Mystery rodent in my pump skimmer

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TomAtlanta

Well-known member
Sep 10, 2011
392
Atlanta Ga
A few weeks ago I found a dead rodent of some kind, maybe a chipmunk, in my pump strainer basket. I don't understand how it could have gotten there. How could it get past the skimmer basket, which is the only suction line in my pool?

There is a suction line in the bottom of the pool that has been sealed off. I don't think it even goes into the pump but I am not sure. Could rodents be living in that? If so I would think that would create a major leak. It doesn't seem likely.

The high tech leak detector guys said there was a very small leak in the suction line from the skimmer that was not large enough to leak water, but could suck in a little air. I can't imagine a rodent could get in through that.

Any ideas?
 
Perhaps the skimmer basket floated up, or perhaps it went through an equalizer line.

skimmer-with-equalizer.gif

http://www.aquapoolstore.com/cleaners/H ... -plate.htm

typical-install-side.gif

http://www.aquapoolstore.com/cleaners/H ... -plate.htm
 
Look for a hole directly below the skimmer mouth. Depending on the configuration and whether the skimmer basket is clogged, there might be enough suction through an equalizer to pull in a small rodent.

Does the basket float up when the pump is off?
 
Look for a hole directly below the skimmer mouth. Depending on the configuration and whether the skimmer basket is clogged, there might be enough suction through an equalizer to pull in a small rodent.
Click to expand...

The equalizer hole in the skimmer is blocked off and there is no hole under the basket, so I guess it is not used.

Does the basket float up when the pump is off?
Click to expand...

No.

This is an old pool, built in 1971, and the pipes have probably been changed at some time. Is it possible that somewhere underground there is some pipe that a burrowing rodent could get into? The high tech leak detector guys said there was a small leak in the suction pipe coming from the skimmer, but it was not big enough to leak water, only big enough to suck in a little air when the pump is on.

I am curious about this because the last time I shocked my pool I got algea again as soon as the chlorine levels when back to normal from shock. I'll talk more about this in the shock topic, but someone did tell me that animal waste or a dead animal could put ammonia in the pool which would mess up the chlorine.
 
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