DIY Pool Vacuum Setup: Hose Connection, Valve Adjustment, and Cleaning Tips

Keeping your pool clean doesn’t always require fancy equipment—sometimes, a manual vacuum and a little know-how do the trick. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to manually vacuum your pool using a skimmer hose for crystal-clear results.

Step 1: Remove Air from the Hose
Begin by placing your vacuum hose in front of a return jet. This pushes water through the hose, forcing air out. Once bubbles appear at the vacuum head, you’re ready to connect it to the skimmer.

Step 2: Connect to the Skimmer
Remove the skimmer basket, insert the hose through the opening, and connect it to the suction port at the bottom.

Step 3: Adjust Your Valves
To get optimal suction, close the main drain about 75% of the way. This diverts more flow through your skimmer line.

Step 4: Activate Quick Clean Mode
At the pump control, press the quick clean button and follow the prompts. This ramps up the pump speed, increasing suction for better vacuuming.

Step 5: Vacuum the Pool
Move the vacuum head slowly across the pool floor, just like vacuuming carpet. Overlap your passes to ensure full coverage.

When done, press stop on your pump, reset the valve to normal, and remove the hose. Press resume—and your pool is ready for swimming!

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