I don't have eyeballs ... on my returns :)

[tj_royersford]

I'm getting ready to drop my TA by adding MA and then aerating. Many of the posts I've seen so far recommend just aiming one of the return eyeballs up to aerate. But I don't have eyeballs, just two pipes/holes in the gunite/plaster wall.

So, I'm thinking that the easiest way to do the aeration is to either plug something into my Polaris cleaner return or jury rig something to plug into the regular return. Ever since building marshmellow guns out of 1/2 PVC pipe last year, the kids have been looking for another PVC project

 

[PaulR]

No eyeballs on my returns either... I always figured on using the Polaris line, if I ever needed to do the TA dance. A spare quick-release with no hose plugged into it might be enough.
--paulr

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

If you do a google search on the forum (lower left corner) you may find some suggestions. We've seen some pretty handy homemade aeration fountains over the past couple years.

 

[fuzzy_dba]

I'm getting ready to drop my TA...So, I'm thinking that the easiest way to do the aeration is to either plug something into my Polaris cleaner return or jury rig something to plug into the regular return...the kids have been looking for another PVC project

That'll work, AND keep the kids happy !

 

[kjdiver]

I also don't have eyeballs and did pretty much what you are talking about. I bought an extra polaris quick connector ($6), plugged the large hole (pvc connector and a plastic bottle top), and attached a section of hose with a clamp. Didn't have to glue a single thing. On the other end I cut a 5" piece of a thick noodle and fed that through the other end of the hose. This creates a nice little fountain that shoots a stream straight up for a few feet.

This also really helps cleaning my pool lately. So much Crud is falling off the trees and my pool is literally covered each morning. By turning the fountain on it pushes most of the stuff to the edges where it makes it easier and much quicker to scoop things out with my leaf rake.

If there is any interest I could try to take a picture at some point.

 

[jagfan]

I also don't have eyeballs and did pretty much what you are talking about. I bought an extra polaris quick connector ($6), plugged the large hole (pvc connector and a plastic bottle top), and attached a section of hose with a clamp. Didn't have to glue a single thing. On the other end I cut a 5" piece of a thick noodle and fed that through the other end of the hose. This creates a nice little fountain that shoots a stream straight up for a few feet.

If there is any interest I could try to take a picture at some point.

Please do post a pic. I already have an extra quick connector, hose and noodle. Can't quite visualize the apparatus, but a picture "is worth a thousand words".

 

[kjdiver]

I also don't have eyeballs and did pretty much what you are talking about. I bought an extra polaris quick connector ($6), plugged the large hole (pvc connector and a plastic bottle top), and attached a section of hose with a clamp. Didn't have to glue a single thing. On the other end I cut a 5" piece of a thick noodle and fed that through the other end of the hose. This creates a nice little fountain that shoots a stream straight up for a few feet.

If there is any interest I could try to take a picture at some point.

Please do post a pic. I already have an extra quick connector, hose and noodle. Can't quite visualize the apparatus, but a picture "is worth a thousand words".

It is really simple and when you see the picture you'll completely understand. I'll see if I can find my camera when I get home from work.

 

[arpferd]

I have the same problem, but I don't even have a Polaris return line. My Hayward pool cleaner has to be plugged in at the skimmer basket. I'm in the middle of lowering my TA. My quick and dirty solution was to take some 1/2" PEX pipe (flexible plumbing tubing) that I had left over and shove it as far into the returns as they would go, with enough length to come out of the water. It's not a great seal, but good enough for a foot and half high spray out of both of my returns. The kids love the new "fountains".

I'm in Central California and my pool gets a whole lot of sun. For about a month and a half each year the pool is over 90 degrees, so I'd really like to put together a more efficient aerator/evaporative cooler. The PEX fits pretty well inside the return lines, so I think if I could find some kind of gasket or o-ring to go around it (for a better seal) then I could attach that to a PVC aerator like the ones we've seen here. Any ideas where I might be able to find a suitable gasket, or some other device that I could plug into the return lines? (I've looked at the hardware store but didn't see anything that seemed appropriate.)

[attachment=0:3vmj3p8p]IMGP0295.JPG[/attachment:3vmj3p8p]

 

[dmanb2b]

you can see mine here...1 female pvc adapter two pieces of 1.5" pvc, 1 45 deg elbow and a 90 deg elbow and an end cap that I drilled about 10 holes into it...lowered my TA from 300+ to 70 in about 4 days

http://s702.photobucket.com/albums/ww30/dmanb2b/

 

[kjdiver]

Here is what I came up with the extra polaris adapter I bought. Couldn't find my camera so I took these pictures this evening with my cell phone. Again, not exactly the most exotic solution but the simplicity works for my needs and actually helps with the pool cleaning (which I did after taking these photos). Might also experiment with hose/sprinkler attachments that I can just screw onto the hose end for different effects.

[attachment=1:3730vs27]pool1.jpg[/attachment:3730vs27]

[attachment=0:3730vs27]pool3.jpg[/attachment:3730vs27]

 

[jagfan]

I've got the extra supplies and will make mine this weekend. Thanks for the idea and pics.

 

[tj_royersford]

Nice! Not too fancy, yet functional. Thanks for the pics, that helps a lot. I just picked up an extra adapter and some hose so I can work something up myself.

 

[reebok]

you can see mine here...1 female pvc adapter two pieces of 1.5" pvc, 1 45 deg elbow and a 90 deg elbow and an end cap that I drilled about 10 holes into it...lowered my TA from 300+ to 70 in about 4 days

http://s702.photobucket.com/albums/ww30/dmanb2b/

are you sure it wasn't a male adapter? http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... =100198460
I'm probably going to put together one like yours but I want to make sure I get the right parts. thanks.

 

[dmanb2b]

sorry...yes it was male 1.5". I got the idea from this forum..saw the idea here

http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-aerator-t7799.html?hilit=aerator

except I made sure to use sch 40 fittings vs the dwv fittings used in the link...I'm sure they worked just as well.

 

[reebok]

Great link thanks. What size holes did you drill? 7/16 also?

 

[dmanb2b]

I believe I used a 1/4" bit, but really did not pay attention, however I did aim to drill out approx 1/2 the surface area of the end cap to keep pressure about the same as my eyeball. Honestly, I think the more holes you drill, the better off you will be as it breaks more of the water surface.

 

[aaronp]

I was missing one of my eyeballs.
I was afraid that the open pipe was making the other eyeballs ineffective, so I decided to cap off the one that was missing the eyeball.
I bought an 1.5" cap something like this at a local orange big box hardware store for $.59

Walking out to the pool, I walked by my drill press. Urekea! An idea popped into my mind!!

I drilled a 3/8" hole in one of the flats, I installed it in the pool return and tightened it down until the hole was pointing the right way and now I have a squarish eyeball, and it only cost me 59 cents!! (why 3/8"?? - I don't know, just looked about right)
The next time I'm at the Hardware store, I'm going to buy a couple more and try some different slot style designs with my dremel tool.

I'll bet if you experimented with different sized holes, pointed upwards, you could find one to break the surface of the water. If not, well then you're only out 59 cents.

 

[reebok]

I'm having an issue making the homemade aerator. unfortunately, my return jets aren't threaded (or perhaps more correctly, I can't get the double male piece that's in the 1.5" pool pipe out to expose the threads). so I've got a smaller hole (about 1"?) if I remove the eyeball. or I could keep the eyeball in. is anyone familiar with this situation and making a homemade pvc aerator? if it were just 1.5" I'd be done, the whole thing is made but I can't get it to stick into the return jet and stay there.

 

[dmanb2b]

if you can get a pic posted...that may help us spark some ideas.

 

[reebok]

I don't have a camera I can put underwater. it's just a hole, just like when you unscrew the plastic piece that holds the eyeball and take them off. some male threads sticking out and a hole.. I was going to buy a few sizes of pvc (maybe 1 and 1 1/4") and see if anything fit. or could I put a piece of pvc in the eyeball itself? is that a standard size? maybe 3/4"...