Weighing down Wedding Cake Steps ?

[AnnaE]

For the past two years, we put regular sand to hold down our stairs. Is there a difference between Play Sand and Filter Sand? Someone told me that Filter Sand is better. Also, how did you put the sand in the pool? We wrapped it in 3 plastic garbage bags each. However, algae still grows. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[JohnnySixString]

We just had a 24' round installed and it comes with similiar steps also requiring sandbags. I was thinking about stacking some weights in there instead. Anyone think this might work or be a bad idea?

[karrde97]

The problem I had was that I didn't want to attach it to the deck since I needed to constantly move it to clean. By not attaching to the deck, the back end floated up. They were nice for the little one. But we have moved to a straight ladder.

[gonefishin]

We've had bad luck with the large sand filled ziplocks and with the weights too. This year I plan to fill some empty bleach and milk jugs with concrete...it should do the trick.

dan

[traceyb]

Hi guys....just an idea to weigh your steps down safely. We got 3 pieces of 3-4 inch pvc capped off one end w/ pvc cleaner and adhesive. Then we filled the tubes with driveway rock and capped off the other end. THis makes for a clean, easy way to weigh down the front end. Easy to remove.....just make sure you glue the ends on well. The rails that you attach to wedding cake steps help hold down the back end, if you need more help there, make a few more and drill small holes through the top part of the back opening and concoct a way to hang a few more. There is a few pix on this site of someone who had done that. Just an FYI.. hope this helps.

[b2001]

I gave up on the sand bags wrapped in plastic bags. Too much of a mess - the bags always leaked and disentigrated. I use three large oval and rounded river boulders - about 20 to 30 pounds each - that I got a a rock supply place.

They do grow algae, but so did the sand bags. I don't see a difference in the algae problem - there is less of a mess, the rocks don't break open and leak sand all over the place when you take them out at pool closing. For this reason, the rocks are easier to take out then the bags were. I might chnage my mind in the future - I've got a 16 yr old helper now ... :-)

The rocks I got are rounded with no nicks or edges. I space them around the bottom of the steps.

[rferrel1]

Another questions but on the same lines - I decided to reposition my wedding cake steps this year towards one end of where the deck joins the 15' straight side of my 15x30' oval pool. Last year we had it in the center and the "rule" was that my 6yo grandson was NOT to jump in on the side where the steps "flared out". I decided this year we'd try them all the way to one end of the deck so that wouldn't be a concern and it gives him more room for play in and out of the pool. He hasn't been over yet and so far I'm using the steps without them being connected to the deck. My steps came with a weighted piece that goes on the top step and two containers that bolt to the bottom that are also weighted. I had problems last year with build up of algae under the steps but so far I'm not having an issue with them not being weighted down and I can move them when I get in the pool to assure circulation BUT they certainly don't just "float" around. Any reason why I can't just leave them unattached?? At most, we have a day every other week or so where there are several kids in the pool - it's mostly us adults getting in and floating or swimming laps.

[AnnaK]

There is a few pix on this site of someone who had done that. Just an FYI.. hope this helps.

That would be us. I'm glad the idea works for you. The URL is http://www.ellerbach.com/Pool/ .

[matt4x4]

I've been trying to devise a way to reduce algae growth inside these type of steps.
Water circulation is the key here, without it, it doesn't much matter what you do, you will still get algae growth.
So, here's the best I have come up with.

Add a second return directly behind the stairs, instead of an eyeball, fasten a length of appropriately sized hose into the fitting and feed this hose inside your stairs - either located at the top to point down or at the bottom to point up, if you are using solar heat, I would recommend pointing it up since heat rises, so the warmer water would have tendencies to rise therefore circulating well from bottom to top of steps.