how much backfill against bottom rail of ag pool?

[gadd]

Just had ag pool installed and filling now.
1. I'm curious about how much backfill material to put against the bottom rail to prevent the sand from washing out. Should I use the yard dirt that's left over - it's full of grass - does that matter?

2. I'm concerned that the installers didn't put the nutgrass killer a full 18" wider around the pool. Should I put nutgrass killer under any additional backfilling I do myself?

3. What's the best material with which to backfill (and cheapest)?

4. After backfilling, in the future do I just put nutgrass killer on top of the backfill?

Thanks so much

 

[kicko]

good question, i also noticed after a few hard rain we have had i am getting sand on the ground from the front side of the pool. I have a good pile of fill i was thinking piling against the backside wall to create a small wall that migth redirect the flow and drainage.

I have a 32x16 rectangle AG

 

[gadd]

Using a rake, I removed the dirt from the base of the pool wall (I don't mean dug a trench, just got the dirt backfilling off the wall) and I put some "pond pebbles" (20 bags @ about $4 each H. Depot))around the base - I think they will provide at least a little bit of weight to keep the sand from washing out - they are fairly large rocks and the nutgrass poison can drain through them to the ground easily. I'm going to border the rock with red paving stones. Thanks for your reply, by the way.

 

[kidsluv2swim]

We just had our pool installed. The installer said to put a few inches deep of 3/4" crushed stone all around the pool(about 2.5-3ft 0ut) they said this will prevent the sand from washing out AND prevent critters from digging under the pool!

 

[gadd]

thanks for the info!

 

[sevver]

My pool is 8" deep on one side and 14" deep on the other side. I just backfilled it with whatever made sense and haven't had any issues. On the side with only yard, it was buried in dirt. The other side has a brick paver sidewalk going up to it and around it, I backfilled with the crushed stone (grade 8 roadmix). I haven't had any issues.

I really don't know that it matters what you backfill with, I think you just need to assess your situation and address it. If you need drainage around your pool, like if your ground doesn't drain well, you should put a drain tile wrapped in a sock around it and run it someplace lower. I feel that the dirt around the pool should slope away from the pool without a doubt, even if only a quarter inch per foot.

The only thing I am concerned with really is the reaction between the limestone I used with the metal rail of the pool. It seems to eat into watermains when I have gone back and repaired them, but they are made from ductile iron. And for all I know, there could be another element involved there too.