How do I clean bones out of my main drain?

[Burntwoods]

First, sorry for the potentially troubling thought of me having to pick animal bones out of my drain.

We have finally gotten our pool clean enough that we can see all the way to the deep end. It sat for at least 2 to 3 years without being touched, perhaps longer if the prior owners didn't use it in their final years here.

We have fished out 2 femurs, a jaw bone and skull of some largish rodent (I'm thinking groundhog). If nothing else, I think the vertabrae must have also survived.

It's a little hard to see, but the drain has a bunch of junk in the little groove. There are also a bunch of tiles that have fallen that I'll get off the bottom too.

I'm thinking I could:
1. Just swim down and use my hands (ugh).
2. Run the garden hose underwater and try to spray everything out then scoop/vacuum out.
3. Use the pool vac without an attachment to try to suck up what's in the drain.

2 & 3 would also involve me diving down to work closer to the drain.

Any thoughts?

Unfortunately I don't have a teen in the house looking to make $25!

 

[kimkats]

The only way I would use the pool vac is making sure there is a skimmer sock or something to stop anything from going to the pump. I would also turn the valve or such to the main drain off for now. You do not want any thing getting in to that line and getting stuck in a bend.

Once you get the stuff out from the pool side I would swim down and see about taking the cover off the main drain. Then stick the hose in the line going to the main drain with a towel or such wrapped around where it goes in to force all of the water to the main drain to push anything out that got down it.

Good luck and ewwwwwwwwwwwww but at least it is just bones at this point.

Kim

 

[Burntwoods]

Unfortunately we can't isolate the main drain. If the pump is running, it's drawing water.

We do have a canister that the vacuum empties into before it goes to the pump, so hopefully nothing will make it all the way to the pump.

 

[GOONiE]

ewww... how about a drain and refil lol

 

[kimkats]

In your skimmer are there two holes?

 

[azide999]

You really need to stop putting piranha in the pool with the swimmers ... pfft!

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Unfortunately we can't isolate the main drain. If the pump is running, it's drawing water.

We do have a canister that the vacuum empties into before it goes to the pump, so hopefully nothing will make it all the way to the pump.

The advice above is rather generic to most.

You photo & description is a a paramount system.. your best bet is to call a local paramount dealer & arrange for the service.

 

[Burntwoods]

In your skimmer are there two holes?

Yes. One goes to the next canister, one is the overflow/equalizer from the pool.

We put the vacuum into that first one.

- - - Updated - - -

The advice above is rather generic to most.

You photo & description is a a paramount system.. your best bet is to call a local paramount dealer & arrange for the service.

Correct it's a Paramount in floor system.

 

[Burntwoods]

Mission (mostly) accomplished!

I ended up swimming down and using a set of long pliers (12" or so). I was able to grab one piece each time, and between getting the "big pieces" out and picking up the tiles, it took about 15 dives.

There are definitely some smaller "parts" still left in there, but I'll wait until my wife gets back from vacation so she can try she floats less than I do too.

Thanks all

 

[kimkats]

"Welcome home honey! I have a job for you!" If she is reading this she may never come home!!! LOL

Kim

 

[Burntwoods]

"Welcome home honey! I have a job for you!" If she is reading this she may never come home!!! LOL

Kim

Exactly!

 

[JohnT]

Mission (mostly) accomplished!

I ended up swimming down and using a set of long pliers (12" or so). I was able to grab one piece each time, and between getting the "big pieces" out and picking up the tiles, it took about 15 dives.

There are definitely some smaller "parts" still left in there, but I'll wait until my wife gets back from vacation so she can try she floats less than I do too.

Thanks all

Get a vinyl coated workout dumbbell or a milk jug full of sand or small gravel. You can set it on the floor of the pool and use it as a handle to keep you down while you work.

 

[Burntwoods]

Yes, that's a great idea. I need exactly that.

I was messing around under water this morning trying to unscrew some of my paramount infloor cleaners, and even when I fully exhaled, I kept floating away!

(Maybe I should try to lose 15lbs of extra buoyancy too!)

 

[Derb22]

Hmmmm. Anyone else think it’s suspicious that there are bones on the drain of the deep end and wife is “away on vacation”?....

 

[kimkats]

Hmmmm. Anyone else think it’s suspicious that there are bones on the drain of the deep end and wife is “away on vacation”?....

BLINK hummmmm is mighty suspicious! :cop:

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Yes, that's a great idea. I need exactly that.

I was messing around under water this morning trying to unscrew some of my paramount infloor cleaners, and even when I fully exhaled, I kept floating away!

(Maybe I should try to lose 15lbs of extra buoyancy too!)

There is a wrench that snaps on to your pool pole,
No need to get wet

 

[Burntwoods]

There is a wrench that snaps on to your pool pole,
No need to get wet

You're talking about for the paramount in-floor jets, right? I do have one (just got it) but it seems like every one is stuck, and I can't get it to do the 1/4 clockwise turn needed. That's why I was underwater, trying to muscle it a bit more than the pole allowed.

These have many years of junk accumulated in them. All seem to pop up when "called", but I don't think all are rotating like they should be.

 

[PoolguyinCT]

Then check your gear train in the distribution valve or filter pressure or if equipped the in line filter screen. There isn’t much to the floor nozzle, just a tube & drop weight. If they are rising, your issue is between filter & pool.

 

[Chrissykr]

Hmmmm. Anyone else think it’s suspicious that there are bones on the drain of the deep end and wife is “away on vacation”?....

LOL

I stand on the diving board and hold my daughter down using my pool brush so she can run a magic eraser around the main drain for me. It works well at keeping her down long enough to get the job done.

 

[Derb22]

LOL

I stand on the diving board and hold my daughter down using my pool brush so she can run a magic eraser around the main drain for me. It works well at keeping her down long enough to get the job done.

LOL.

now that’s a picture for the ages!!!