Issues when vacuuming inground pool

We recently purchased a home with an inground pool. When we use the vacuum, we are able to pick up the debris from the bottom, but dirty water comes out of the jets. Is there something with the vacuuming process that we are not doing correctly?

The most obvious first question is - do you have the filter set to "filter"? It sounds like you might have it set to "recirculate".

If your pool started green and is now a cloudy blue (like mine), keeping the filter on "Filter" during vacuuming will most likely shoot the dead algae back out the jets (as the sand isn't coarse enough to filter the dead algae)- this is what I saw and is likely what you're seeing as well.

The same thing is still happening to me (I also just bought a home with an inground pool, and it started as a green swamp)... What the local pool store guy told me (and I've also read online somewhere) is to vacuum with the filter set on "Waste" until you get most of the really dirty stuff off the bottom. However, since "waste" is pumping all the water directly out of your pool (and unlike Backwash is also bypassing the filter- which we want with really dirty debris-filled water), you lose A LOT of pool water during this process. Therefore, you have to fill the pool up(with a hose) pretty high (just below top of the skimmer window) before starting- then you have limited time (so vacuum like crazy) until the skimmer is about to "suck air" because the water level has gone down.

Just my two cents from my recent personal experience, but I've only had a pool for 2.5 weeks so I'm no pro, lol...

Yeah, I've had to vacuum on waste before as well. The other thing you can try is putting clarifier in but read the instructions before you do so.

@ JenniferC: Membership upgraded; thread moved to correct forum section.

@ prill207: membership upgraded.