anonapersona said:That filter looks like mine. There should be a pressure gauge on top. Take note of the pressure after you cleaned it, when it gets 7 psi over that you need to clean it again. Add that to the list of stuff you do every week, check the filter pressure. Usually it rises slowly, except in pollen season it may climb quickly. Also, if I had to shock, on the verge of algae, it may climb quickly as it is clearing dead algae from the pool.
A hint the pool inspector told me, when you are replacing that clamp around the center, first clean the o-ring really well and lube with silicone lube from pool store (I use disposable gloves to do this), then as you reassemble it, tap lightly with a rubber mallet along the band as you are tightening it to help it settle in. When the band closes completely and still drips, you need a new o-ring.
Sorry, I deleted the post as I went back and looked and saw it was a Pentair Clean and Clear Plus, from looking at the picture. Girl you are too fast for me.The Quad is configured just like the C/C but the cartridges are made of a different material.
Re greekgranny's post... that filter may also be a Pentair Clean and Clear Plus and that would not use any DE or other media, it works just fine with clean cartridges. My carts are just too big to find any way to soak them at all. I have used a spray filter cleaner but now cannot find more of that brand, most I find are soaking types and I'd need a 60 gallon garbage can to hold these fellows.
To spray it off, use that small brass nozzle that you will find a photo of here on the forum somewhere. Very cheap and just the right thing.
Elk's 20 questions!
- Thread starter ElkPool
- Start date
I'm wondering if anyone has used a bathtub to soak cartridges? Mine are too big for the one trash can that doesn't leak so I soak and then turn it upside down and soak some more. You wouldn't have to fill the bathtub all the way up; only half way and then roll over to soak the other half.
Next time I have my filter open I'm going to see if I can soak them in the vessel and turn over like when using the trash can. The Quad has a big drain in bottom under the in/out. I assume the C/C plus does too. It looks like they use the same vessel for both. My "Favorite Most Trusted" pool guy told me that a lot of people don't like to use those as they are so hard to reach and so low. My filter is on the edge of a step so it is pretty easy to reach.
gg=alice
Next time I have my filter open I'm going to see if I can soak them in the vessel and turn over like when using the trash can. The Quad has a big drain in bottom under the in/out. I assume the C/C plus does too. It looks like they use the same vessel for both. My "Favorite Most Trusted" pool guy told me that a lot of people don't like to use those as they are so hard to reach and so low. My filter is on the edge of a step so it is pretty easy to reach.
gg=alice
I have a little hose mounted vacuum like that as well, and yes it works OK for leaves but not for dirt. You attach it to your garden hose and that is what provides the suction. The other little handle attaches to a pole, you probably have one there just remove the leaf skim or whatever is on the pole right now. Since it adds water to the pool you can't be too slow about getting the pool clean.
ElkPool said:
Are you calling the square thing the filter? That is the skimmer (it skims out larger stuff so it doesn't go to the pump) and should be drawing water into it. It should have a plastic basket in it that catches leaves and stuff. When you take is out there will be one or two openings on the bottom of the bowl. Is there any movement of water at either or both of those holes? Water from the pool is pulled into the skimmer, by the pump, so it can go to the filter, the big cylinder, where all your equipment is.
Check to see if that the water is flowing out the round hold below the skimmer. If you skimmer is not pulling water from the pool then it may have a clog or is closed off by a valve.
Do you have a main drain? If the skimmer is not pulling in any water from the pool then chances are you DO have a main drain. As you said the water has to come from somewhere. I'm beginning to doubt that the "hole" below the skimmer is a suction port. It appears it is a return port (filtered water coming from the pumping station returned to the pool - that is why it is called a "return").
gg=alice
Thanks all,
Water DOES flow into the skimmer (not filter--oops!) It's far more noticeable since I cleaned the filter...when the cover is off, I can see the water flow in that direction. But it's a light flow...not concentrated into any kind of pressure that a vacuum could run off of. It is nothing like the jets of filtered water that shoot out from under the skimmer.
It is very hard to take pictures in the little enclosed area where my filter is. I'll keep looking for anything interesting that I can photograph, but hopefully you get the gist of what's going on in there.
The little round hole continues to do absolutely nothing as far as I can tell. There is no noticeable water flow, neither in nor out. I've never seen any kind of drain, but there may be one under the leaves in the deep end, if that's something that would be on the bottom.
Anyway, when it gets a little bit cooler outside, I'm going to head out there with a leaf rake and see what I can do!
Water DOES flow into the skimmer (not filter--oops!) It's far more noticeable since I cleaned the filter...when the cover is off, I can see the water flow in that direction. But it's a light flow...not concentrated into any kind of pressure that a vacuum could run off of. It is nothing like the jets of filtered water that shoot out from under the skimmer.
It is very hard to take pictures in the little enclosed area where my filter is. I'll keep looking for anything interesting that I can photograph, but hopefully you get the gist of what's going on in there.
The little round hole continues to do absolutely nothing as far as I can tell. There is no noticeable water flow, neither in nor out. I've never seen any kind of drain, but there may be one under the leaves in the deep end, if that's something that would be on the bottom.
Anyway, when it gets a little bit cooler outside, I'm going to head out there with a leaf rake and see what I can do!
The water is shooting out of little holes directly under the skimmer.
Yes, there's a pump pot, which I've cleaned out several times. I haven't noticed any valves other than the one on top of the filter, but I'll look again.
Not being able to use my vacuum is really the only issue I'm having. Everything else seems to be working exactly as it should.
Yes, there's a pump pot, which I've cleaned out several times. I haven't noticed any valves other than the one on top of the filter, but I'll look again.
Not being able to use my vacuum is really the only issue I'm having. Everything else seems to be working exactly as it should.
I just took another look at your YouTube. You "skimmer" doesn't, by any means, look like a standard skimmer. At the bottom of the skimmer it appears that there are slits. Is the water coming out (being returned to the pool) from those slits? That could really change some things but I'm willing to bet you do have a bottom drain.
If so perhaps some of our "in the industry" people have seen this type of set up before. Pictures will certainly help.
gg=alice
If so perhaps some of our "in the industry" people have seen this type of set up before. Pictures will certainly help.
gg=alice
ElkPool said:
I was typing while you were.
That clears up something. 
Now is there a basket in the well under the lid, or what we have been referring to as a "skimmer"? Is there any piping on the bottom of the well bowl?Maybe it isn't set up to be a skimmer.
On another note, I understand your wanting to vacuum. But you need to wait until all the functions of "openings" are figured out. If the port below the "skimmer" is a vacuum port it might be clogged up. Or there may be a valve somewhere you haven't found to open it or both.
When this gets all straightened out I would suggest using an inline leaf catching canister if you are going to be vacuuming up much large debris from the bottom. That will help to eliminate clogs and filling up the pump pot too fast.
gg=alice
Yes, there's a basket in the bottom, that I've emptied many times. It seems to be a fully functional skimmer.
There's not much else inside to look at. The other half of the skimmer is covered for some reason (separate, permanent cover unrelated to the cover I take off to get at the basket). Maybe I'll get down low and try to see exactly what's under it.
The skimmer cover says Aqua Genie, and the manufacturer of the pool is Buster Crabbe Pools. Does that information help, by any chance?
There's not much else inside to look at. The other half of the skimmer is covered for some reason (separate, permanent cover unrelated to the cover I take off to get at the basket). Maybe I'll get down low and try to see exactly what's under it.
The skimmer cover says Aqua Genie, and the manufacturer of the pool is Buster Crabbe Pools. Does that information help, by any chance?
ElkPool said:
Okay that clears up some things. Your earlier posts seemed to indicate that it wasn't a "fully functional skimmer". That is confusing. Maybe you don't have a bottom drain then. I just looked at this site and little video that explains the function of the Aqua Genie. http://www.poolwarehouse.com/Aqua-Genie-Skimmer.html
So it looks like the only suction you have is probably the Aqua Genie. And I now see why you are mostly concerned with vacuuming. You probably know this but the AG doesn't keep things from sinking. Sand and some parts of silt, for instance, sink, period. And leaves and other debris can't be all caught by a skimmer or skimmers alone.
Do you know that a vacuum, using dedicated port, has been used in the past? I have no idea if that port is a dedicated port but it could also, originally, have been used as a pressure port. That's another reason to be able to see everything at your pumping station. As a note.... I'm removing my pressure cleaner (Polaris 280) booster pump and switching the dedicated pressure port to a dedicated suction port to use my vacuum Pool Cleaner. If something like this has been done to your pool there may be "relics" left at the pumping station.
Perhaps the experts here will know more about the system and if a vac port is ever plumbed into the AG. At this point I think they should comment. If that is a dedicated vac port it does have to connect somewhere, as you've indicated. I don't know enough to really know but if it was functioning at one time it is either plugged, cut out of system, or clogged. Hopefully someone will be along soon to assist you.
I'll bet someone has some experience with the AquaGenie.
The video for the Aqua Genie suggest that a smaller than "normal" pump can be used with the system. Even though you are getting enough suction for the skimming action there may or may not be enough suction for the vacuum. Have you tried attaching the vacuum to the suction hole in the skimmer? That's how many of us vacuum. Again, I'll warn that you risk getting a clogged pipe if you don't have a leaf canister to catch the stuff before is is sucked into the system. Take this from someone who has had a few clogged pipes in the past 24 years of owning the same pool and living in dense woods.
One thing you could possibly do is rent a trash pump from a pool place to get the bottom junk cleaned up. I've done that in the past. It's been a long time so I don't know how much a rental would be or where to rent. Worth calling around to pool stores to see. I eventually purchased a 120 volt trash pump because of all our mess that is so hard to keep out of pool all winter. That was years ago. I now just have to stay on top of it with one of my cleaners all winter.
Another way to get the stuff out is using a robotic cleaner. Either borrow or rent one.
gg=alice
Ooh, thanks for the link! Unfortunately, I can't view the .pdf files until I download a free viewer. At first glance, I don't understand where the "vacuum plate" is.
My version's definitely older than that one--mine doesn't have the cartridge and stuff as far as I know--but hopefully the concepts are still the same.
My version's definitely older than that one--mine doesn't have the cartridge and stuff as far as I know--but hopefully the concepts are still the same.
ElkPool said:
Yes. In "regular skimmers" there will usually be two holes. Sometimes only one actually does the suction while the other is plugged off. Right now that is where I am attaching the vacuum hose for my vacuum cleaner, automatic and manual, until I get my pressure cleaner port converted to dedicated vacuum port. Many, many pools do not have dedicated ports for any cleaners so those of us who don't use the skimmer port for vacuuming.
There are two ways to keep debris from going into the suction from the skimmer when you are vacuuming large debris; one it the vacuum plate that fits over the skimmer basket that come in different sizes, and the other is an in-line leaf canister. If you are using a single length of vacuum hose, instead of the segmented hose that comes with many of the "auto" vacuum cleaners, it would probably be best for you to use the vacuum plate as it is not really easy to put an in-line leaf canister on the one length hose.
I haven't used a plate but I'll bet there are some people here who have the Aqua Genie and have used vac plates, if that can be done.
You can do a search, located in very bottom left corner of this page and perhaps do a search "Aqua Genie vacuuming" or something like that.
gg=alice
Would it be cleaner just using a robot? I have no problem buying a good robot right now--I'd like to have one no matter what--would that be better for this mess than a regular vacuum?
This Aqua Genie is an unusual design, hence the confusion. This link should help. http://www.poolwarehouse.com/Aqua-Genie-Skimmer.html
Usually a skimmer draws water in to the pump, and a separate return port sends the filtered water back to the pool. The Aqua Genie does both. The slits serve as the return. The instructions say you vacuum by using an adapter plate inserted in the skimmer. More detail here:
http://www.poolwarehouse.com/PDF/aqua-genie-install.pdf
Speculating now...I'd guess the hole below the skimmer is a vac port, but there is no suction developing because the skimmer is flowing freely. Look around for an flat round adapter plate or something to block flow to the skimmer with. If suction develops from the hole when you do this, there is your vac port.
As others have mentioned, you may have a main drain under those leaves, but then you would have a valve somewhere too.
Usually a skimmer draws water in to the pump, and a separate return port sends the filtered water back to the pool. The Aqua Genie does both. The slits serve as the return. The instructions say you vacuum by using an adapter plate inserted in the skimmer. More detail here:
http://www.poolwarehouse.com/PDF/aqua-genie-install.pdf
Speculating now...I'd guess the hole below the skimmer is a vac port, but there is no suction developing because the skimmer is flowing freely. Look around for an flat round adapter plate or something to block flow to the skimmer with. If suction develops from the hole when you do this, there is your vac port.
As others have mentioned, you may have a main drain under those leaves, but then you would have a valve somewhere too.
Okay, NOW WE ARE GETTING SOMEWHERE.
Down under the basket, there are two holes. There is a significant amount of vacuuming coming from the lower one!
There doesn't seem to be much going on at the top one...I'm guessing that leads directly to the mysterious hole in the pool.
Looks like the swiveling thing on the right could be used to cover one of the holes, although it didn't swivel very well and I wasn't sure how I'd want to use it.
I also found the pictured round plate and some kind of adapter in the shed. I had seen them before, but hadn't had any idea why they were needed.
So, I'm trying to figure out the best way to do the vacuuming...or should I really just buy a robot for this??
Thanks...
Down under the basket, there are two holes. There is a significant amount of vacuuming coming from the lower one!
There doesn't seem to be much going on at the top one...I'm guessing that leads directly to the mysterious hole in the pool.
Looks like the swiveling thing on the right could be used to cover one of the holes, although it didn't swivel very well and I wasn't sure how I'd want to use it.
I also found the pictured round plate and some kind of adapter in the shed. I had seen them before, but hadn't had any idea why they were needed.
So, I'm trying to figure out the best way to do the vacuuming...or should I really just buy a robot for this??
Thanks...
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I don't know if you still posting but I see you have the same pool and coping that I have by any chance have you changed the liner or removed the coping.