Does anyone have an actual bottom drain in your pool? If so does it keep your pool bottom cleaner?
main drain
- Thread starter gayler
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FPM (Frustrated Pool Mom) has a bottom drain in her AGP (Above Ground Pool) and likes it. There are also a few other AGP's around with one. I don't know if it keeps the bottom cleaner but it would at least help in allowing stuff to be swept into it.
I do not have one, but it certainly does help our neighbor's round AGP bottom stay cleaner. As, bama mentioned FPM has one an loves it...the key is to ensure it is properly installed and winterized. To me it's just another hole in the liner I decided to avoid, but many are happy with theirs.
My husband and I purchased a used 15 x 30 above ground pool last year and put in main drains. We did it because our neighbor has one in his pool and it is fantastic at keeping the pool clean... Now he only has a single because at the time that is what was required. When we installed the pool last year we had to put in 2 because of the updated safety code. However the problem I find is that our 3/4 hp hi-flo pump which came with the pool and was also used isn't strong enough to create the suction we need for both drains, so more often than not I would shut them off and just run the skimmer. 
This year however we are going to purchase a stronger pump which I hope helps to solve the problem, because I found myself vacuuming more than I had hoped last year. :grrrr: But like I said the single main drain in my neighbors pool is fantastic. Initially I figured with 2 main drains it would be that much better, but I just think the pump and filter system being older isn't capable of handling the demand of them.
This year however we are going to purchase a stronger pump which I hope helps to solve the problem, because I found myself vacuuming more than I had hoped last year. :grrrr: But like I said the single main drain in my neighbors pool is fantastic. Initially I figured with 2 main drains it would be that much better, but I just think the pump and filter system being older isn't capable of handling the demand of them.
Erica, look into a 2 speed pump for your pool. You use the high speed for cleaning and vacuuming and low speed for skimming and general water filtering. You can also look into putting individual valves on each drain and the skimmer which would allow you to turn off flow to 2 items and leave 1 open for cleaning.
If you get a stronger hp single speed pump your electric bill will go up.
If you get a stronger hp single speed pump your electric bill will go up.
vvblondyvv said:My husband and I purchased a used 15 x 30 above ground pool last year and put in main drains. We did it because our neighbor has one in his pool and it is fantastic at keeping the pool clean... Now he only has a single because at the time that is what was required. When we installed the pool last year we had to put in 2 because of the updated safety code. However the problem I find is that our 3/4 hp hi-flo pump which came with the pool and was also used isn't strong enough to create the suction we need for both drains, so more often than not I would shut them off and just run the skimmer.
You may likely find that the 3/4hp is more than enough pump, but your filter may be too restrictive if it is undersized, especially if it's DE or in need of cleaning. Putting a larger pump on a AGP is usually not helpful unless you have multiple returns, larger than 1.5 diam plumbing and an oversized filter.
dmanb2b - Well there is only one return... but now that I think about you may be right, it may be the filter and not the pump. Thinking back to the end of the summer, there was a very very slow leak coming from the filter which could have caused a loss of suction because air was getting into the system and I would find myself having to bleed the air out of the pump (where that skimmer basket is) to reprime it. We just assumed it was the pump because it would lose prime, etc. The main time I would notice the problems with suction though was when I was trying to vacuum the pool. I also think the filter had a small crack in one of the little pipes (I don't know what they are called - inside the filter at the bottom) because I would find little bits of sand in the bottom of the pool. As for the filter being dirty the pool was only up and running for August and September and before we installed everything we cleaned the filter out and put in new filter sand.
As for purchasing the pump I was actually just looking at the two speed ones. We know that the pump and filter that came with the pool are older so were going to just purchase a whole new system. That way we know exactly what we have.
Thinking back to the end of the summer, there was a very very slow leak coming from the filter which could have caused a loss of suction because air was getting into the system and I would find myself having to bleed the air out of the pump (where that skimmer basket is) to reprime it. We just assumed it was the pump because it would lose prime, etc. The main time I would notice the problems with suction though was when I was trying to vacuum the pool. I also think the filter had a small crack in one of the little pipes (I don't know what they are called - inside the filter at the bottom) because I would find little bits of sand in the bottom of the pool. As for the filter being dirty the pool was only up and running for August and September and before we installed everything we cleaned the filter out and put in new filter sand. As for purchasing the pump I was actually just looking at the two speed ones. We know that the pump and filter that came with the pool are older so were going to just purchase a whole new system. That way we know exactly what we have.
Gothcha Erica 
If you are redoing things anyway, certainly look at oversizing the filter. Also would be a good time to hard pipe with rigid PVC, which may eliminate some of the suction side leaks you may have experienced...or it could have been as simple as making sure the vacum hose is completely full of water and the vacum plate is properly seated on the skimmer
PS...those little pipes inside the filter are called laterals
If you are redoing things anyway, certainly look at oversizing the filter. Also would be a good time to hard pipe with rigid PVC, which may eliminate some of the suction side leaks you may have experienced...or it could have been as simple as making sure the vacum hose is completely full of water and the vacum plate is properly seated on the skimmer
PS...those little pipes inside the filter are called laterals
20GT
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20GT
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Hi Guys.
i found a bottom drain.
http://www.pondmerchant.com/home/pon/page_124_99/portable__vacuum_drain.html
Is this like the one mentioned in this post thread?
Any ideas if this will work in my vinal pool? i plan on hooking it up to the vac inlet.
i'm also going to put a elbow on my outlet to create a whirlpool to bring the trash to the middle pool drain. i might only use this a couple days a week to cut down on vacuuming.
what do you think??? :?: :?: :?:
i found a bottom drain.
http://www.pondmerchant.com/home/pon/page_124_99/portable__vacuum_drain.html
Is this like the one mentioned in this post thread?
Any ideas if this will work in my vinal pool? i plan on hooking it up to the vac inlet.
i'm also going to put a elbow on my outlet to create a whirlpool to bring the trash to the middle pool drain. i might only use this a couple days a week to cut down on vacuuming.
what do you think??? :?: :?: :?:
20GT
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ah thanks. they must keep their pool up year round to go to all that trouble.dmanb2b said:
isn't a pond just a pool of water. I really have no interest in puncturing my intex pool to add a bottom drain.
I was thinking of putting this inside the pool connected to my vac inlet when were not swimming. having a elbow on the pool outlet to create a whirl pool that would bring all the sand and junk to the middle which would be picked up by the middle main drain.
what do you think.
20GT
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your welcome tell me how it works out for you.
I'd get one right now but have to get slide valves and adapters and a vac hose adapter hose , for my pump first.
I'd get one right now but have to get slide valves and adapters and a vac hose adapter hose , for my pump first.
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