set a sump pump

[ted]

What's better to set a sump pump in: crushed stone or gravel. I heard crushed stone, but I have a ton of gravel (about 3/4") and I would like to use that if I could.

[trader4]

I don't think it makes any difference, unless the size is so small that it could get sucked in.

[micky]

I don't think it makes much difference. With larger gravel, your first attempt to put the pump down might leave it sitting on one high corner, so that it rocks but a) after it's connected to the fixed output pipe, it won't rock, b) before connecting, you can use your hands to take out the high places. It will take an extra 5 minutes or less. That's what I would do.

[Jim Elbrecht]

First- set it *on*, not *in* a 6" or so bed of gravel.

Second- It doesn't matter. [but I wouldn't use the whole ton.]

Jim

[nestork]

I would buy the smallest concrete paver I could at any landscaping store, drill a hole through it at one corner and put a bolt and chain through that hole so you can pull that paver out of the pit if you ever need to. Set the paver down on whatever you have (crushed stone OR gravel), and then set the sump pump on the paver. A sump pit will have a grate around it's base to sift out anything too big to go through it, but it's better if no stones go through it at all.

Elevating the pump a bit by setting it on a paver will ensure you don't suck up any stones. The water in your sump pit will be 2 or 3 inches higher than normal, but that doesn't matter.

[Attila Iskander]

Either one is OK Even better, drop a cinder block into the hole if one can fit, so that the holes are facing up Put the pump on the cinder block. This way your pump is a few inches above the rock/gravel, and there is no chance of any getting sucked up into the pump.

Alternately get a grass paver

That works even better