Mother of all algae problems

The basics of swimming pool maintenance.
New swimming pool owner's questions.
Help getting started with daily pool care.
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mr_clean
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Postby mr_clean » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 00:07

while you are checking lid also take out basket and take your finger or small screwdriver and put down in small hole at bottom and turn impeller to make sure nothing is stopping it from turning. It should move pretty easy.

main thing getting pump primed and circulation.


Colino

Postby Colino » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 14:49

Oh the pump works well. The prob is getting the pump primed well enough. I went out there with a hose half an hour ago to keep on priming it. I made sure to keep the pump lid tight as a drum. The pump would never pick up pool water, just water from the hose. The big breaker is the booster pump. I need to remove that and get a plug or cap for the hole left there.
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mr_clean
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Postby mr_clean » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 16:43

lets do one thing at a time, so for the main pump/motor you said motor is not sucking water from pool.

This could be you have a diverter valve in skimmer hole turned to close position.
go to the skimmer and look or feel if a pipe is sticking out, normal skimmer should only have a hole with threads you can feel.
I assume your skimmer sense older has one hole not two holes.
The diverter valve is used to vacuum pool, meaning you attach to end of vacuum hose put in skimmer and will get suction only from pump and not share suction with bottom drain/skimmer.

If you do have one in there you should be able pull out or turn to open position. Although I have seen them that are metal rust in place. A good pipe wrench normally should turn it if like this.

Also pipe coming out of ground up to front of pump/motor, does it have a ortega valve? I would think not if only pool but if so, make sure it is in open position not closed. Same thing as Diverter valve would work.

If none of this is true, you then need to get air compressor from someone with nozzle that blows air and go to pump basket. Take off lid and the pipe that water inters from stick nozzle with old shirt around it and blow air which should come out at skimmer hole. This will let you know you have no clog.

see what happens and let me know.
Colino

Postby Colino » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 18:44

There are two threaded holes at the bottom of each skimmer, both of them clogged with crap. Time to get someone with an air compressor...

Maybe one pipe at the filter location is for the suction for a pool vac, and the other for the skimmer/main drain
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mr_clean
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Postby mr_clean » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 19:12

when you have a two hole skimmer the back one nearest wall is suction and yes second one goes to main drain.

you will want to get a pool skimmer diverter and basket in the future to help stop problem.
Colino

Postby Colino » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 19:28

Actually I found out when I was digging in the get the clog out, I found out that one of the holes was a dummy hole. I guess to screw in an auto cleaner when you aren't using it? What gives?
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mr_clean
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Postby mr_clean » Wed 22 Aug, 2007 20:31

your correct the back hole closest to you and wall is suction and needs cleaning.

the one you are talking about is shallow & goes down to main drain. This would only work with a skimmer float "divert valve"

skimmer valve:
Used in a twin port skimmer, a diverter allows the operator to manipulate the amount of flow from the main drain and skimmer to the pump.

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