Low flow from jets after water level got low

[Flbeachluvr]

I have learned so much so far from this site but am still a work in progress. Twice now the water level in our new pool has dropped to where the skimmer was making gurgling noises. Both times my husband caught it and raised the water level. Each time after this happened I noticed when I got home from work that the flow from the return jets was lower than usual and that the pool water wasn't moving around the pool as quickly as before. The first time my husband cleaned the cartridge filter and when I got home all was good. The same thing happened yesterday (no rain lately here in Central Florida), low water level, added water, low return pressure. Cleaned the cartridge filter again last night after the pump shut off for the night so I don't know if there's been an improvement yet as I'm at work.

I guess my question is why when the water level in the pool gets low (not actually below the skimmer) does the return pressure drop? Should we be checking something after adding water to the pool? Bleeding off air somewhere? Neither of us is very mechanically inclined. :grrrr:

I wasn't home for pool school and my husband didn't pay attention. Also, PB is battling a serious illness and isn't available to come back out and show me how everything works.

 

[Texas Splash]

It sounds as if you still have air in the system. When the water level was allowed to drop, the pool-side skimmer's suction pulled-in air along with water. That air can often times get trapped in various locations along your system - most notably the pump strainer basket and/or the filter housing itself. The remedy for this of course is to try to never let the water level drop below halfway in the skimmer. For air that's trapped in your system, open the air relief valve on your filter housing until water shoots-out to bleed the air out of the system. Hope this works for you. If you are still encountering difficulties, let us know.

 

[Flbeachluvr]

It sounds as if you still have air in the system. When the water level was allowed to drop, the pool-side skimmer's suction pulled-in air along with water. That air can often times get trapped in various locations along your system - most notably the pump strainer basket and/or the filter housing itself. The remedy for this of course is to try to never let the water level drop below halfway in the skimmer. For air that's trapped in your system, open the air relief valve on your filter housing until water shoots-out to bleed the air out of the system. Hope this works for you. If you are still encountering difficulties, let us know.

Thanks! We did open the air relief valve on the filter housing last night and water did shoot out so hopefully when I get home we're back in business.

It's strange to me that we have issues when the water level is right at halfway in the skimmer, it never drops below. Still figuring out the particulars with our pool. Our neighbors are cheap and let their water level get to almost the bottom of their pool tile and have no issues.

 

[Texas Splash]

Perhaps this is another coincidence.... but you also mentioned reduced water flow about the same time you folks cleaned the cartridges. Dirty cartridges can certainly impede the flow of water out to the return jets if they get clogged enough. If you find the cartridge(s) are getting dirty too quick, you might want to post a full set of test results just so we can make sure you don't have something happening in the water to cause the filter to clog so fast.

 

[Flbeachluvr]

Chain of events:
*Hubby noticed skimmer gurgling (water right at half way up skimmer)
*Hubby added water
*I noticed low return output
*We cleaned filter

I haven't been home today to see what the circulation looks like today after the pump automatically came on this morning.

Last night's test results:

FC=5
CC=0
pH=over 8, added MA and got down to 7.4
CH=420
TA=60
CYA= 70

We have no trees around our pool but were getting a lot of pollen type stuff all last week on the surface of the pool (neighbors had it too). I do keep a hairnet in the skimmer and change it daily.

I do think that with the low water level air got into the system. We will be more vigilant on the water level now that we need to keep it more than 1/2 way above the skimmer but if this happens again should we bleed off any possible air by opening the air relief valve on the filter? Is that the only place to bleed off air?

I'm hoping we're back to normal when I get home. Usually the returns are so powerful they can push a grown person around the pool in a floatie. Our own personal "lazy river" if you will.

 

[Texas Splash]

Your numbers look great! Yes, the filter should be the only place to bleed air, so hopefully it will all look good when you get home. It could just be that your pump has such good suction that it creates a vortex in the skimmer (like a whirlpool) and simply must have x-amount of water to function properly. Every pool is different. If you find anything else looking odd though, please let us know.

 

[Flbeachluvr]

Your numbers look great! Yes, the filter should be the only place to bleed air, so hopefully it will all look good when you get home. It could just be that your pump has such good suction that it creates a vortex in the skimmer (like a whirlpool) and simply must have x-amount of water to function properly. Every pool is different. If you find anything else looking odd though, please let us know.

Everything looks good now but I did bleed off some air from the filter and showed my husband how to do it in the future if he comes home to a low water level.

 

[Texas Splash]

Some late evening show & tell. Check! Now it's time to relax.