Frog in Pump Basket?!

[paganok21]

It seems like there's quite a lot of large debris, including the frog, in the pump basket. Those leaves seem too large to get through the skimmer basket. I know you said the skimmer baskets lock in place, but is there a chance that the baskets somehow float when the pump is off? I know mine did when we first got our pool, and I started putting a larger than the intake pipe sized rock to keep them down. I since installed Skimmer Angels which weigh down the basket, and I was able to remove the rock. The only downside to the Skimmer Angel is that spiders will hang out on the top dry part of the handle. I have to be careful when I clean out the skimmers, and if there's a spider on the handle, I flick the handle to dislodge the spider and then remove the basket. Maybe share a picture of your skimmer baskets.

I never heard of the skimmer Angel but that makes sense. Good idea w the rock as well. My basket doesn’t float unless it’s not locked (it twists and lock down). You bro g up a good point though. I was out of town last week and my hubs was on pool duty. I wonder if he forgot to twist
Thanks for the tip!

 

[SecoSteve]

I never heard of the skimmer Angel but that makes sense. Good idea w the rock as well. My basket doesn’t float unless it’s not locked (it twists and lock down). You bro g up a good point though. I was out of town last week and my hubs was on pool duty. I wonder if he forgot to twist
Thanks for tip!

If you do use the rock method, which I doubt, since yours seem to lock in with a twist, make sure the rock is bigger than the suction pipe in the skimmer. I dropped my rock accidentally when I was emptying the basket and if it were smaller, it would have been sucked in the pipe.

 

[Gamebuster]

I bought a small net used for indoor aquariums go scoop out the basket instead of reaching my hand down there. Makes it safer that being shocked by something unexpectedly dead or alive in the skimmer.

I recommend Pacific PPE 26" chem resistant rubber gloves (or similar). I bought some, they go up to my shoulder. They protect your skin from direct contact with muriatic acid and chlorine, and they protect your hands and arms from anything hidden in the skimmers. I've had them for 3 years and they still work great, they just need to be washed every few weeks so they don't smell.

 

[PCR]

It seems like there's quite a lot of large debris, including the frog, in the pump basket. Those leaves seem too large to get through the skimmer basket. I know you said the skimmer baskets lock in place, but is there a chance that the baskets somehow float when the pump is off? I know mine did when we first got our pool, and I started putting a larger than the intake pipe sized rock to keep them down. I since installed Skimmer Angels which weigh down the basket, and I was able to remove the rock. The only downside to the Skimmer Angel is that spiders will hang out on the top dry part of the handle. I have to be careful when I clean out the skimmers, and if there's a spider on the handle, I flick the handle to dislodge the spider and then remove the basket. Maybe share a picture of your skimmer baskets.

I use one of these. Eliminates the skimmer angel spider issue, and I also use it to push the weir door up and down a couple times and swipe under it to get all the stuff hanging out under there to float out. Then after grabbing the skimmer basket bar, rotate to create a vortex and get everything inside the basket circumference before pulling up. I think this is better than the skimmer angel.

Amazon.com

 

[pb4uswim]

I bought a small net used for indoor aquariums go scoop out the basket instead of reaching my hand down there. Makes it safer that being shocked by something unexpectedly dead or alive in the skimmer.

I love this idea! I was using a wooden spoon to scoop out beetles. Didn’t even think of a fish net. Thank you!!!

I change out my skimmer net (hair net) pretty much every day. I use a small hand held kitchen strainer. Then, before I reach my had down in there I put on a glove (like the ones used for washing dishes). I get frogs/toads and such, but what I really don’t like is the spiders. I can’t believe how many of them stay alive even though they’re under water.

 

[amymeme]

Hello my fellow pool pros. I had an interesting discovery this morning and was wondering if there is something I’m misunderstanding about my pool pump filtering system.

My pool was just completed in February. I clean my skimmer basket every few days and my pump basket once per week. It’s amazing what I find in that skimmer basket! Up until this point, it seems to capture almost all debris before getting to the pump basket. It turns and ‘locks’ down inside of the skimmer which I assumed meant that it would always catch something big before it gets to the pump basket.

Today, I found a good sized dead frog inside of my actual pump basket! I could see him through the clear glass lid and upon opening, sure enough it was a frog! How could this possibly be? Is there another way for something to reach my pump basket? I could imagine this being an issue if larger things can get so close to my pump. Has anyone ever experienced this before?

Had happened to me on more than one occasion. Most recently, last week. Don't tell my granddaughter - it was "her" bullfrog a couple of mechanisms that I know of - frogs sit on the door(weir) to the skimmer and I don't see them so when I empty the skimmer basket they dive down to the bottom of the skimmer to get away, sometimes into the pipe, and I don't notice when I'm putting the bakery back. Sometimes, I've accidentally vacuumed up a frog

 

[paganok21]

I recommend Pacific PPE 26" chem resistant rubber gloves (or similar). I bought some, they go up to my shoulder. They protect your skin from direct contact with muriatic acid and chlorine, and they protect your hands and arms from anything hidden in the skimmers. I've had them for 3 years and they still work great, they just need to be washed every few weeks so they don't smell.

Protection from a rattler is the most important here. I hold my breath every time I left my tile lid up to that skimmer basket
Thanks for sharing!

 

[paganok21]

Had happened to me on more than one occasion. Most recently, last week. Don't tell my granddaughter - it was "her" bullfrog a couple of mechanisms that I know of - frogs sit on the door(weir) to the skimmer and I don't see them so when I empty the skimmer basket they dive down to the bottom of the skimmer to get away, sometimes into the pipe, and I don't notice when I'm putting the bakery back. Sometimes, I've accidentally vacuumed up a frog

Oh no, poor girl! Gotta watch out for the family pets. Too bad my skimmer basket won’t fit a full size human. Sometimes my hubby could use a nice swim in there!

I’m learning these frogs are definitely quick!

 

[CypressDank]

I had the same issue, mine either got in the pump basket through the main floor drain, or from hiding inside the hose I use for vacuuming the pool.

 

[paganok21]

I had the same issue, mine either got in the pump basket through the main floor drain, or from hiding inside the hose I use for vacuuming the pool.

I didn’t even think about the vacuum hose!