water coming out of aeration pipe return thing

[fclem0522]

Hi,
What a great forum! I am an absolute novice, so please bear with me. I have learned a lot over the past few weeks and successfully backwashed my DE filter for the first time today - what a trip!
I have an older inground vinyl pool (16 x 34ish) with a Nautilus DE filter and Hayward pump with a 1 port (skimmer port), 2 port (drain port) and 1/2 port (half skimmer/half drain).
Aside from the backwashing issues, the pool was fine the first two weeks (I shock/sanitize every week and use three large chlorine tabs); then it started losing water. I thought there might be a leak in the skimmer pipe, but it kept losing water after it passed the skimmer line. Turns out I had loosened the return plugs while fiddling with them and the water was leaking from there. I'm sharing this tale to let you know how much of a novice I am...
Right now, the pool is full, the water looks good, the filter/pump is working great. At the stairs of the pool there are returns on either side. Coming up from each return is a short pipe with a side hole (aeration pipe?). After finally successfully backwashing and adding new DE to the filter, the pressure is great, but water is coming out of the pipe of one of the returns at the stairs, and it won't stop.
How can I get it to stop? The pressure from the returns (two at the stairs and one on either side of the pool on the shallow end and deep end) is great - the best it's ever been now that the filter has been backwashed.
Thank you for any guidance you can provide!
Faith

16x34ish - don't know capacity - 3ft to 8ft in depth
Nautilus DE filter
Inground vinyl pool

 

[waste]

Welcome to TFP!!

The first thing I'd do is remove both the stair returns and visually inspect them. Keep track of the leaker and compare all the internal stuff to the nonleaking one - there might be an obstruction or, more probably the venturi mechanism is missing or broken inn the leaking one.

Good luck stopping the fountain

 

[fclem0522]

Thanks so much for your response, Ted! I don't know what a venturi mechanism is...is that the thing with the ring and the spout hole in the middle? If it is, I took it off to switch with the other return, but they're different. The bubbling return sits flush to the wall and screws into a white hose thing that's flush to the wall. The working return sticks out about 1/4 of an inch and screws into a black hose thing.

I'm going to take the bubbling return thing to the pool store and replace it - maybe that will take care of it - I'm also gonna Google "venturi mechanism" - wish me luck!

Faith