Tree and debris battle... Help with Skimming

[wedward]

Hi all - appreciate the help so far on my inherited pool. I'm doing well with the Pool Math and SLAM process but seem to be endlessly fighting the trees in my yard. Lately it's been the pollen and flower like petals from one tree. Last few weeks was the other tree, but the green pods floated and were easy to scoop out.
As you can see in the pics my poolskim is not doing as well as hoped. It does sorta work when it stays in the water. But these white petals float too well, so never go down in the water easily, thus take a while to get bagged. The side skimmer has them all bunched floating and not in the basket/net. The main issue is they float all over the surface, but do not travel to the poolskim or skimmer in some cases.
I'm thinking of cutting both trees down and growing some palms or other trees - at least that is what I think every single day I have to scoop and clean all this mess. Is there something that would help skim the water or push these petals to the skimmer?
Any ideas on the poolskim staying in the water?

 

[PoolGate]

I go through this every start and end to the season. The middle is great however. 2 weeks on each end of the season for extra cleaning. Right now we are at the end of the plum tree blooms so smooth sailing for most of the rest of the season. I have a sacrificial set of filter cartridges in the filter waiting for my last vacuuming.

What is going on with your regular skimmers? Mine were placed pretty well they pick up most of the garbage. My builder asked about wind directions and such before placing them and it worked out well.

 

[wedward]

I think it’s a combination of wind and the petals being very light that they don't migrate to the skimmer entrance. The pool skim just collects them around the rim until they lose enough buoyancy hours later and get sucked in - IF the PS stays submerged. It keeps riding up after a while due to the pressure of the return. I'm trying to find a way to keep it down, but no luck so far other than a PVC pipe holding it down for now.

 

[Texas Splash]

This time of year I think it's just typical. I'm going through it as well, although I'm fortunate my skimmer is on the down-wind side of the pool and the prevailing wind "usually" blows in that direction. Our crazy weather lately however has blown junk all over. I just do what I can and try not to sweat it. Whlie tree removal might help some, even if youu had no trees you'd be surprised how much stuff finds your water from elsewhere. Our pools are like a big magnet.

 

[wedward]

Our pools are like a big magnet.

That makes me feel better... Been fighting this pool for a few weeks with a SLAM and potentially bad SWCG, so was frustrated with all the debris. My pool dork (Polaris) is not helping either...

 

[pookiesunshine]

.... IF the PS stays submerged. It keeps riding up after a while due to the pressure of the return. I'm trying to find a way to keep it down, but no luck so far other than a PVC pipe holding it down for now.

Not sure what you mean. is the base unit changing elevation or just the floating top rising out of the base. If the base unit is changing elevation, try tightening the fittings at the return jet. if the floating top is rising out of the base (that isn't changing elevation), the base position is too low. If i am understanding correctly.

 

[wedward]

Not sure what you mean. is the base unit changing elevation or just the floating top rising out of the base. If the base unit is changing elevation, try tightening the fittings at the return jet. if the floating top is rising out of the base (that isn't changing elevation), the base position is too low. If i am understanding correctly.

The whole unit - base and pipes rotate up - from either direction. I can only tighten the fitting so much since at a certain point the whole connector pops off. The slightest jar from the pool cleaner's hose knocked it completely off the other return I had it on before. So if I tighten it more to prevent the rise, it pops off. Maybe it's a matter of finding the perfect tightness.

 

[dallasaggie]

Man this looks like my pool, I feel your pain. After reading up here and realizing my pool has only one poorly located skimmer, I decided on the Solar Breeze MK2. I'll be sure to post once it arrives, but I'm hopeful it will eliminate most if not all of my skimming time.

 

[wedward]

I decided on the Solar Breeze MK2.

That looks interesting. I'm looking at a robot - the fifty million variations... Since the Polaris I have does a marginal job if left to run all day and is a pain to clean out. You probably have some of the same Crud floating in the wind that I do neighbor!

 

[dallasaggie]

That looks interesting. I'm looking at a robot - the fifty million variations... Since the Polaris I have does a marginal job if left to run all day and is a pain to clean out. You probably have some of the same Crud floating in the wind that I do neighbor!

Yeah, what I like about the Solar Breeze is the fact it's so low maintenance. I'm really hopeful it will catch nearly everything before it sinks so I can get by without upgrading to a robot floor cleaner over my current pressure side Polaris.

 

[BowserB]

Dallas, I retired my pressure side Kreepy Krauly and replaced it with a Dolphin M500. Eliminated the cost of running a booster pump along with my regular Pentair VSF pump at full speed, and gained a clean pool floor, sides, and waterline, while also eliminating the noise of the two pumps running flat out for three hours a day and still not cleaning like it should. I'll admit the Solar Breeze is tempting, as here in Katy (just west of Houston) there is plant material of all kinds endlessly floating through the air and settling on the water. The only thing stopping me, is the questionable reliability and longevity. $600 plus for three years just seems excessive. I'd like to hear from someone with this skimmer still going after five years. Then, I'd really be tempted.