Skimmer Issues on 18ft Round

[rraczkowski]

We have an 18ft round above ground with a 1hp pump and 100lb sand filter. Most of the time debris on the water surface seems to float more towards the center never reaching skimmer. Our 1 return outlet is is slightly above the bottom of the skimmer about 3f away from skimmer, and points away from skimmer. I have tried to angle the eyeball many ways, totally to the side level with surface, to the side downward, always away from skimmer. But the surface cleaning is not that good, most winds up sinking and needs to be vacuumed. I have tried different water levels to improve skimmer performance.

I look at other pools and it looks like the return is lower than the bottom of the skimmer by a few inches, was mine installed incorrectly. The pool came with the house so I have no idea how old it is.

If the return should be lower can I somehow plug the current opening and relocate?

Thanks for any advice, the pool is clear, balance is fine, but the constant debris not being skimmed is annoying.

 

[mas985]

Have you tried the eyeball straight forward but downward?

Also what size eyeball are you using?

 

[ike0069]

Do you have dual pump suction inlets, or just the one thru the skimmer?

 

[rraczkowski]

It's a pretty small eyeball, looks to be 5/8 hole, lines are all 1.5". After looking last night the return is actually higher than the bottom of the skimmer, so I have to fill the water pretty high.

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Do you have dual pump suction inlets, or just the one thru the skimmer?

Just a return through the skimmer, all 1.5" lines. Like the other poster asked, the eyeball seems pretty small, maybe 5/8"

 

[mas985]

Can the eyeball be removed? That is very small which would cause a spa jet like action. You might try a larger eyeball and see if that helps.

But again, have you tried pointing the return forward toward the opposite wall and slightly downwards?

 

[rraczkowski]

I did a while ago, but it prevents my automatic cleaner from going from one side to another. The jet coming out is extremely strong. The eyball is 3/4, would 1" be better?

I showed a tech at the pool store a pic of my skimmer/return config and he said the return is way to high, he recommended using a pvc elbow with a small pipe to bring it lower under the water then I could have to outlets one pointing to the side to circulate and one pointed out lower down, he said that would also create less pressure out. I'd rather plug the current opening and install a lower one, but the pool is over 20 years old and when we installed a new liner the wall was rusting so we had to install foam.

I've attached a picture of the return vs. skimmer, the return is close to middle of skimmer height.

Can the eyeball be removed? That is very small which would cause a spa jet like action. You might try a larger eyeball and see if that helps.

But again, have you tried pointing the return forward toward the opposite wall and slightly downwards?

 

[mas985]

First just try removing the eyeball all together and see if that improves things.

 

[rraczkowski]

First just try removing the eyeball all together and see if that improves things.

k, i tried pointing across and slightly down and theres no rotation, ill try without.

 

[rraczkowski]

Removing the eyeball pushed everything to the opposite side of pool.. Today was a bad day to test the eyeball again, nothing floating, nothing in skimmer and nothing on bottom.