One of my skimmer lines barely moves water at all unless I close off the other skimmer and main drain valves. I was thinking it was clogged and used a hose bladder to run water both directions and didn't get any debris out. However, I did determine their is a substantial amount of "mung" covering the inside of the pipe based on what was on the fish tape I snaked through the line. How do you clean the inside of a line????? suspect if may be more source of recurring algae blooms in summer.
Poor flow and dirty/algae inside skimmer lines
- Thread starter red_georgia
- Start date
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,441
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Post your water chemistry. Proper water chemistry should take care of anything in your pipes.
Have you reviewed ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry?
Have you reviewed ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,350
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I would also suggest closing off the main drain. It is not necessary for pool water chemistry maintenance. From your post, that should improve the flow through the skimmer.
You may see if you can push a hose up the skimmer line that has the 'mung'. Disturbing that biofilm and raising your FC to SLAM Process levels should get rid of it.
You may see if you can push a hose up the skimmer line that has the 'mung'. Disturbing that biofilm and raising your FC to SLAM Process levels should get rid of it.
- Jul 21, 2013
- 52,441
- Pool Size
- 35000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
To raise the FC to SLAM Process levels @red_georgia will need a FAS/DPD Chlorine & CC's test based on the test kit in the signature.
I would be surprised if @red_georgia does not have high CYA that needs to be dealt with before the SLAM Process process.
I would be surprised if @red_georgia does not have high CYA that needs to be dealt with before the SLAM Process process.
thanks. I have the upgraded test kit just haven't updated signature. CYA is at 50 now but was high last summer and I was fighting it.
Brad_C
Well-known member
- Nov 15, 2018
- 188
- Pool Size
- 19000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Monarch ESC24 / ESC7000
I've just done this. I used a bit of fluff on the end of a strong nylon "builders string" and sucked that into the pipe with the application of a vacuum hose. I let it go until I knew the fluff would be past the other end of the pipe and then dismantled to gain access. So I now had a pipe with a string through it. I tied a big bit of old cotton rag to the long end and use the builders line to pull it back and forwards through the pipe from end to end. Down here (Aus) we'd call that a "barbed wire pull-through".
In my case it's an old bottom drain in the corner that goes to a second port in the skimmer. That had a plug in it and hadn't been opened in years, and the stagnant water in that pipe was my little algae breeding ground.
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That's very clever. I do that for wire through walls but didn't think of it for this.