Vacuuming Intex metal Frame pool

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wolfenstien

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Jun 20, 2008
7
I have a trainer pool. This is my first season with it. I am doing decent with the chemical balance and all, but the dust and algae debris on the bottom of the pool is killing me. The algae will start to form if I forget to do my weekly dose of algaecide and once I add it it kills it and it needs to be vacuumed out. My vacuum is the type that you connect a water hose on, and put a bag on the out port to collect the stuff that it vacs out, but the bag allows everything that is small enough to go right back out into the pool. So I am looking at getting a seal suction vacuum. But, what i am stuck on is what kind can I get that will work with the little pump/filter combo that came with the pool. If I get a vac head and hose, with proper adapter to fit the hose into the overflow hole going to the pump/filter would this work? or would I just end up killing my pump/filter needing to replace it? I am doing all this on a budget so i cant spent hundreds of dollars on a new filtration system just so i can use a vac, but I need to figure out how I can get this sediment off the bottom of my pool.
Thanks
Mike
 
Hi, and welcome to TFP!

Having had experience with the intex filters, I can tell you a couple things.

First, those filters are inadequate under pristine conditions, but you can make them do ok if you keep on top of things.

Secondly, sorry to say, there is no vac that will work with the intex filter. period. You cannot even stick a garden hose in the hole and maintain any suction. The best way to get the stuff out of your pool is to get in there and keep it stirred up so the filter will eventually get it. Also, keeping your pool covered when not in use is very helpful to keep dirt and debris from blowing in.

Now, you did not ask about your algae problem, but I will say the following:

I would suggest your read the following articles in The Pool School: BBB for beginners and How to balance your water

If you get a grasp on testing and adding chlorine, you will not need the algaecide. If your pool is developing algae every week, you do not have a sanitary pool, and need to address this quickly!
 
If I read correctly, you can use the 'real' intex vac with any pump 1000gph or more. There is even an auto cleaner if your pump is 2000gph or more....

Not being an equipment guru, I cannot tell you if that particular 2500gph pump/filter combo is adequate for vacuuming, or even if the suggested gph listed for the vacuum or auto cleaner is accurate. There may be better 'real' filter/pump alternatives that would only add a little more to your cost. I don't know.
 
Ok, I guess I need to change directions in my search....
http://www.intexstore.com/ProductDetail ... ductID=305
This is the Intex vac kit with skimmer... Not a bad price. It does say will work with any 1000GPH or larger pump. But goes on to say: "Does not remove fine dust, sand, or sediment."
That is exactly what I need...
So...
What vac out there does remove the fine dust, sand and sediment?
I find this out i guess i can move on to a pump that will operate it.... instead of looking for a pump first, i need to find a vac that will do what I need it to do.
 
Looking at the picture on their site I don't see why it wouldn't remove sediment. The only reason I could think of would be if it's because the 1000 GPH pump wouldn't have enough suction to lift sand off the bottom. We have a vac just like that and it works wonderfully. We bought it a Wally World though, and we are using a 1HP sand filter(Jacuzzi) with our Intex pool.

On a side note, if you want a filter that will be less maintenance and filter your pool better, you could get one of these...
41hucbp1V5L._SS400_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00169Y4T2?smid=A3N4W83UB6DC1W&tag=yahoo-toys01e-20&linkCode=asn

It has a 4000 GPH pump and is a sand filter so NO MORE CARTRIGES.
 

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Waterbear, Thanks for the heads up on the Spa Wand.... but in all honesty, for the price... I would just go with a better set up.

I am looking at some of these sand filters on fleabay, but most of these are not listed with the GPH.
1, 1 1/2, and 2 HP pumps, but nothing about GPH.
Is there something I am missing out on?
 
Where there is a will there is a way. I have an Intex 18 x4 . 1500gph filter. Mine came with a vacuum setup but I lost some pieces. Well anyway I take the vacuum hose and I slip in a nylon, pull about 3 inches out and then connect it to the vacuum head that goes on the bottom of the pool. Connect the hose to the intake side of the filter and vacuum away. The nylon catches most of the debri off the bottom and the rest filters through. I also take just the hose without the vacuum head or nylon and go around the bottom of the pool where the bottom meets the sides. There is a seam there and it seems to catch dirt and the vacuum head just doesn't get it. Have to really clean the cartridge after this or do this bottom seam right before replacing your cartridge. Sorry for the long post.
 
wolfenstien, on our Intex, I just put the vac hose(1 1/2" sump-pump hose) into the hole in the inlet on the inside of the pool. It fits in there well, and the suction keeps it there. It also allows the pipe to swivel at that end, a feature most cheap vac hoses don't have.

Also, I don't think most "real" filters list their sizes in GPH, it's mostly by pump HP and lbs. of sand(if it's a sand filter). I didn't see any mention of your pool size, but I'd bet any size sand filter will work on your Intex pool. I'd say aim for something in the 1/3 - 1 HP range, anything more and you'll just be wasting energy running it.

HTH,
Adam
 
I have a Intex frame pool going on 5 years now. I have the vac that hooks into the filter. It suxs stuff into a sock like thing that is screwed into the skimmer basket. First I suck up some big stuff and then go to the smaller things. It can be a pain (when the pool is very dirty) but it works a 100% better than that thing that goes with a hose from the garden, that will mess up your chems . Do you have a solar cover? Mine keeps most of the junk out of our pool. And using the Borax in our pool I think helps with the algee. Since I've been using the borax the water is much better and the bugs don't like it. Good Luck Kim
 
My pool originally came with one of those little pumps and last year I used the aqua broom. Operates on batteries and suctions to a net. I made some socks to go over the original baskets which would catch the 'dust' on bottom of pool. Worked well but the sock needed changing often.

This year I upgraded to a better pump and can attach a suction hose to it fine. Its bliss. But I had to hunt down adaptors and reducers for all the connections. Mine are 1 1/4"
 
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