Let's Talk Eyeballs

[WhoaTed]

Hi all, simple question that will probably have lots of answers but I appreciate everyone's opinion, thanks in advance:

20'x40' rectangle, 10' deep for about 30' length w/sloping sides, 3.5' deep for the remaining 10' length. Two return jets are on the shallow end-wall near the corners pointing toward the deep end, third return jet is in a deep end corner on the long wall. Skimmer is in the other deep end corner on the long wall, floor drain is at the bottom of the deep end (duh, ha). I keep both the floor and skimmer valves all the way open (unless I'm vacuuming). I have the largest eyeballs in the returns, figuring the more flow the better the circulation (the pump has no trouble feeding them enough to "jet")...which leads to my question:

Is it best to have the eyeballs pointing a bit toward their neighboring wall and very, very slightly up to create surface circulation for the skimmer (and a bit of aeration)? Or slightly down to create rotation a foot or so down (and the surface will follow the underlying current)? I want to make the best of what I have, my limited common sense makes me think the skimmer isn't in the best location; but other opinions (pool stores etc) are that the builder is one of the best in SW Michigan so I assume that the design is good. It does skim fairly well but I think it could do better...fortunately it's at the far end where the usually prevailing WSW breeze pushes the surface "stuff" (cottonwood seeds this week) but I want to make sure the eyeballs are pointed for optimal circulation of the dive tank as well as skimming. I've experimented moving them different ways the past nine years but wondered if there's a good rule of thumb (or even a definitive answer, ha)?

Maybe I should have taken a picture, ha...nightime now though. Thanks again in advance.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, WhoaTed

A picture would probably help.

My mental picture suggests that I would point the shallow returns so that they encourage the circular flow toward the deep end return that I would point towards the skimmer. I point my one return slightly down (I do not have a floor return so I want some flow deep) and still get good surface skimming...albeit my pool is a round above-ground.

Having large eyeballs seems like the right choice, but that also reduces the exiting velocity, and in some cases, can actually slow down/stop the rotation of the water.

By the way, the fact that your large pool only has one skimmer does not speak well for the builder imo...although if everything is working fine, then I am wrong.

 

[WhoaTed]

Thanks for the reply Linen, late last year and so far this year I've been aiming the two in the shallow end toward the flow of the one in the deep end, with flow aimed out level (about 14" from the surface). The shallow eyeball that aims down the wall toward the deep one is aimed to create flow all along that long wall, ie the flow doesn't "bounce" off the wall but flows nicely right along it, ending up in the flow of the deep end eyeball. I think this shallow end eyeball is actually doing a great job, it's the one in the deep end that I'm not too sure about (especially whether to aim it slightly up toward the skimmer or down to create deep end circulation) and the one diagonal from it in the shallow end (not really sure where to aim that one). Seems to me like that shallow one needs do too many things, and it's in a great spot to help induce circulation down low, but if it's aimed to do that there's a relative "dead" spot on the surface in that corner; I can tell where flow is lacking by where fine debris settles. LOTS of velocity btw, if I even remotely point the eyeballs up the surface spins pretty quick, to the point that stuff flies right past the skimmer. I keep it at a moderate rotation on the surface, where I see stuff going in the skimmer and comes past maybe 5 minutes later if it misses the first time. Fortunately the builder put the skimmer in the corner where the breeze most often pushes debris so that helps, but like you my common sense tells me there oughta be more than one skimmer for a pool that size. Pool was built in '79 so maybe it was early on in their "career", but overall it's in great condition for being 34 years old, nice cement work with no cracks/issues of any kind (this will be our tenth year with it).

I'm being anal more than anything, looking for advice on optimal water circulation patterns (should it go 'round like a toilet? ha). It's pretty nice that this year I'm worried about which way to point the eyeballs and when the cottonwoods will stop fluffing rather than making another trip to the pool store for algacide and when the pool will be ready (it is, thanks to this site).

 

[linen]

Fortunately the builder put the skimmer in the corner where the breeze most often pushes debris so that helps, but like you my common sense tells me there oughta be more than one skimmer for a pool that size. Pool was built in '79 so maybe it was early on in their "career", but overall it's in great condition for being 34 years old, nice cement work with no cracks/issues of any kind (this will be our tenth year with it).

Yeah, with a pool that old...I think most back then only had one skimmer...and they placed it well, so I think I am wrong about the builder

m being anal more than anything, looking for advice on optimal water circulation patterns (should it go 'round like a toilet? ha).

For most pools, round pattern flow is best for skimming. On my pool, any debris that does drop ends up in the middle, so it would be caught by an appropriate placed floor drain. You may find though that you will get better skimming with the drain off. Can, you independently turn off flow from the drain?