What would cause this change?

[Torsie]

I got a new gauge a couple of weeks ago and it went right to 18 and stayed there
consistantly.
I backwashed a week ago because I needed to drain water because of so much rain. Anyway, we usually run our pump about 8 hrs a day but hubby left it on all night Saturday. I turned it off when I got up. Later in the day when I turned it back on I noticed the water in the pump basket wasn't full and the gauge was reading 12. When I turn it on in the mornings now there is barely any water in the basket and it never completely fills up. The gauge stays on 12.
Could there be a problem or should I just accept it's not going any higher until I need to backwash? Any thoughts on why the basket isn't filling all the way up?
TIA

 

[JohnT]

You either have an air leak somewhere or the skimmer basket or pump strainer basket is full.

 

[Torsie]

Thanks, has to be an air leak then cause both are clean.
How do I go about fixing it?

 

[Torsie]

Hopefully this will take care of my problem.
Hubby took the pressure gauge off and put some tape on it and screwed it
back in. Now the pressure is back up and the pump basket is full again.
:lol: