Help with Filter and Pool Water after Opening

[JohnT]

There's a big O-ring on the clear basket lid. It needs lubed with a special grease. Slowly unscrew the gauge while the pump is running until air/water starts to come out. Let it run until it's just water.

If the gauge trick fixes it, but it comes back again, you have an air leak.

[Skillset]

Ok - I'm all fixed up! Apparently, the air leak was caused by one of the screw caps to the pump basket. It was hand-tightened, but I used a screwdriver to really tighten it and that did the trick. It also fixed my foaming issue, so both problems solved.

Although one thing that I still don't understand is that when I attach a hose to the skimmer to vacuum, the guage drops by 3 and I get the swirling action again in the pump basket. As soon as I remove the hose, the guage and pump return to ""normal." It doesn't appear to affect vacuuming nor is the pool foaming when vacuuming, so I guess it's okay. I used 2 different hoses with the same problem, so I don't think it's the hoses. Guess I won't worry about it.

Thanks for the replies!

[ivyleager]

That happens to me also, and I figure it's a small amount of air in the hose. Even though I fill the hose with water from the return, and it only takes me <2-3 seconds to go from water line to skimmer basket. It's air.

CaryB