Debris on top of pool - very little suction at skimmer

Mar 10, 2013
7
I have a 30000 gallon below ground pool. I am pretty new at this but am learning as I go. We get ALOT of very small debris on the top of the pool and when I feel on the return pipe on the skimmer, there is very little suction. The vacuum works great and is on its own return line and I am not sure about the bottom drain. At the pump, there are two return pipes and one has a turn valve. When I open it up all the way the suction at the skimmer basket returns but it is weak. Two main questions, is my pipe from the skimmer clogged? and should I open that valve all the way?
 
Here are the pics. Sorry for the delay. I tried flushing the line to see if it would assist in the pressure but it is still pulling slowly. Also, when I open the skimmer line, there is not enough suction for the vacuum to run properly.
 

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Looks like you have 2 suctions and 1 return. The 2 suctions are most likely the skimmer and the main drain. Can you tell which has the valve? If you shut the valve off, does the skimmer completely stop flowing or does the flow increase?
 
Well I think the main drain and skimmer run on the same return and the vacuum is on the other one. When I shut off the valve the skimmer doesnt have any suction but when I open it there is little suction on the skimmer and the hose for the vacuum gets so weak it stops moving.
 
Have you cleaned your filter?

From the picture, (left to right) as Bama stated, Looks like you have a return line coming from filter back to pool, then 2 suction lines from pool to pump(no valves unless there is one in the skimmer basket)

then far right you have another pump that comes from the pool out the top to a garden valve on top and side.

Is the valve you refer to one of the ones one the blue pump? If so where does that water go to when it comes out of the hose? (waste or is this pump for something else)
 

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Does the skimmer have a weir (flapper door), is there a diverter valve under the skimmer basket? If the weir is missing or not working correctly you won't get much surface cleaning action. If there is a diverter valve under the skimmer basket it could be set to pull most of the water from the main drain.
 
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