Windfix, welcome to the forum!! Glad you were able to dislodge the clog.

Hayward makes a product that you might want to consider looking into that helps provide more suction through the MD opening to the skimmer. I'm sorry that I don't have the part #, but I'll describe it - it's an oval that covers both ports on the skimmer bottom, is about 2 1/2" high with an open 1 1/2" hole in the top at one end, has a butterfly valve to regulate the suction ( a ss "T" on the side - originals have red caps on the 2 ends of the "T" and is secured with 2 long screws into the holes in the bottom of the skimmer (one of them is where your 'flap' is secured. You may have one with the pool stuff that the old owners left you. This thing definately works for Hayward skimmers, if your skimmer isn't a Hayward, you may be able to find a similar device from the manufacturer. If you can find one of these and need any help with it, please don't hesitate to ask me about it.

Congrats on comming here and learning as much as you have, again, welcome to the forum! - Waste