Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The biggest difficulty with this product is finding the right sizes connectors. Lines are 1.5" ID, and the threaded connectors are standard 2" PVC size. I started with a Summer Escapes 18' round metal frame pool from KMart, roughly 7000 gallons. It has an external skimmer, and the stock pump connects directly to the bottom of the skimmer bucket, has a 1.25" hose that comes out of the side, and feeds back into a 1.25" elbow, which screws into a 1.25" return outlet in the pool. I then purchased this pump, in the 3000gph model for $160. (Delivery was a little delayed, but Amazon made good on that by refunding the expedited shipping cost) 1) I took my dremel, and cut a 1.5" hole in the bottom of the skimmer basket. I then took a 2" Slip-on to 1.5" Threaded adapter. Silicon around the threads, and screwed the adapter through the bottom of the basket so the threads were fully visible below. 2) Using PVC Cement, I screwed on a 1.5" threaded PVC shut-off valve. 3) Out of the bottom of the valve, I attached a 1.5" Threaded to 1.5" Slip-on adapter with PVC Cement. 4) Then I pushed a 1.5" 90° elbow into the adapter with PVC Cement. 5) From there I used a small 4" section of 1.5" PVC (obviously with PVC Cement) 6) The other end of the 1.5" PVC is connected to a 1.5" Slip-on to 2" Threaded adapter. With PVC Cement. 7) Lastly, and most importantly, the connectors that come with this pump are 2" threaded, and 1.5" ID lines. This is important because you want to maintain that 1.5" as much as possible to ensure smooth flow and pressure through the pump. I used two rubber seals between the flexible hose and the 2" adapter, and screwed this on as tightly as possible. 8) Let this all dry for at least an hour. Or so I hear. Mine set up for probably 4 hours on a sunny day before I put water in the lines. For the return side, I ignored the screw-on collar completely, and just found a 1.5" OD to 1.25" threaded adapter in a pool store, and used a metal clamp to fit the flexible hose to the outside of the adapter. I'm not a fan of this set up, but it works. When I unpacked the pump, I didn't realize, but the rubber seal around the top of the included skimmer/debris container's lid wasn't in the right position. So when the pump ran, it would suck air in through the top of that canister, and be very loud. Once I put that seal in the right place, below the lid, and got the line from the skimmer to be 1.5" ID all the way to the pump, the pump was able to remove all air from the debris basket and ran MUCH quieter. No more unsteady flow either.