10 Must-Have Accessories For Your Above Ground Pool in 2023

If you have just purchased an above ground pool or are thinking about buying one, you may wonder what type of accessories you are going to need to go with it. As it turns out, there is a large variety of accessories you can purchase, and some of them will help increase your pool-time fun, while others are essential for the continuous operation of your pool.

We are going to look at 10 essential accessories that you might choose to purchase for use in your pool. We’ll go into detail about each one so you can get an idea if it’s an accessory that you might want.

The 10 Essential Pool Accessories

Here are the 10 pool accessories that we believe are the most important to have when you start your pool.

1. Test Strips and Chemicals

You are going to need a few different chemicals to maintain the water in your pool, and you may need more or less of these chemicals, depending on the environment where you live. Temperature, contaminants in the air, and the quality of the water you are filling the pool with will all affect the type and amount of chemicals that you will need.

AquaChek 551236 7-Way 100 Count Pool Water Test Strips

The only way to know what chemicals your pool water needs is to use a pool water test strip. Water quality test strips are found in any pool supply store and come in packs of 10 to 50. Each strip will have several pads glued to one side that will change color depending on the presence of certain chemicals. You compare the pads with a chart on the package that tells you what the color of each pad should be and what chemical each one is testing. Test strips commonly test for chlorine, water hardness, pH, and a few other less essential chemicals as well.

We recommend testing the pool water often because its easier to change the water a little than a lot. You also want to have a good supply of chlorine and pool shock. You can buy chlorine tabs that slowly dissolve or granules that dissolve quickly. The tabs are good because you put them in and forget them for a week, but if the chlorine level gets low, you will need the granules to increase the level quickly.

You will also probably need pH+ and pH- to maintain the correct pH balance for your pool, and you may also need a few other chemicals depending on what your test strips say.

Doheny’s 3 Inch Swimming Pool Chlorine Tablets 50 lbs.

2. Chlorine Float

While we are discussing chlorine tablets, if you decide to use them, you are going to need a chlorine float. As the name suggests, the chlorine float is a floating canister that holds the chlorine tabs. Chlorine can harden the pool liner and diminish its lifespan, so you never want to allow the chlorine to rest against the liner. Not only does the chlorine float keep the tab from touching the liner, but it also moves around the pool, distributing the chlorine more evenly.

These devices often do more than carry chlorine tabs, many of them have a thermometer and even cup holders to help make them more versatile.

WWD Chlorine Floater, Turtle Floating Pool Chlorine Dispenser

• You may also like: 20 Best Accessories For Your Hot Tub

3. Pool Skimmer and Utility Pole

Another essential accessory to have when you are maintaining a pool is the pool skimmer and utility pole. The utility pole is a long extendable pole that has a handle on one end and universal holes on the other. These holes allow you to attach several accessories to the same handle, including the skimmer and a vacuum, which we’ll discuss later.

HydroTools by Swimline 3-Piece Value Pool Pole

The skimmer attachment is usually square with a tight netting or screen. When attached to the utility pole, you can use it to remove any bugs, leaves, or pollen that may find their way into your pool water. You can also use it to get larger debris off the bottom of the pool.

Rongbo Deep-Bag Pool Rake & Swimming Leaf Skimmer

4. Solar Cover

If your pool is in an area that gets a lot of shade, you might find yourself struggling to get the water up to a comfortable temperature. A solar cover can help collect any available sunlight and turn it into heat to warm the water. These covers usually resemble a large sheet of packing bubble wrap. It has the same dimensions as your pool, and it rests on the water during the day when you are not in the pool.

The downside to these covers is that if your pool is in a sunny area, it’s easy to get the pool water too warm, which can cause algae to grow at a much faster rate and be challenging to control.

Thermo-Tex 2831224 Swimming Solar Pool Cover, 12′ x 24′, Blue

5. Storage Shed

It’s easy to accumulate a lot of accessories when you have a pool for a few years, and you are going to need a place to store them all. Many poolside storage sheds and cabinets have been created precisely for this purpose. These sheds are durable and weather resistant, and they’re usually lightweight, inexpensive, and made of plastic.

Keter Patio Store 4.6 x 2.5 Foot Resin Outdoor Storage Shed

6. Pool Vacuum

The pool vacuum is another essential part of pool maintenance, and there are two basic types of pool vacuums. The first type of pool vacuum is the most common and is more necessary than the other. This vacuum connects to your pool skimmer to create suction and attaches to the utility pole. You can then use this vacuum to suck debris from the bottom of the pool after it settles.

XtremepowerUS Automatic Suction Vacuum

The second type of vacuum uses the pools inlet jet where the water returns from the pump. This type of vacuum uses the jetting water to create currents that pull debris into a net. These vacuums are good for cleaning debris that has not yet settled to the bottom of the pool.

Poolmaster 28300 Big Sucker Swimming Pool Leaf Vacuum

7. Floats and Rafts

No pool is complete without a few floats. These floats can be ring-type floats or they can also be rafts that you can sunbathe on. The size of your pool will determine what type of floats you get. We recommend getting high-quality floats because the less expensive ones can fail quickly, and you spend more money replacing them.

Intex Canopy Island Inflatable Lounge

Intex Clear Color Tube #59251

8. Toys and Games

Besides floats and rafts, you might also find it’s fun to have some waterproof toys and games to play while spending time in your pool. There are plenty of waterproof card games you can play as well as volleyball and tennis. Water guns also make a good toy in the pool.

H2OGO! Pool Play Game Center

9. Winter Cover

The winter cover is an essential accessory for maintaining your pool during the offseason. These covers are thick and durable enough to hold up to snow and ice. They also don’t allow light to shine through, which can cause algae and bacteria to grow. You don’t use any chemicals in the pool during the offseason, nor do you run the filter, so it is essential to keep it dark and covered when not in use to minimize the amount of startup work you need to do at the beginning of the next pool season.

Blue Wave Bronze 8-Year 24-ft Round Above Ground Pool Winter Cover

10. Winter Pillow

The winter pillow is another essential accessory for off-season care of your pool if you are in an area accustomed to freezing temperatures and snow. When the pool water freezes, it will expand toward the pillow. If there was no pillow when the water freezes, it will expand outward toward the liner and could damage the pool.

Robelle 3748-02 Deluxe 4-foot x 8-foot Ice Equalizer Air Pillow

Conclusion

That about sums up most of the necessary accessories you’re going to need when maintaining your pool as well as having fun in it. There are plenty of other things you can buy to improve your experience, including lighting and sound systems, but this list should be more than enough to get you well on your way to a fantastic summer in the pool.

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