!? It is a back breaking job for sure

  11. You have such talent..Stand up and take a bow! It looks GREAT!
    If I may ask… aside from sweat equity what do you think it cost for the entire job?

    1. Thanks Carol! I did doubt my vision along the way for sure.
      And the entire cost is a tough question to answer and I didn’t want to put an exact number on it since you can pick different pumps and parts as well as the prices of the stone and rocks. Also, a lot of times the prices for everything are different depending on where you live. The stock tanks are around $400, the liners are around $100-$200, the bamboo is around $150, the pumps are anywhere from $60-$300, the parts are around $50 and then throw in the chemicals or salt system and other items you need to keep the pool clean. So it’s not a particularly cheap project but for us it really was the only option.

  12. Catherine says:

    Wow! You executed this beautifully! Your backyard looks like a tropical paradise. I love it. My husband and I have been talking about doing a stock tank pool in our yard, so I really appreciate the detailed tutorial should we decide to go for it. Enjoy your new oasis!

  13. This looks amazing! It really almost looks like a natural water feature rather than something built into your yard. I hope the weather cooperates with you so you can enjoy it prior to your summer trip to Germany – you and your husband deserve some r&r after all that work.

    1. Oh my God I literally just said the same thing to my husband because this weather is driving me crazy. Thank you

  14. Omg it’s stunning! I just took down our intex above ground pool. It was too big for me to manage the cleaning and keep an eye on my baby and 5 month old. This size would be perfect and we still have the pump. and the ring of sand in the yard ….my husband would kill me though haha. Great job!

    1. Thank you and good luck with your husband haha, maybe he’ll agree

  15. Wow. That looks fantastic. You all did a great job. I know you will enjoy it for years to come. Everything you do is just fantastic.

  16. Angela M. says:

    I absolutely loved this post so informative! Your husband did a fantastic job with the rocks. So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend what a wonderful memory to have of him. The rocks look so good and so expensive! I never heard any negative names for stock tank pools but who cares??!! I think this is fantastic!!!

  17. aussiebushgirl says:

    What a brilliant plunge pool! The perfect retreat at the end of a hard day. An awesome combined effort! ~ heather x

  18. I bought them in Germany

  19. And they actually also float on the pool

  20. What a fabulous idea Julia! It looks so amazing and I wouldn’t have ever thought of that!!!

  21. Love the pool! Love the landscaping around it.
    Beautifully done.

  22. Julia, this is seriously the most awesome DIY project I have ever seen, you’re my hero!! Amazing!!!!!!! Enjoy it this summer!

  23. This is amazing! What will you do in the winter? Cover with a winter pool cover? We have a smaller yard and struggle every year with buying new plastic or inflatable pools for the kids.

    1. Hi Rachelle, I think we will drain it with a submersible sump pump and then cover it for the winter. It really is a great solution for a small yard!

  24. Hi Julia!! Your pool area looks amazing!! My husband and I are going to do one and love the idea of the bamboo! May I ask how the bamboo is staying up? Did you have glue it or is it just staying up on its own?

    1. Hi Tammy, the bamboo is simply held in place by the weight of the rocks around the pool but I also linked to another blog post by a reader of mine where you can see how they tied theirs.

  25. Wow this is an amazing project and you have documented it so well! Every question that popped into my head was almost immediately tackled by you, plus of course a bunch of items I never considered. Great job, great pics, and thanks for all the specs and referral links! I learned so much and it was fun to read – you are a great communicator! We’ll see how soon I get around to trying this (or one of the related mini-projects it sparked for me), but definitely inspired me! Congrats and thanks for such a great article!

    1. Thanks so much Kasey! I hope you get your pool too.

  26. Nancy Cardenas says:

    My Stock Tank is 10ft. I am struggling to find a 10-foot round line. I see 8-Foot and then 12-foot. Any ideas where to locate 10?

    1. Hi Nancy, I’m sorry but I don’t. Did you check with a local pool supply store?

  27. We added a liner and pulled it tight. Filled it up and now the liner slides around so much on the bottom eventually one of us are going to fall and break something. How do we stop the liner from sliding around?

    1. That’s so strange ours isn’t really sliding around unless water gets under the liner. Could that be it in your case?

  28. Very helpful, and I used your guidance as my main resource. But, very importantly, your list is missing a couple of components, namely an additional strainer washer (10255) and strainer nut (10256) for the threaded strainer connector. Both are readily available on the Intex site.

    1. Hi Adam, I can’t recall missing anything when I put our set-up together but thanks for letting me know and I will add them to my list.

  29. Wow, your step-by-step guide makes creating a stock tank swimming pool seem so doable! I especially loved the tips on choosing the right pool liner.

  30. Cozy looking pool, great job! Can I come over for a dip? 🙂 Does the water💧 attract mosquitoes/bugs? Is the pump on a On/Off timer, or run constantly? Are pool lights possible for night-time?🌙 How is your electric bill affected? Thanks!

    1. HI Scott, since it is running water and there is clorine in it there is no issue with mosquitos or other bugs. The pump is on a timer and runs every day for about 5 hours and it does effect the elctric bill but not as much as our neighbor’s hot tub. I addressed the night time pool lights which are possible but I prefer the floating solar lights I have. I love them.

  31. Wow! I love the outcome! Thank you for sharing the link to the equipment you bought to make this project happen.

  32. Wow, what an incredible transformation! I absolutely love how you persevered to create this amazing stock tank swimming pool in such a challenging space. Your attention to detail and determination to find long-lasting solutions is truly inspiring. It’s not just a pool—it’s a personal achievement and a beautiful backyard feature. Kudos to you and your family for the hard work, and thank you for sharing this fantastic project with all its helpful tips!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.