So what are the advantages / disadvantages of using a skimmer sock?

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Using hairnets…especially useful during the “pollen” and fine-bugs (small ants) season.

Pros: not sending all the superfine Crud like pollen/small bugs to the pump/filter.

Cons is having to replace them once a day during the said “pollen” and fine-bugs season. Now it’s just bigger bugs/ants/leaves, but remain pretty clear for 2-3 days between changes.
 
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Dean078 said:
Using hairnets…especially useful during the “pollen” and fine-bugs (small ants) season.

Pros: not sending all the superfine Crud like pollen/small bugs to the pump/filter.

Cons is having to replace them once a day during the said “pollen” and fine-bugs season. Now it’s just bigger bugs/ants/leaves, but remain pretty clear for 2-3 days between changes.
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During peak of pollen season I need to rinse/replace twice a day.... but htat is about 7-10 days only.
 
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As the others have mentioned they really prolong the time in between filter cleaning. I can go almost the whole season on a single DE loading.
Think of them as a pre-filter. I use them the entire season & get about 2 weeks out of each sock.

Cons: They are an added cost (minimal to me), they do have the potential to blind-off if not cleaned/swapped, had some brands that have fallen apart, tend to want to float the skimmer basket when pump first turned off (some folks weight them down for this reason).

I learned about them several years ago here on TFP. I shared this with several neighbors, that now swear by them as well.

Edit: As someone that lives in an area where Cottonwood trees are abundant, they are priceless. They keep the fluffy seed material & the subsequent 'sprouts' from getting past the skimmer & pump and choking off the in short order. They actually make cleaning the skimmer basket easier.
 
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anthonypool89 said:
Yeah, I just read that some people put a rock in the skimmer to weight them down. AK...what do you use?

Anyway, I ordered some - pack of 30 Coopache brand (good reviews at least) on eBay. I will be really interested to see if this cuts down on the DE/filter work.
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A rock… has to be big enough that won’t accidentally get into the pipe, but not too big to block the flow. I don’t like it, but still in search of a better solution.
 
Just make sure that it fits over your skimmer basket well and there isn't any slack at the bottom. It can be quite easily sucked into your suction line if it isn't a tight fit.
 
I also use hair nets and am able to go about a year between cleaning my filter even with all the trees that you can see in my avatar pic!

Here is a little story for you: A number of days ago, I emptied the skimmer and didn't have a hair net to put back in (I had to refill my stash and was just lazy and didn't go to the garage to get 'em) and didn't think about it. Usually, I don't have to empty the skimmer but once every couple to 3 days.

Well, on Saturday, I heard that my pump was cavitating something terrible. I had recently emptied the pump basket so I assumed that is what it was (thinking the lid wasn't seated well). I took off the cover, added some o-ring lube and put it back on. All good, right? NOPE. After about 20 minutes, the pump was screaming again. A quick investigation showed a bunch of pine needles (very small ones) were all stuck in the impeller.

I didn't think too much about it, but the previous night we had a decent t-storm come through and blow a bunch of the needles into the pool. They went right through the skimmer basket, through the pump basket and caused the cavitation issue. If I had the hair net in place, that would NOT have happened! :)
 
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AK- said:
A rock… has to be big enough that won’t accidentally get into the pipe, but not too big to block the flow. I don’t like it, but still in search of a better solution.
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Yeah...been thinking about it and I'm not crazy about the idea of a large rock in there either.
john0886 said:
Just make sure that it fits over your skimmer basket well and there isn't any slack at the bottom. It can be quite easily sucked into your suction line if it isn't a tight fit.
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Well...that would not be good at all! Not sure what you mean by "slack at the bottom"....assuming you mean where the sock ends (along the outside of the basket?) The sock drapes down inside the basket, so how could it wind up being sucked off and down into the pipe? If such were to happen, I'd just hope that it would pass all the way through and into the pump strainer. Once dead mouse got sucked down into the skimmer line and I had a heck of a time till it finally came all the way through.

The other thing is, it seems that the diverter valve really will need to be set partway over to the drain side instead of full skim, which is where I usually have it for maximum cleaning of the water surface, unless the water level starts to get too low to the point where I have to start drawing from the drain as well. With one of these socks, however, I'm thinking it should be divided between both skim and drain.
 

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anthonypool89 said:
Yeah...been thinking about it and I'm not crazy about the idea of a large rock in there either.

Well...that would not be good at all! Not sure what you mean by "slack at the bottom"....assuming you mean where the sock ends (along the outside of the basket?) The sock drapes down inside the basket, so how could it wind up being sucked off and down into the pipe? If such were to happen, I'd just hope that it would pass all the way through and into the pump strainer. Once dead mouse got sucked down into the skimmer line and I had a heck of a time till it finally came all the way through.

The other thing is, it seems that the diverter valve really will need to be set partway over to the drain side instead of full skim, which is where I usually have it for maximum cleaning of the water surface, unless the water level starts to get too low to the point where I have to start drawing from the drain as well. With one of these socks, however, I'm thinking it should be divided between both skim and drain.
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I've actually heard of a few people putting them on wrong, or using it correctly with a cracked skimmer basket. Hasn't happened to me, but then again, if my basket was cracked I'd be getting a new one. Haha!
 
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anthonypool89 said:
Meaning the way I described earlier - with the sock fitted on the skimmer basket from the bottom rather than over the top? If doing it that way, it'd be alot easier for it to be sucked into the pipe.
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Correct. Or by having it on the correct way and not secured tightly around the rim of the basket. I believe that was how it happened to the person I'm referring to along with a cracked skimmer, though I'd have to ask them as it was quite a long time ago.
 
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HeyEng said:
with all the trees that you can see in my avatar pic!
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Wow! Looks fantastic though - all the flowers and shrubs around the pool deck. I don't do much with that sort of thing other than two pots of annuals on either side of the gate. The pots sit right in the river stone border that goes all the way around the pool - which looks nice but is a pain to keep the weeds under control.
 
i use hairnets INSIDE the skimmer basket, with elastic band over top edges and basket handle securing the net on two sides. i do not use any weight, just leave the pump running while i remove basket, take off hairnet, put another one one, replace basket. all in less than 30 sec. just check to be sure no big things are close to entering the skimmer before you do it.
 
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I tried to use them at the beginning of the season and it didn't go well... just started using them again two weeks ago and they are working out great now. I was washing them out every few days now I'm just dumping them in the trash about every 5-6 days. 30 socks were cheap on Amazon and should last most of the Summer.
 
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IUsedToSail said:
30 socks were cheap on Amazon and should last most of the Summer.
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I'll start with 30 and see how long they last.

Thanks. (Curious..."used to sail"....where??? My brother used to love to charter out of Great Oak Landing (Fairlee Creek Inlet). He also liked to bareboat down in the islands - US and British Virgins. Told me some interesting tales of his evening at Jost Van Dyke 😁!)
 
anthonypool89 said:
Wow! Looks fantastic though - all the flowers and shrubs around the pool deck. I don't do much with that sort of thing other than two pots of annuals on either side of the gate. The pots sit right in the river stone border that goes all the way around the pool - which looks nice but is a pain to keep the weeds under control.
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Thank you! It is pretty to look at, but it is a HUGE pain to deal with. Weeds, weeds and MORE weeds!!! Also, an early season ice storm destroyed a lot of our landscaping and had to pay a small fortune to remove 30'sih significantly damaged trees. I like beautiful landscapes, but I would prefer to see them at the botanical gardens!
 
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pookiesunshine said:
i use hairnets INSIDE the skimmer basket, with elastic band over top edges and basket handle securing the net on two sides. i do not use any weight, just leave the pump running while i remove basket, take off hairnet, put another one one, replace basket. all in less than 30 sec. just check to be sure no big things are close to entering the skimmer before you do it.
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This is how I do it...with pump running. The latest nets I bought have a very nice elastic band that keeps it tight across the top of the basket.
 
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