I have an elevated spa (about 18 inches above pool level) that has a waterfall into the pool. Lately, I've been running my pump in the evenings for about 5 hours (average temp is about 60). By mid-day, the spa level has dropped about 3-4 inches, to the bottom of the tile line, sometimes a bit more. Some of this is due to a slight crack in the stonework, under the waterfall, that keeps the waterfall wet as water drips from the spa into the pool. I'm not sure this is enough to account for the 3-4 inch drop (7 foot diameter spa).
Today, I went outside and the spa water level was down about 18 inches (exposing the pebble-tech plaster, not quite down to the seating level). When I went around to the equipment, I could hear the pressure relief valve on the filter (Hayward DE6000) wheezing air. When I covered the outlet with my finger, the sound stopped. I did not notice this before when trying to diagnose. Could this cause that much of a drop in water level or is there likely a more serious leak somewhere? Is it worth replacing the pressure gauge (or maybe just the o-rings) before trying something more drastic (like calling a professional)?