How To Hook Up An Above Ground Pool Filter System

There will be several things that you will need to connect to get your above ground swimming pool filter set up and running for the pool season. You will first need to locate all the parts that were put away when you closed your swimming pool.

Connecting the skimmer:

In order to connect the skimmer to the pump you will need to take one of the pool hose and put a hose clamp on each end. You will need to take one end of your hose and connect it to the bottom of the skimmer that is on the pool wall. You will now want to take the other end of the pool hose and connect it to the front of the swimming pool pump. After you have connected both ends you will want to tighten the hose clamps thoroughly.

Connecting the pool return:

You will now want to get another pool hose just like the one that you used to hook up the pool pump to the skimmer and also put hose clamps on each end of this pool hose. You will want to take one end of the pool hose and connect it to the return fitting on the pool wall. You will now want to take the other end of the pool hose and connect it to the “return to pool” fitting which is usually at the top of the filter. Once you have connected both ends you will want to tighten the hose clamps.

Hooking Up The In-line Chlorine Feeder:

Many above ground pools have in line pool chlorine feeders like the one pictured above. The one thing that you need to know is the the Chlorinator has to be hooked up with the direction of flow in mind. Most chlorine feeders like the Hayward Chlorinator will have an arrow on the side that will tell you which way the flow of water should be. Your Chlorine feeder will either hook up with hoses or it can be also hard piped into the top of the pool filter. Make sure to tighten all hose clamps on the inlet and the outlet of the swimming pool Chlorine feeder as well.

Connecting the Pump discharge to the filter:

Most above ground swimming pool systems like Hayward pool products will use a union between the pump and the filter as you can see in the above picture. Some other brands will use a hose that will connect from the top of the pool pump (discharge) and then connect to a mutliport valve on the top of the pool filter. So if you have a union like the one that is pictured above you will want to tighten the union nut with a large pair of water pump pliers. If you do not have a Hayward filter system and your pool pump has a hose fitting on the top you will then want to connect one end of the hose to this fitting and the other end of the hose to the “pump in” on the filter. Make sure to use hose clamps on each end of this hose as well. Make sure to also tighten these hose clamps.