I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimmer

[rabel]

I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimmer. This skimmer has a suction line from the pump as well as another line that goes down to the main drain. Well after I dumped CYA into the skimmer and walked away, a bunch of the CYA fell down into the main drain line and proceeded to sit there. I *think* it formed a clump and clogged my main drain line. Now, this isn't really a big deal as I don't ever use my main drain but I'm worried that the CYA may be lurking down there eating away at the pipe.

I've tried very vigorously using a plumbing snake to try to clear the line but I'm not exactly certain if I'm bumping up against a hard clump of CYA that's blocking the line or if the main drain plumbing is just sort of twisty (it's all underground) I just can't get the plumbing snake to go down more than a couple of feet because of the twists and turns.

Has anyone else heard of CYA forming a clump after being added to a plumbing line like this?

 

[JohnT]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Once it gets wet, the CYA is pretty mushy, so I doubt it would clog it for long, especially since water is flowing up out of the drain line into the skimmer while the skimmer is actively sucking the CYA down into the basket.

Flow out of the drain line is very low anyway, and you'd have to work to notice it.

 

[Richard320]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

The main drain won't be drawing anything unless you put a diverter in the skimmer. I doubt you clogged it.

The path of least resistance is straight through the skimmer opening and into the suction line, not around corners and up through pipes. So there won't be any flow without one of these:

 

[JasonLion]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Remember to leave the pump running for the next 24 hours.

 

[sunrise]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Is skimmer diverter valve available for a Hayward SP1096 skimmer? Looks like not, can´t find it anywhere. Do these valves require special provisions in a skimmer to be mounted?

 

[Richard320]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Is skimmer diverter valve available for a Hayward SP1096 skimmer? Looks like not, can´t find it anywhere. Do these valves require special provisions in a skimmer to be mounted?

To be sure - there are two holes in the bottom. One has suction, the other leads to the main drain? And there's nothing beneath the basket?

I just measured the skimmer diameter and went to the pool store and bought the one "universal" choice they had and it has worked fine for me.

 

[sunrise]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Hello Richard:
That seems to be the problem, my skimmer has only one hole. If I plug that the main drain takes over. What I need is just a floating flapper valve that closes when there is no water in the skimmer anymore. Tried that with a ball, but not enough space under the skimmer basket.

 

[Richard320]

Re: I think I may have messed up by adding CYA to the skimme

Hello Richard:
That seems to be the problem, my skimmer has only one hole. If I plug that the main drain takes over. What I need is just a floating flapper valve that closes when there is no water in the skimmer anymore. Tried that with a ball, but not enough space under the skimmer basket.

My diverter has a float inside. When the water gets too low, it gets sucked down and blocks the skimmer flow.