Filter air?

[drrayb]

This year I changed my hayward filter sand, before opening.

There is a variflow multi-port valve on top.

I have noticed several symptoms.

1) air is always sloshing around the filter
2) when I open the pump housing, there is instant loss of all water in the pump, air is sucked in and into the filter too. All water in the suction side also spills back. My waste line is hard-plumbed but when I touch the pipe, it feels like there is water flow at this time.
Last year this air thing was going on too, but eventually after some time the filter would 'prime' fully with water. It no longer does
3) pressure seems lower at the filter when running (not sure if this is due to new sand)

Am I right in assuming that if I failed to tighten the valve onto the filter bpdy correctly, there would be water leaking? Because there is none.

Is this a spider gasket problem?
There doesnt seem to be any lowering of water level day to day, and I dont see stuff in the waste window while the pump is running but i'll check again.

Thanks in advance for your advice

 

[1poolman1]

Air is a pump, not a filter, issue. Filters do not prime, pumps do.

 

[drrayb]

I get that, i am using prime in the sense of "something which is full of air becoming full of water"

However, when the pump stops, I hear a hissing from the multiport valve and the filter slowly fills with air.

Its not the waste port because i dont see any leaking water there during the pump running. That probably means the spider gasket is ok?

Could it be an air leak from some other fittings?