In-floor Cleaning Pump Sucking Air

[Oski]

I have a new plaster pool with a Paramount in-floor cleaning system that is powered by a Jandy pump. The pump is sucking air (not sure why but maybe low water level at some point) and I am trying to get it going again. When I remove the filter basket lid the water from the pool (pump is lower than the pool level) rushes in and fills the basket. I secure the lid with the basket full and turn on the pump. The water swirls around appearing like it is getting the air out when after about 20 seconds the water level suddenly drops to about 1/4 of the basket height and pump is sucking air. It never changes after that. My manual and Internet sites talk about letting air out through the air release valve but there is none on this in-floor system as there is no filter. I have also tried to fill the basket with water from a hose with the valve shut to the pool but that does nothing as well. I do have a Golden Retriever that is in the pool periodically so there is dog hair but the filter skimmer basket seems to pick up most of that but I am not sure if possibly hair has stuck in the impeller of the in-floor system pump.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get this pump going again?

[Pool Clown]

Some of the Paramount systems use the skimmer to get its water to drive the infloor. Since there is no filter, the flow rate is a little higher and that sometimes will empty out the skimmer quickly, especially if the module is between stations. Check for anything that may be keeping the skimmer from staying full. Low water level, stuck skimmer weir (door), toys. Water level is more critical than you may think on these. In some cases, if the level is just a little low, it will cause this. When you first start the pump, go out to the skimmer and see if anything is out of the ordinary. If the water is less than halfway up the tile, add some water.