One skimmer not flowing

[JagMan1964]

Hello All,
I am new to TFP and looking forward to sharing info. My pool has two main drains and two skimmers. At the pump side I have two pipes that come up and Y into the pump. The main drain side has a valve, the skimmer side does not. While doing my inital vacuum from winter (we do not cover it) I realized the skimmer (farthest from pump) was not vacuuming as well as the other. The main drain is closed. I disconnected the vacuum and do not have any water flow in the skimmer farthest from pump, the one closet has great flow. This lead me to realize I must have sucked up something and clogged the line. I opened the Y near the pump and used a drain bladder as far into the skimmer pipe as possible. I turned on the garden hose and walked to the skimmer that is clear but no water was flowing backwards. I checked the clogged skimmer and nothing there as well. I walked back to the pump and just when I was turning off the garden hose to the bladder the bladder popped. This tells me pressure built up in the skimmer pipe. This question is two fold. Why was there no water flow backwards into the skimmer that is clear? Could there be a one-way valve underground on the skimmer pipe? My last need is I am looking for suggestions to clear the skimmer pipe that is farthest from pump since the drain bladder did not do it.
Thank you all!

 

[zea3]

The clog could be before the two skimmers branch off the main pipe. Try opening the pump strainer basket and running a hose from the pump toward the skimmer as far as you can to try and force the clog back into the pool.

 

[JagMan1964]

Thank you ZEA3,
I have a 90 bend very close the the pump and cannot get any further into the pipe then about 6". This is the same place I placed the Drainn King/Pipe bladder. With the pipe bladder it prevents water from coming out where the garden hose went in.
I get the same results with the hose in as far as it can go and with the pipe/clog bladder. No flow up from either skimmer and with the hose just water backing out where the hose goes in. With the bladder no water in either direction and as i stated the pressure bulit up and the bladder popped.

I am really feeling like there is a one-way valve. Is that something a pool instaler would do?
Put a one way valve between the skimmer and the pump?

Thanks again.

 

[Ohm_Boy]

Is that something a pool instaler would do?
Put a one way valve between the skimmer and the pump?

In all honesty, a pool installer can do whatever he wants to, or thinks he knows to do, and sometimes that can get a little ... odd..., but typically if a one way check valve is used, it is in the piping above ground. I don't think I've heard of one being buried.

 

[JagMan1964]

Thanks Ohm Boy,
I felt the same way and what purpose would a one way valve serve? The reason I threw that out there is that using the clog bladder I should have had water flows back into the pool from the clear skimmer. I have been gently using a kitchen sink snake and have a tiny bit of flow going and it seems to be just after the bend under the far skimmer that is clogged. I will continue to go easy and as I go I have been getting pieces of pine straw coming backup with the snake. Yes we have neighbors who have large pine trees and the straw is always in the pool and around the pool. We also deal with gumball trees and those things are like non-explosvie foot mines. You have not lived till you stepped on one of those at night with bare feet.
thanks again

 

[duraleigh]

We also deal with gumball trees and those things are like non-explosvie foot mines. You have not lived till you stepped on one of those at night with bare feet.

Amen, brother. I am fairly certain the devil is responsible for gumball (sweetgum) trees. Even that five pointed leaf is just a little sinister, IMHO.

 

[Ohm_Boy]

I grew up w/ those $^#& sweetgum trees, and thought I was finally free from them, but no... current neighbor has a big one on my side of his property.