Please help with Site prep questions: ANT and WEED prevention????

[67mike]

OK:

For: 21 foot AGP (Cornelius).

I rented sod cutter and got rid of sod in area and 18" past where pool will go.

Got ground as level as possible. Brought in a bunch of crusher fines (had to use 3-4" on one side of site to level).

Rented plate compactor and spend hours compacting the crusher fines.

NOW: I have site covered with tarps/black poly to keep heavy rain off.......BUT when I lift up tarps I see ants have got under there in some areas and there still is some single blades of grass here and there poking up through the CF base.

I bought some persanthamum derived insect killer (hoping not to use toxic chemicals that will leach into pool water).

WHAT should I do to go forward?

Plan is using heavy felt pad that our vendor supplied (I have to cut to size) on top of the crusher fine base under liner and foam cove). Will use river rock on the side we had to cut into yard (about 4" deep) and then crushed rock/pea gravel around the rest of pool

Should I lay down black polyethelene sheeting on top of CF base under frame and felt pad??????????

Thanks for any and all help here.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

I spread a thick layer of diatomaceous earth over my site, then laid down the felt and a tarp. Keeps the bugs away very nicely.

 

[cowboycasey]

Your pool will weigh 96,000 pounds if any ants want to stay under it have at it... I guarantee they will not live

 

[67mike]

I spread a thick layer of diatomaceous earth over my site, then laid down the felt and a tarp. Keeps the bugs away very nicely.

Thank you for the answer.

I think I will lay down heavy black poly sheeting on/under the whole site, and put the felt pad on top.

I will look into getting some of that D Earth.

Thanks again.

 

[CJadamec]

I treat the perimeter of my pool yearly for ants. My pool installer said 90% of his liner replacement jobs were from ants chewing holes into the liner. They love the sand and vinyl under the pool. Or at least that's what he told me.

I wouldn't bother with all kinds of tarps and pads under the pool. The sand base, or foam if you are using that, will be plenty to stop and weeds.

Your liner is an effective chemical barrier. Nothing you apply under or around the pool is going to make it thru 20 mil of vinyl.

Last few years I've used Bifin I/T which is a perimeter application pesticide. It comes as a concentrate and is applied by a sprayer application. Its worked really well and one application seems to last the whole season for me. I do the exterior of the house and pool. It also has application rates for indoor use so it's relatively safe once the spray is dried for both pets and people.

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