I'm new at this and can't figure out how to comment on someone else's complaint. Many years ago, with out first Easy Set pool, the filter crapped out and I was a frustrated as everyone else. So I bit the bullet and bought a regulat above-ground sand filter. It worked like a charm. I was able to balance the water pH, attach a vacuum, and backwah the filter when needed. Because I had this filter, when we kept upgrading to larger pools (from 15' to 18' to 25') I has a filter capable of handling the load. We were able to keep the 25' pool for 4 years before we sold it to someone else. Even the punctures from our stupid cats were easily fixed. GREAT POOLS!
I know it's a huge initial expense but it is totally worth it in terms of usability of the pool and no hassles with the cheap little Intex pumps.