Main Drain
The main drain is a side and a single specialty main drain designed to allow organic matter to be sucked in rather than just sit on top.
This (main drain in bottom center) would definitely not be my first choice, but may be a great option when seen over time).
In the future my rec might be to update the cover to a more closed off to organics style because I would not want the mass organic matter being sucked into the main drain area, potentially clogging it or overfilling the pump basket — which is exactly what we are finding right now (pump basket completely filled with debris). So to help correct this non ideal issue = ($500 in labor (diving / sourcing / installing the cover) for modification + the new retrofit updated cover cost $650 (direct from MFG at their cost)
The only way I would keep this current setup is by also installing an auxiliary leaf canister in between the suction line and the pump. This is a common in in floor cleaning setups where this exact type of main drain is used per design, and a much better solution for mass amounts of ongoing leaf debris, but it would likely cost an additional $1,000 to $2,000 in parts and labor to install that so comparable.
The determining factor will be to see just how much debris is being collected in the main drain / if it gets clogged easily / and if the pump gets clogged quickly (which I suspect it is already doing just that).
Cost summary (this section only)
• Auxiliary leaf canister installation: $1,000–$2,000
(Previous main drain cover update still applies: ~$100)
Skimmer
The skimmer could use a weighted basket for less than $50, a new float O-ring for less than $50, and a new skimmer lid for less than $50. For less than $150 total, this could be updated to a more ideal status.
This is especially important because the skimmer on this pool is the most important thing, as the pool gets a lot of leaf debris.
Cost summary (this section only)
• Skimmer updates (weighted basket, float O-ring, lid): <$150
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