What do I do with all the used sand?

[Household6]

Filter sand change complete.
Now I have 250 lbs of used pool sand in a trash can. What am I going to do with it?!

City trash likely isn’t going to pick it up, especially if I tell them it’s pool sand.

Thought about spreading it over the lawn, but that would kill the grass (ah’hem weeds) and prevent anything from growing in the future, right?

Thought about using it at the bottom of some planters (instead of potting soil) but the plant roots would eventually reach it and kill them, right?

Maybe throw it in the back yard of the 10 years vacant house next door hoping it would kill everything since the owners don’t want to maintain it (mosquito and vermin city), but they’d likely notice that much sand when they do come to cut the front yard. (I’d prob not care if I thought I could spread it around without being eaten alive by mosquitos).

So what do I do with all this silica sand?!

 

[mknauss]

Why would it kill the grass? It is sand. Just spread it out.

Why did you change the sand? Sand is millions of years old. The few years you used it had no effect on it unless you circulated pool store potions through it.

 

[thetekgeek]

If you have a basement. Spread it out in your window wells. It’ll do a fine job of preventing weeds from growing.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

Take it to the beach?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

People spread sand out on their lawns all the time to help amend soil conditions. You can use it in the garden too.

Maddie

 

[Richard320]

If you have heavy clay soil, till it in. then you'll have heavy clay soil with bits of sand stuck in it.

I would advise against just piling it somewhere. Neighborhood cats would love a nice soft easy-to-dig pile of sand to in.

Just scatter it across the weeds.

 

[Household6]

Why would it kill the grass? It is sand. Just spread it out.

Why did you change the sand? Sand is millions of years old. The few years you used it had no effect on it unless you circulated pool store potions through it.

Because we bought the house 10 years ago after it was seized by the gov’t and had sat for 3 years. Since then it was a rental property for 9 years. Seriously doubt if a tenant changed the sand. And sure they used pool boy.
So yah, I felt it needed to be changed.

 

[Household6]

If you have a basement. Spread it out in your window wells. It’ll do a fine job of preventing weeds from growing.

No basement. Great idea though!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

yeah, ok... I hear ya. Sort of like scrupulously cleaning the bathroom again when moving in to a house, huh?

Maddie

 

[Household6]

Perhaps I’m wrong - thought silica was attached to silicosis, which supposedly leads to cancer. No?
Then why not just dump it in the sand box for the kids to play in?

 

[Household6]

yeah, ok... I hear ya. Sort of like scrupulously cleaning the bathroom again when moving in to a house, huh?

Maddie

Partially, yes.
Plus, needed to backwash/rinse every time I went to vacuum. Not so sure this solved this problem, but just felt better knowing it was done.
If I knew then what I know now, likely would have just deep cleaned, but hind sight . . .

Maybe I just like punishment? ?

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Silicosis is caused by crystalline silica. If the pool #20 sand was dangerous we'd have heard of it before this. Just don't go crushing the sand particles and breathing them in.

 

[Household6]

People spread sand out on their lawns all the time to help amend soil conditions. You can use it in the garden too.

Maddie

GARDEN?
Who has time/wants to garden when they have a pool screaming their name? ;-)

 

[Household6]

Silicosis is caused by crystalline silica. If the pool #20 sand was dangerous we'd . have heard of it before this. Just don't go crushing the sand particles and breathing them in.

Note to self - do not snort the sand!

 

[kimkats]

I would put it in a sandbox that has a cover over it and let the kids play in it!!