I recently replaced a rusted Cameo oval pool with a oval Trevi 178. Looking at the attached photo, the installer did not totally add sand or dirt on the back side of the pool. I'm having a tough time finding rainbow rocks and a landscaper recommended crush limestone. Over the years, I've read that limestone corrodes the walls of AGPs.
Is that correct? Crushed limestone will corrode the walls? What are the recommended rocks for AGPs? I had rainbow colored rocks around the previous pool, but this Trevi is significantly darker and was looking for a change. I'm also considering Black Star gravel which is basalt. Looking at the photo of the pool, any rock landscaping ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Will limestone corrode metal? Yes and no. Limestone is alkaline, and therefore will contribute to corrosion, just like concrete will. Limestone sitting there by itself is not going to corrode anything. Limestone in standing water that has time to leach into the water and then contact your pool - that could be an issue. However, if you have standing water around your pool, then you have other issues to address.
If you want to play it safe, avoid any white rock, it is likely to be limestone. If you really want white rock around the pool, then you can use marble chips if you want.
I have 2" river rock around my pool. It stays in place (most of the time) and is easy to weed through, and friendly on feet if I have to stand around the outside edge of my pool.
I have loads of different stone in my yard (I live near a place that will sell to me by the 1/2 yard, and I have a trailer)
2" river rock around the pool (river is oval and flattish and in varying shades from light to dark grey)
2" egg rock around the fire pit (egg rock is not as flat as river rock, it is more, well, egg shaped)
2" Grey flats around the equipment pad (this is just fancy river rock, but it is all pretty much the same grey color - I bought it by the bag because I needed like 4 bags after I moved my pad)
3/4" clean in certain areas that you really cant see for drainage - this is just what most people call "gravel" - grey basalt
Eastern Sunrise by the grape arbor. Pretty to look at (reddish brown, with some whites in it) and I believe igneous (I can't figure out where they source this from) - horrible to weed in, and the dog hates walking on it.
3/8" grey pea gravel - in what used to be a swing set area (you can use it for padding, it is recognized by whatever group certifies the substrates around swing sets). Its no longer a swing set, as the kids are older. It's now a vegetable garden with raised beds and the pea gravel in the paths between the beds.
3/4" Limestone chips - in an extended parking area at the end of my driveway where I keep my trailer and one car. I wanted to use oyster shell in this area (that is not a rock, it is actual oyster shells). Crushed oyster shells naturally cement themselves together over time (weakly). That's one of the reasons it is used for bocce ball courts, you don't get foot prints. It also reminds me of the New Jersey shore (lots of beach houses have crushed shell driveways). I found a source for clean oyster shell, but holy heck was it expensive (I had to ship I think 5 yards from New Orleans to New Jersey). So yeah, that idea went out the window and I went with limestone for a similar look.
Me, I would go with either egg or river rock around the pool.
Keep in mind that these descriptions are for my area in Northern New Jersey. Different areas call things by different names. Like Crusher Run for example. Depending on where you are it can be Crusher Run, DGA (Densely Graded Aggregate), Pack, QP (or Quarry Process), or a host of other names.
I'll try and grab some pictures of my (stone)yard and post them. The yard looks horrible right now, between weather, vacation, and a kitchen remodel project, but I will still give an idea.
