So to make a long story as short as possible....My husband and I just finished hard plumbing out 20X52 intex pool. We also added a hayward wall skimmer as well. Everything has been great until we started to run into new issues. First off we can't stop algae from growing in the pool no matter what chemicals we had or how many times we scrub the pool. Secondly we tried to vac last night and everytime we hook up the vac to the hayward wall skimmer, we lose suction within minutes and the water level in the basket part of the sand pump goes down by about half. If we take the vac off the hayward and do a backwash on the pump it runs great again. The suction is very strong after that until we hook up the hose again to vac. Is there a possibility the sand could need to be replaced even though its only about a year old? Not sure what else to try at this point.
Not sure what to do
- Thread starter jaime_6798
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,754
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
It's very tough to know at this point without two things:
1 - Test results from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006
2 - Enter all of your equipment details in your profile signature
That information is critical for us to analyze your issue. We'll be able to help you from there.
1 - Test results from a TF-100 or Taylor K-2006
2 - Enter all of your equipment details in your profile signature
That information is critical for us to analyze your issue. We'll be able to help you from there.
What pump do you have? What kind of vacuum?
If the basket isn't full of water, your pump can't work and in fact will burn out if left on.
If you get any air in the basket at all, you have a suction side leak somewhere (between the skimmer and the pump). There should never be any air in the basket at all, not even bubbles.
Is the vacuum clogged? Plugging in the vacuum shouldn't make that much difference so I'm wondering if somehow the way you plug it in allows it to leak or if there is an air leak in the vacuum hose.
If the basket isn't full of water, your pump can't work and in fact will burn out if left on.
If you get any air in the basket at all, you have a suction side leak somewhere (between the skimmer and the pump). There should never be any air in the basket at all, not even bubbles.
Is the vacuum clogged? Plugging in the vacuum shouldn't make that much difference so I'm wondering if somehow the way you plug it in allows it to leak or if there is an air leak in the vacuum hose.
We have the intex krystal clear 3000GPH sand pump. The vacuum is just a vac hose attached to a weighted down vac head. kinda like this one: Amazon.com : Milliard Air-Relief Weighted Pool and Spa Vacuum Head, 11 Garden
Haven't seen any air bubbles come from the vac hose anywhere to indicate any type of hole or air leak. Could the laterals under the sand be broken or clogged somehow? Before we hard plumped the pool we never once had issues with vacuuming using the same tools we are using now.
Haven't seen any air bubbles come from the vac hose anywhere to indicate any type of hole or air leak. Could the laterals under the sand be broken or clogged somehow? Before we hard plumped the pool we never once had issues with vacuuming using the same tools we are using now.
If you have the Intex plunger valve, you need to put the little plastic cap over the suction relief other wise it'll suck air in there when you hook up the vaccum. If you lost the little plastic cap for covering the relief valve you'd need to come up with another way to cover it while vacuuming. Tape will work, but you'd loose the relief feature if you forget to take it off when you're done.
Then like other stated it sounds like your getting air in the suction side from somewhere when the vaccum is hooked up.
It's sounds like you have a hole in your vacuum hose. You definitely have a suction side air leak somewhere.
But at this point I'm more concerned with your algae problem. There is only one cause for algae, and that is insufficient chlorine. Can you post a good set of test results and tell us how you obtained them? Hopefully you have your own test kit.
But at this point I'm more concerned with your algae problem. There is only one cause for algae, and that is insufficient chlorine. Can you post a good set of test results and tell us how you obtained them? Hopefully you have your own test kit.
Now that i think about it, when you put your hand over the suction port while in the pool it doesn't stop the pump like the vac hose does. I'm not sure if that makes sense.
- - - Updated - - -
We've been testing the water every few days and the results have been ranging around 2.0 for chlorine and around 7.6 in acid. We have a chlorine tab holder floating around in the pool at all times and make sure to never let the tab dissolve more than half way before adding another tab. we use a chemical testing kit similar to this: Amazon.com : Blue Devil B7448 5-Way OTO - Chlorine/Bromine, pH, Alkalinity Garden
- - - Updated - - -
We've been testing the water every few days and the results have been ranging around 2.0 for chlorine and around 7.6 in acid. We have a chlorine tab holder floating around in the pool at all times and make sure to never let the tab dissolve more than half way before adding another tab. we use a chemical testing kit similar to this: Amazon.com : Blue Devil B7448 5-Way OTO - Chlorine/Bromine, pH, Alkalinity Garden
No one has addressed your sand question: no, you never need to replace the sand. A deep cleaning once a year is recommended (see instructions under the pumping section of the forum), but has nothing to do with your pump issue. I think what happens is that the vacuum plate in the skimmer is not sucked down hard enough and air gets in between the plate and the skimmer basket. Try sticking the water filled vacuum hose in through the skimmer opening and onto the plate, rather than connecting it from above. Also, have someone pressing down on the plate before turning on the pump. Does that help?
Chlorine level is far too low. Don't use the tabs, just put chlorine in daily and test daily until you get a feel for how much chlorine you need to put in every day. The tabs are going to increase your CYA and cause even more problems.
Also the more serious problem is the algae. We need to see test results and you need to start the SLAM process.
You will need to know your CYA level. There is a chart for correct chlorine level based on CYA level. Depending on what your CYA is at you may or may not need to get that corrected and then proceed with a SLAM to clear the algae. Switch to bleach as your chlorine source, the tabs add CYA constantly, you want a consistent amount of CYA not an always changing and rising amount.
You will need a proper test kit such as the TF100 to get thru this process. But once you've got the CYA in proper range, completed the slam, and changed over to maintaining your chlorine properly with bleach you will be on your way trouble free pool water. You will find all the info you need in these forums and pool school.
You will need a proper test kit such as the TF100 to get thru this process. But once you've got the CYA in proper range, completed the slam, and changed over to maintaining your chlorine properly with bleach you will be on your way trouble free pool water. You will find all the info you need in these forums and pool school.
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