Tips for Vacuuming & Pool leak?

[CyndiLouWho]

Greetings-- I've looked around the TFP website and I don't see any areas/threads/posts on Vacuuming pool tips?

I know that we as new pool owners recently discovered that we were vacuuming the wrong way. We were sticking our vacuum hose directly in to the the skimmer, now our pool system is clogged up somewhere. So we need help on:

1. Tips for Vacuuming
2. How to diagnoise a pool leak*

*Note our pool does not leak when all of the equipment is turned off, and everything including waste, multipport dial and all the valves are turned off. But when we turn system back on to filter, it appears to be loosing water somewhere?

We thank you in Advance for any advice you can offer!

 

[HermanTX]

Is vacuuming your only way to clean the pool? Do you have a dedicated cleaner or a robot that can run?
If not, most vacuuming systems work on suction and unless you have a dedicated vacuum port, you need to connect it to your skimmer suction.
Now you mention a multiport valve, so you have the capability to turn that to waste line and you would then vacuum to waste. However this will drain your pool so you need to be aware of that.

With regard to your leak. It appears you have no visible leak when the system is running. So it could be underground. Have you done any landscaping or other digging that may have hit an underground pipe?
When the system is running, do you have air coming into the pump basket? That would indicate a suction side leak. If you are only losing water, it may point to a leak on the return pipes. Do any of them have air coming into the pool?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We have a vacuum that hooks up to our pool pump/filtration system, and we also have a smaller robo vac- runs off charge/batteries that is dedicated to cleaning our pool only. So we use 'Pool vacuum 1' (hooks up to the pool pump/filtration system) first, then use 'Pool robo vac' for smaller, less debris in the pool days. We're surrounded by pine trees which truly make our little slice of paradise nice, but they come with a lot of debris.
We recently learned that we were using pool vacuum 1 incorrectly by hooking the vacuum hose directly in to the skimmer suction line rather than to the 'plate' or top of the skimmer basket. So all of the vacuuming we did vacuumed to the filter, not to waste, and we feel that's how our system got clogged. (We also don't know where our waste line is or if we even need to hook one up.)

With regard to the leak: the pool does leak when it's running. It does not leak when the system is shut off. We're just not sure what it is.

Thanks!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Thanks Herman TX. My husband is performing some experiments to help isolate potential leak source(s).
(1) As mentioned in my initial post: No water loss when pump off, all valves closed overnight
(2) Water level visibly drops with 2 main drains open, skimmer closed, system on filter.
(3) Water level visibly drops when main drains closed, skimmer open, system on filter

 

[HermanTX]

o all of the vacuuming we did vacuumed to the filter, not to waste, and we feel that's how our system got clogged. (We also don't know where our waste line is or if we even need to hook one up.)

If you have a multiport value, they usually have a waste setting. Maybe post a picture of that and your overall equipment pad.

 

[HermanTX]

Thanks Herman TX. My husband is performing some experiments to help isolate potential leak source(s).
(1) As mentioned in my initial post: No water loss when pump off, all valves closed overnight
(2) Water level visibly drops with 2 main drains open, skimmer closed, system on filter.
(3) Water level visibly drops when main drains closed, skimmer open, system on filter

So this may indicate that your leak is on the return side. What does your return pipes look like - maybe post a picture of your return pipes so we can see what you have.