Remove Sand from Pool - Vacuum? Robot?

[Uncle Rico's Pool]

Hello everyone,
Getting the pool open today and there is a lot of sand on the bottom. This is not a surprise because we have been waiting for concrete for a while so the pool is surrounded by it. My question is: how do I remove it without damaging equipment? I just installed a variable speed pump and am nervous that sand going through it could damage the impeller. I have a sock I could put on the skimmer that should drastically minimize any getting through...thoughts?

My second thought was buying a robot. We’ve been considering this anyway. Would sand damage a robot? Is this a better or worse idea?
Any other ideas are welcomed!

 

[Texas Splash]

Sand can usually just be vacuumed right back into the sand filter. But if the sand material you have in the water is not pool sand and you are worried about it being in the pool at all, you could vacuum to WASTE.

 

[Uncle Rico's Pool]

Thanks Texas. No worries about pump impeller? I’m extra cautious because my old pump but the dust last season around the time I had more sand and dirt in the pool. It was pretty old and likely a coincidence but certainly don’t want anything to happen to the new one. I plan to use a sock filter as well.

 

[Texas Splash]

Sand shouldn't hurt the impeller. Pool owners typically vacuum-up dirt, twigs, pebbles, and sand year-round and it just gets pulled past the impeller into the filter. If you wish to use a pre-filter out of caution, you certainly can.