Frog in Pump Basket?!

[paganok21]

Hello my fellow pool pros. I had an interesting discovery this morning and was wondering if there is something I’m misunderstanding about my pool pump filtering system.

My pool was just completed in February. I clean my skimmer basket every few days and my pump basket once per week. It’s amazing what I find in that skimmer basket! Up until this point, it seems to capture almost all debris before getting to the pump basket. It turns and ‘locks’ down inside of the skimmer which I assumed meant that it would always catch something big before it gets to the pump basket.

Today, I found a good sized dead frog inside of my actual pump basket! I could see him through the clear glass lid and upon opening, sure enough it was a frog! How could this possibly be? Is there another way for something to reach my pump basket? I could imagine this being an issue if larger things can get so close to my pump. Has anyone ever experienced this before?

 

[jesse-99]

That is.... weird.

If your skimmer baskets are never removed, then I don't see how it could get in via suction side of the pump. Any way he could have come it from a pool return? (pressure side of the pump when it's off?) Do you have working check-flow valves on that line that close properly when the pump is off?

 

[paganok21]

Skimmer basket is only removed when I clean it. I always turn the pump off to do that and quickly replace it. Maybe he was hiding n the skimmer area when I removed it and quickly swam through the line?
I see no way he could be gotten in the pressure side. I have a pressure valve that doesn’t show added pressure

 

[Bperry]

Skimmer basket is only removed when I clean it. I always turn the pump off to do that and quickly replace it. Maybe he was hiding n the skimmer area when I removed it and quickly swam through the line?
I see no way he could be gotten in the pressure side. I have a pressure valve that doesn’t show added pressure

If there’s any kind of opening between the skimmer and the decking, animals can hide up in there or hiding in the skimmer opening near the opening. I have frogs doing that sometimes. I imagine one could have jumped in while you were emptying the basket.

 

[SoDel]

I’ve had them hide under the wier door. Poor guy might have been hiding there or thereabouts when you emptied the basket. One thing I’ve gotten into the habit of doing is sort of pumping the wier door from the top of it before I reach my hand in there to grab the basket. Usually just some leaves or pine needles. Sometimes a snake, vole, mice, frogs, and who knows what’s next .

 

[Bperry]

I bought a small net used for indoor aquariums go scoop out the basket instead of reaching my hand down there. Makes it safer that being shocked by something unexpectedly dead or alive in the skimmer.

 

[Charlie Bezzina]

Do you have floor drains?

 

[paganok21]

I bought a small net used for indoor aquariums go scoop out the basket instead of reaching my hand down there. Makes it safer that being shocked by something unexpectedly dead or alive in the skimmer.

I love this idea! I was using a wooden spoon to scoop out beetles. Didn’t even think of a fish net. Thank you!!!

 

[paganok21]

Do you have floor drains?

I do. One large ring that opens up slightly as the filter runs. I also have a robot cleaner.

 

[wireform]

The simple answer is when you took the skimmer basket out it got in the way then you put the basket back in. No it didn't go through the return because then it would have to go through a heater if there's one then the filter but then there's no opening from the outlet side of the pump into the pump basket so the simple answer still is skimmer entry..... oh forgot there can be a SWCG so again nooooo.

 

[Charlie Bezzina]

There you go.

Assuming you have a filter, it would be highly improbable for a frog to get into your pump from the return.

 

[paganok21]

If there’s any kind of opening between the skimmer and the decking, animals can hide up in there or hiding in the skimmer opening near the opening. I have frogs doing that sometimes. I imagine one could have jumped in while you were emptying the basket.

Yup this is the only thing I can think of that makes sense. Little stinkers are quick! I just never heard anyone else say they found them in the pump basket so I was a bit worried. Sounds like it happens

 

[paganok21]

I’ve had them hide under the wier door. Poor guy might have been hiding there or thereabouts when you emptied the basket. One thing I’ve gotten into the habit of doing is sort of pumping the wier door from the top of it before I reach my hand in there to grab the basket. Usually just some leaves or pine needles. Sometimes a snake, vole, mice, frogs, and who knows what’s next .

Oh gosh no snakes please!
Good advice, thank you.

 

[paganok21]

The simple answer is when you took the skimmer basket out it got in the way then you put the basket back in. No it didn't go through the return because then it would have to go through a heater if there's one then the filter but then there's no opening from the outlet side of the pump into the pump basket so the simple answer still is skimmer entry..... oh forgot there can be a SWCG so again nooooo.

Exactly! Thank you for confirming what I thought I knew. Apparently , I need to be quicker when I clean out that basket!

 

[wireform]

Frogs are interesting to say the least. I have a pool that uses the betta pool skimmer and the frogs use it as a raft. They figured it out on day three of it being in the pool.

 

[paganok21]

Frogs are interesting to say the least. I have a pool that uses the betta pool skimmer and the frogs use it as a raft. They figured it out on day three of it being in the pool.

I’d love to see a photo of that one day! Maybe offer him a cold drink next time

 

[Orion7319]

I bought a small net used for indoor aquariums go scoop out the basket instead of reaching my hand down there. Makes it safer that being shocked by something unexpectedly dead or alive in the skimmer.

Yeah I also have one of those. I also sometimes wear thick rubber gloves to grab the skimmer basket because I also get a lot of snakes.

 

[Orion7319]

Frogs are interesting to say the least. I have a pool that uses the betta pool skimmer and the frogs use it as a raft. They figured it out on day three of it being in the pool.

 

[mgtfp]

I get lots of little frogs. Often in the skimmer basket, sometimes even via the suction cleaner which is hooked up via skimmer plate. Part of the reason I check the skimmer daily, much more pleasant to get the froggies out alive than dead a few days later.

But I never had one so far that made it to the pump basket.

 

[SecoSteve]

It seems like there's quite a lot of large debris, including the frog, in the pump basket. Those leaves seem too large to get through the skimmer basket. I know you said the skimmer baskets lock in place, but is there a chance that the baskets somehow float when the pump is off? I know mine did when we first got our pool, and I started putting a larger than the intake pipe sized rock to keep them down. I since installed Skimmer Angels which weigh down the basket, and I was able to remove the rock. The only downside to the Skimmer Angel is that spiders will hang out on the top dry part of the handle. I have to be careful when I clean out the skimmers, and if there's a spider on the handle, I flick the handle to dislodge the spider and then remove the basket. Maybe share a picture of your skimmer baskets.