Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer options?

Mar 30, 2011
117
Tempe/AZ
I'm located here in sunny Arizona to start. Also this is my 1st post so I look forward to learning more about proper pool care. My question is the house were moving into next week has an older pool. It has a plaster interior and it's 10ft deep with a diving board, it's also inground. The pool is chlorinated but I plan on using the BBB method to take care of it. Luckily the entire pool was recently drained so the CYA levels should be fairly low. I have the TF100 kit on order so once I move in I can start with proper chemisty. By then it will be May and the pool temps should be 85ish give or take a few degrees.

My question is about this older pool. The pool cleaning system has your standard pool vac that runs along the floor of the pool. The suction area where you connect the hose is located in the skimmer. There is no basket in the skimmer, so I was wondering if there was some special type of basket that is made which allows the skimmer to do it's job and collect all the leaves and floating debris but also allows the hose to pass through it so the vac can do its job all at the same time? I have a few pictures I took of the house when we were there with the inspector. I can't get any better pictures until we close on the house and have keys in hand. I was hoping to find the piece I needed and have it ready for when we move into the new place. Here are a few pictures of the pool to give you a visual.

Full shot of the pool.


In this picture you can see the hose going into the only skimmer in the pool. Again there is no basket to the skimmer, what would you recommend I do?
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

Maybe someone else knows of one, but I don't really know of a device that would allow you to skim and run a suction side cleaner simultaneously. You typically are able to do one or the other but not both.
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

As far as I know there is no part like you describe available. In face if that is the standard skimmer with a single hole in the base you cannot skim and vacuum at the same time with only only 1 skimmer. You do not have to have the cleaner running all the time. You can disconnect the vacuum and put a basket in the skimmer to catch any floating debris.
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

Ah so this must be common for older pools I take it? The pool at our current house we had built brand new in 2007 has a separate skimmer and a separate suction line for the pool vac.
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

Matrix311 said:
Ah so this must be common for older pools I take it? The pool at our current house we had built brand new in 2007 has a separate skimmer and a separate suction line for the pool vac.

That's correct. That is how they are doing things these days.
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

Some people just want a basic, no frills pool, and everything you add increases the cost, so you will still see new pools built this way. If you like the idea of a cleaner going constantly, you could invest in a robotic pool cleaner. After you have been in the house a few weeks you will have a better idea of how often you will need to clean the pool.
 
Re: Moving to a new house with an older pool, skimmer option

Hello Matrix311, my fellow 'Zonie'... :)

Thanks for asking a question I have been wondering about! It would be nice to keep all the debris from entering the sand filter and eating up all my chlorine...

I will be watching to see what 'the answer' might be.

You are going to appreciate the FT100 for sure. Very Useful tool.

Fine looking Hacienda you are working on! Hope the acquisition goes through easily, and on time. Thanks for doing YOUR part in the Economic Stimulus... Seems like no one in 'power' is willing to do much... :shock:

Okay... Moving Right Along...

We'll see you around,

Patrick
 
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