Replenishing water in Chicago weather? Also ? about drain

[tj__r]

Wondered how much water we should have to add every day in this heat - seems like it's down about 1" per day. Previous owners left us an automatic filler that works on a garden hose. We didn't use it for a couple of days and water was down far enough that skimmers were sucking in a bit of air.

For some reason the prev owners have the main drain valve turned off and just run the pump off 1 big square skimmer and 3 round ones. Is this the right way to do it? Seems like turning on the drain would ensure water going to the pump even if level gets lower.

Thanx, still very new at this but at least water quality looks good. Now if we could just train the frogs to jump out of the pool by themselves...

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: Replenishing water in Chicago weather? Also ? about drai

1" per day is a leak. Do a bucket test to confirm and then start hunting.

 

[Speedo]

Re: Replenishing water in Chicago weather? Also ? about drai

I'm noticing around 1" per week.

 

[tj__r]

Re: Replenishing water in Chicago weather? Also ? about drai

Darn. Wonder if the previous owner knew it leaked - guess it doesn't matter now.

I suppose the first and easiest step is to see if it loses as much water when the pump isn't running. I'm in Kentucky for this week, will have my wife mark water level at nite when pump stops, then check it morning before it starts, then again at nite. (pump runs from approx 8am to 8pm.)

I don't think leak is from pump, filter, chlorinator, or heater as that equipment is in basement of house so we'd see water on basement floor. There is a pretty crummy looking gate valve on the drain line that comes off the filter (prev guy said it was backwash line for old sand filter), possibly it's pumping water to wherever that pipe goes. That would be too lucky I suppose.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[gordyjamz]

Re: Replenishing water in Chicago weather? Also ? about drai

Yeah, 1" per day is way too much. I'm in the far northwest suburbs, and during the month we didn't have any rain at all, I was maybe losing 3/4" a week. I would look for a leak somewhere.