I'm going to replace the sand in my swiming pool filter. I wonder if it's safe to reuse those sand for kids' sand box? I suppose if it's safe to swim in the water that filtered by the sand, it should be safe to play with it. Any ideas?
Thanks,
-H
snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
I don't know, but I wouldn't take a chance. Buy new sand.
The purpose of the sand is to remove impurities so the water is safe to swim in. So, do you want your kids to playing the impurities in the sand?
Especially when you add a few years of left over chemicals that were used to help get rid of the above mentioned impurities.
This sand will likely contain many chlorine and/or bromine salts as well as decomposed organic matter. It probably is not outright toxic but it may irritate sensitive skin and the dust generated from it may also have health concerns. If when you redampen it you smell pool smells, it surely is not pure.
If you must, use it for the kitty litter or save it for winter ice treatment. It may also not be suitable for concrete mixing due to the salts but would be fine as underlayment for patio pavers.
FUNNY, I was just thinking, is the pool chems etc more /or/ less hazardous that the neighborhood cat urine and feces found in a regular sandbox? But maybe your sandbox is indoors.
this is the same sand that pool water ran thru that your kids played in all summer? The broken glass and metal frags the sand caught that was in the pool might be a problem.
-larry / dallas
replying to larry, poolguy wrote: I'm changing sand in pool today. I will not use the old sand from pool to put in my Grand Kids sand box. I will throw away the old sand and buy new play sand for our Grand kids sand box. 100 bucks worth of sand for sandbox cost less than Doctor bills and nothing can replace a broken heart if the old pool sand was to harm them. I love them too much to take a chance on it.
Reply to post from 2006?
Poolguy, I beg to differ. That sand was clean enough that someone was swimming in the pool. Pool water definitely gets ingested. It's not a matter of cost. How do you put that sand into the trash. The sandbox is as good a place as any to dispose of the sand. There is zero chance of that very clean sand from the filter harming anyone. You do know that birds fly over sandboxes don't you?
I used to change the sand in my filter every 2 years. A task that is not that easy. I'm still trying to figure out how that sand could wear out. Haven't changed the sand now for 4 years, no problems yet.
I think the problem is pool filter sand is probably not the right grade for a sand box. I agree, the cat shit a sand box seems to collect is a lot more of a health problem than heavily chlorinated filter sand.
I suppose the OP's great grand kids will be using it soon tho.
When a cat stops to void in a sandbox, sometimes that's the only time it's motionless long enough to get a good sho............ er, I mean, photo.
Just saying.
Maybe, but hard for me to imagine what difference any grade might make to the process of filling a bucket with a plastic shovel.
The chlorine isn't going to hang around on that sand for long.
LOL.
The problem is if the sand is too fine a grade, it sticks to their clothes and ends up being "dirt" when they track it inside.
At least it starts clean.
Would it not have a bit of junk from the pool mixed in? Hair,dead skin, any other flotsam from the pool.
Sure, just like play sand left outside will have dead insects, leaf debris, bird droppings, kids snot, cat doo doo, etc before long. Whatever was in the filter at least was chlorinated.
I always assumed that was back washed away but I don't have a lot of experience with sand filters.
Most of it is backwashed away, but there is always going to be some that's left. Not that it matters, because any sand left outside is going to have similar organic debris in it anyway.
I still doubt it would make good sand box sand but health issues would not be my concern. If you ever spent any time around people in the aggregate business you will hear sand is not just sand and there are dozens of types.
I agree there are differences. One difference I learned was from sandblasting. I bought a sandblaster at Harbor Freight and had to find sand to use with it. I couldn't find any for that purpose, so I figured a bag from HD for play or concrete, don't remember which would work. Apparently the big difference is that sand for sandblasting needs to be dry. I managed to use it anyway, but it produced frequent clogs that were a real pain. How different pool filter sand is from the qualities you want for play sand, IDK.
Not so much. That's what back flushing removes.
No doubt. But having used sand filters for years and changed the sand many times, it looks and feels just like the sand you would find in a sand box.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.