Missing skimmer basket

[Winning16]

So we just moved into this house in the winter so this is our first time opening the pool. The slimmer isn’t like one I’ve ever seen. It’s rectangular with an outlet on the bottom and one on the side. The basket is missing. My questions is, can I just get a basket that fits and put it in there or am I missing more parts?
The bottom hole has suction and is working but removing the side plug, there is neither suction nor blowing so I put the plug back in. Should I remove it? Not sure what that hole is used for. Here’s a picture ignore the debris, still getting it clean! Thanks in advance!

 

[ajw22]

You have a skimmer cover plate? Any numbers or letters molded into the back of the cover?

What are the dimensions of the skimmer basket area?

Your pool only have one skimmer?

 

[Winning16]

There is a cover plate. I will have to check in the morning if there is anything on it and I will measure the dimensions. Yes it only has the one skimmer.

 

[Winning16]

No markings on the skimmer plate anywhere. And the lip where the basket would sit is about 17” long x 13” wide and it’s about 14” deep. It’s big.
I went to my local pool store and the guy just shook his head and said there’s nothing he can do he’s never seen anything like it. Of course this was through the door open 3” wide because they can only be open for curbside pickup. But his answer was that it may Be some kind of set up from the 60’s and he couldn’t help me out.
Also... I needed to vacuum the pool and of course with that skimmer it was going to be tricky. so The pool guy told me a regular suction plate wouldn’t work because it was round And once again I was out of luck and he couldn’t help me. I figured I would try just putting the hose directly in the intake. Tried that and it worked Sort of. I got suction from the hose but couldn’t get it to stay snuggly in the intake hole. So I said screw this im trying my original idea and getting the suction plate. Went back to the pool store, he tried to talk me out of it again saying it wouldn’t work, brought it home, hooked the vacuum up with it and had fantastic suction and the vacum worked great. I vacuumed the whole thing with the filter on waste because there is no basket and I had the water Hose going while I vacuumed to help with the diminishing water. Anyway, that worked out.
Still need to figure out what is going on with the skimmer basket and how I’m going to solve that issue.

 

[markayash]

Might try Inyopool.com, they can probably help you find the correct basket and have decent pricing. I needed a light gasket with no markings and they replied to my email in a day with the part number and the link to order it.