New 21' agp replacing sloped 21' agp

[Coopercomp]

Hello all
Looking for some thoughts and suggestions.
Just tore down a 21' above ground with a sloped bottom, was "suppossed" to be in good shape when we bought the house (in winter :silent: ). Went to open the pool this week and whoa!!
Liner was decent but pool was off level by about 5-7" and varying amounts of rusted base plates wall holes under both return and skimmer. Had a "professional" tell us that it should be fine for at least another year. Needless to say i wont be contacting him again.
I decided that a new 21' is in order. Problem is the current base is sloped and new pool in transit is flat bottom. Current base is about 1-2" sand on top of undesturbed soil.

So to the questions?
What would be the ideal fill for the sloped bottom? Limestone screenings or 3/4 crush gravel then level with sand. All packed with gas powered tamper btw

Or

Dig up perimeter to the lowest point? center drain level, then level base with 1" sand. This method would sink the new pool below grade however and im not certain if the pool we bought can be sunk in.


Any help would be appreciated thanks .

 

[zea3]

Hi, welcome to TFP! Limestone screenings are very good for leveling, and I think you have a good plan. Normally we do say dig down to solid ground, then level. Keep an eye on the pool as it fills and make sure it stays level. If you see it is getting out of level you will need to stop and make adjustments before the pool is full.

 

[CJadamec]

Don't use gravel to fill the sand top layer will just fall down thru the gravel leaving the liner sitting on the gravel. Compacter limestone or some other compactable fill material will be best. If you can get a gas powered compactor in there and compact as you are filling that is even better yet. I've got my entire pool on 3-8 inches worth of heavily compacted road base (aka crusher run, quarry process, or inch and a half minus) and 3 years down the road it is still as firm and level and solid as the day I put it in.

Also keep the moisture content in your fill at the right level to get good compaction.

 

[TomGallopavo]

We dug the ground out because of a slope then used aglime as we call or rock dust. We put a couple in. down, compacted, repeat until we had three or four in.. The pool was dead on level three years ago and has not moved at all. Good stuff.

 

[Coopercomp]

Thanks for the replies!! Removed all the old sand and filled in a larger than i thought conical pit with about 5 yards of screenings. Topped it with 2" of sand. Walls are up now with hopes of liner and fill tomorrow