There are no returns on the sides of the pool

[Otter]

I just moved into a house with an infloor cleaning system that has been dismantled. There are no returns on the sides of the pool, only returns in the floor where the popups used to be. The carousel that operates the popups has been gutted, so all of the returns operate at once.

All of this leads to poor surface circulation, so the skimmer cannot collect all of the debris.

Any ideas?

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome
I had an in-floor cleaning system (operable) and did not have problems with skimmer.

First question, does your skimmer have a weir (flapping door that hold the debris in)?

Second, how much suction are you running through the skimmer and how much from the floor? Do you have 2 valves at the pad or is the floor drain plumbed into the skimmer?

 

[Otter]

There is a Weir/flapper at the skimmer.

As far as the drain goes, there isn't a separate valve at the pad, as far as I can tell. There are two holes in my skimmer, but I only recall feeling suction from one of them. There is a flying saucer thing with an adjustable gate that sits over both holes.

 

[jblizzle]

OK. So the other pipe in the skimmer is attached to the floor drain. The flying saucer gate determines how much water is pulled from the floor and how much from the skimmer.

I would open the gate completely (if not already) and see if that helps the skimming.

Note, if the prevailing winds are blowing away from the skimmer, there is not much that can be done ... even with wall returns.