BEST WAY(S) TO WASH PEA GRAVEL?

[capewind]

Hubby washed a few 5 gallon bucketfuls, and then said screw this LOL. He drilled holes into his old concrete mixer (plastic holding tub), threw a few shovelfuls in, and turned it on .. and kept a hose in it til the water was coming out clear LOL. 4 yards done, need a LOT more...

 

[addy1]

When we were washing ours, it was a dry hot summer, took a bunch of water to get a load of gravel clean. So we decided, to protect our well, we did not wash any more gravel, it went in dirty. So far I have seen no issues using dirty gravel. We didn't even get a huge load of dirt out when we turned on the pump.

 

[capewind]

I think the main issue is JUST HOW DIRTY is it.

For another pond project, we used 3/4" native stone (greys and white tones, standard for driveways in the NE)... basically splashing a BIT of water at it got it CLEAN...

In our bog, we went with 2 colors... the 3/8" tan needed some rinsing, but not too bad at all. Think we could have just put it in and let the filter take care of it... The 3/8" cinnamon gravel on the other hand was sooooo bad, hubby did a first rinse in the dump body... OMG was it caked in clay... 2 months later, I *still^ have clay in my driveway from it, and it was washed WELL in the mixer, and if you stir the gravel up, you get a mild cloud STILL....

 

[addy1]

lol for sure, mine came from a stone yard, it was dirty, not as bad as bagged rock, but dirty. Would have loved to wash it, but we like having a working well, so chose not to wash the gravel. One of those no rain summers.

 

[capewind]

We buy it from a pit as well. I cant imagine what it costs folks who buy the bagged stuff.

 

[Mmathis]

I buy it by the bag, but only 'cause I don't need as much. But at $3+ a bag, sometimes I wonder. If I'd known how much I was going to use [and this is only for making 2 mini-bogs for the box turtles!], probably would have ordered some delivered. Next time ............

 

[capewind]

How many pounds does a bag actually weigh?

 

[Mmathis]

How many pounds does a bag actually weigh?

Good question. I'll have to dig an empty out of the trash and see if it says. I know they are "measured" by cubic feet [?], so not sure if the wt. is on the bag. Just guessing, 50 lb.????

 

[addy1]

How many pounds does a bag actually weigh?

at our home depot it is 0.5 cu feet 49 lbs.

 

[capewind]

Ouch! That would add up fast if you needed a bit.

The most expensive gravel I have purchased was $60 yard (which is about 1.5 tons), and that is the neat cinnamon we mixed into the bog

We get free mulch (aka left over from client installs), but I want to put the cinnamon colored gravel in my planting beds that are next to the pond, since it is almost the same color. No issues with the mulch washing, but I have to replace the mulch each year to keep the color fresh, and one bed in particular is a nightmare to get to (have to walk on the rocks between 2 liners/ponds with 5 gallon buckets). Gravel would look fresh all the time

 

[addy1]

it adds up at 3.48 a bag.

 

[Mmathis]

Yikes! The savings woulda covered the delivery fee and then some! Wish I had a place to store/keep it for future use.

 

[capewind]

We have a bit of land to hide things, but even a little spot off to the side may work in the future. When hubby comes home with extra loam, mulch, stone, etc from a clients job, we just throw a tarp on the ground, and unload onto that.

Since this conversation started, decided that I am going to HINT to hubby, as soon as he has the time, to go get me a couple yards of the gravel I want. Unfortunately it isnt local to us, and the nearest supplier is 45 minutes away. I'll just poke away at laying it over the existing mulch, and I sure as heck dont need to rinse it for that LOL. Rain can do it LOL.

 

[Jane Farquharson]

Love you Americans some fantastic ideas I have a big sive over the bags of pea gravel to get dirt of and weeds don't forget using the spray part on hose wash shake pop in wheel barrow then wheel it to front were membrane is. So pleased it's autumn in UK wish me luck got 4 ton bags to do

 

[Lisak1]

@Jane Farquharson good luck to you! My experience with pea gravel is - the more you wash, the more dust there is. I just gave up and added it to the bog. The dust settled within a day and it's never been a problem since.