In The Swim Ratings and Reviews
Product Reviews
The Circulator Return Line Fitting
"Circulator improves water circulation up to 1500%. Save money, reduce costs and extend pool’s life. Turbo-jet nozzle directs contaminants to the skimmer to be filtered. Virtually effortless cleaning."
Average Customer Rating:
(14 Reviews) 14
11 of 14(79%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Review 1 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Makes pool maintenance so much easier.,
Date:January 15, 2013
By Devan
from CT
from CT
Pros: The circulator gave my pool exactly what it needed
Cons: Wish I found this product many years ago, I would have saved a fortune solving all my pool issues.
"What a great invention. I have been struggling with my pool for years, trying to get rid of algae, cloudy pool water, spending a fortune on heating, etc. Seems like it was always something I had to work on, with my pool water. Instead of enjoying my pool, I was working on it way too much. Not fun at all. I have 3 fixed returns and I put a circulator in each one per the manufacturer’s recommendations. I could not believe how my pool came alive. The power of the water coming out of the circulator jets was amazing. It actually pushed the debris on the floor of the pool to the main drain. I have not had the problems with algae and cloudy pool water and saved a fortune on expensive chemicals to clear those issues with the water. I also got a bonus that I did not expect. The circulators heated my pool twice as fast with no uncomfortable cold areas, so I save a lot of money on the heating bill also. My small investment in the circulators were already paid for in just a couple of months, so now I just save money every month and I am finally starting to enjoy my pool so much more. No pool should be without the circulator. It is a dependable product for anybody who wants to save money and have more fun enjoying their pool.
P.S. In the Swim is a great company to deal with on all pool products."
P.S. In the Swim is a great company to deal with on all pool products."
Review 2 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Best Purchase Ever!,
Date:May 13, 2013
By PeteFromPC
from Port Charlotte, FL
from Port Charlotte, FL
Pros: Fantastic Product & The VERY BEST customer support!
Cons: There is absolutely nothing that I can say that's bad about this product!
"Due to the bypassing of an underground leak I only have one return jet. And, the CIRCULATOR has greatly help in circulating the water, so that I have much better filtration. And, their customer sevice has NO EQUAL.They do anything and everything to help their customers! You just can't go wrong with the purchase of this product!"
Review 3 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Excellent High Quality Product,
Date:March 27, 2013
By Caro
from Lakeland, FL
from Lakeland, FL
Pros: Does everything that it promised to do and more. My pool maintenance is so easy now.
Cons: I wish I would have found this product sooner, I would have saved a ton of money on chemicals.
"I had problems with cloudy pool water and my pool builder suggested that I purchase the circulator. I have not had a problem with cloudy pool water for years now. I replaced all my fixed wall returns with the circulators and my pool came alive. What a difference it made in my pool. I don't fight with algae anymore either. It is such a low cost item that it paid for itself in just a month or two with all the chemical savings. It actually heated my pool water too, which was an added bonus for me. I would recommend this product to all pool owners who want more fun time with their pool and less hassles."
Review 4 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Excellent investment for my pool,
Date:March 10, 2013
By PoolsideBoy
from Sunny, clear pool Florida
from Sunny, clear pool Florida
Pros: Saved a ton of money on my chemicals and made my pool crystal clear in just 1 day
Cons: Wish I would had found this product years ago. It would helped save thousands on my chemical bills.
"I had a continuous problem fighting cloudy pool water with high levels of slimy bacteria/algae. I spent a fortune on chemicals to gain a crystal clear pool with no luck. Once i replaced all my fixed returns with the circulator my pool cleared up in no time at all. Now I have more money with the savings on my pool chemicals due to the operation of the circulator. For the 1st time I can enjoy my pool without having to fight the algae everyday. Thanks for such an incredible product."
Review 5 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Costly product woked but not for my pool,
Date:May 26, 2012
By JABA
from Aurora, IL
from Aurora, IL
Pros: great concept and does what it's supposed to do but with caveats
Cons: cheaply made for the price-too many parts and clostly repairs- can break during installation-more bleow
"I bought this product based on the other reviews, which are all informative. Unfortunately, for my inground saltwater pool setup, it did not work as stated. Here is why. When the pool was installed, the pool co. only put in 2 returns directly opposite the skimmer on a 33'x16' pool. Who knows why. If you have more than 2 returns spaced out, it would circulate the water much better. Anyway, these circulators worked fine but barely got the water down to the deep end of the pool unlike my directional eyeballs did. I had flys and gnats all over in my pool which I never had before--this is my 5th season.
But here are some things to note that the other reviewers didn't mention: READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY! REALLY. this will save you a lot of time/effort. The circulator can jam if you have a sand filter OR have sand at the bottom of your cartridge filter tank and you don't clean that out after rinsing/replacing your filter. The sand can get into the gears and jam them. In which case they stop rotating. This can be fixed which is in the instrustions and doesn't look too difficult. I just took it out and blew air in the bottom end and it worked.
Also, DO NOT TURN THE NOZZLE HEAD as this breaks the connection to the plastic gears inside. They cover this in the instructions too. The gears can be replaced but you will have to pay more money for a kit. If you turn the nozzle head and break the gears, they WILL NOT REPLACE THE PRODUCT even though its under warranty. They have put a red mark where the nozzle lines up with stem and there is no way you can get the two back in line (I was very careful!) and this contraption is on the delicate side.
The circulator is easy to install and comes with an attachment if your current jet has female inside threads that you just screw in then screw the circulator into that. If yous is different, you can always go to a pool supply store and they'll have what you need
Also included is a 2nd circular disk (white) that's supposed to snap on to the botton of the unit if you have low water pressure. (More on water pressure later)
So here's where the product is cheap: that little snap on piece doesn't screw in, just snaps in, which, because of the force of the return water can come off and the unit doesn't work. (They do tell you this) So get this, they instruct you to use "4 inches of scotch tape" and wrap it around the bottom of the unit holding the snap-on-disc to the main unit. Now for $50 you'd think they could have designed it to screw on. Now I understand that the disks are interchangeable and allows you to get to the circulating fins underneath, but taping it? Come on. This inventor was an engineer from NASA?!?
Water pressure. I noticed that the psi reading on my filter rose from 20psi to 30psi which I thought was strange seeing that my filter was just cleaned before adding the jets. So eventually I took the circulators out and my psi was back to normal 20. I suppose I could have tried the white snap-on disc but was too tired from playing with this thing.
Another thing that I didn't like was that the water shot up about a foot out of the pool when it rotated. Now my jets are closer to the surface so that is why. They have an Economizer Flow Control cover that I bought at InTheSwim's store which when added to the jet, prevented the water from spouting but allowed the nozzel to rotate. Problem was, I had to use my old female threaded insert from the original eyeball jet, along with an 0-ring to keep it tight to the wall so the cover didn't rotate along with the nozzle. This cover set me back another $10 ea.
They also give you instructions to 'Repair" the unit which the kit is extra $$ of course. After seeing all the little gears, pins etc that could break I figured it was easier to just deal with my directional eyeballs.
I think the concept is great and has woked for many pool owners but for me it's just too costly $140 for 2 jets that can break versus under $5 for 2 eyeballs that will last forever."
1 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Review 6 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Remarkable Product,
Date:October 12, 2011
By LeisureLad
Pros: This product saved me lots of money on chemicals and heated my pool for free as an extra benefit.
Cons: I can't think of any. All I see is a very low cost item with alot of benefits.
"The Circulator is truly an amazing product. I spent a fortune on chemicals trying to rid my pool of algae and cloudy water. I put a circulator in each return and my pool came alive. The Circulator already paid for itself and my pool looks amazing."
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review 7 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Not worth the money,
Date:September 1, 2011
By Marfon
from Pearland TX
from Pearland TX
Pros: Jet streams the water into pool and mixes well, easy to install
Cons: Quality of product is poor, last only 1 month, product will stop working after a month
"Its a great idea, but don't really work. I purchase 4 of the circulators and after 1 month, they all stop working. It does not work well in a large pool and does not reduce the time it takes to heat pool. Poor construction forces me to remove because they all stop working. Water level in pool must be high to keep circulator from spraying out of pool. The lights and other accessories sold are truly a waste of money."
Review 8 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
The Curculator,
Date:June 10, 2011
By JpoolguyG
from NY, NY
from NY, NY
Pros: Creates constant water current flow in all directions,
Cons: The Curculater protrudes out a bit futher than the fish eye jets and may come into contact with bathers.
"The product is a good design and provides good solution to pool soot build up in areas of the pool where circulation is low with conventional fish eye returns. Since the jets are mechanical design that utilizes the water flowing out of the return they extend roughly one to one and a half inche from the wall of the pool.
Bathers may come on contact with them. For the sake of common sense pool safety all bathers entering the pool may have to be/should be informed to be aware of the circulator and to try not to come into contact with the circulator which may cause injury and or damage the product. So far the work very well. I experienced one circulator that was spinning freely and had to remove it and reassemble it. The spinning return end of the cap came loose from the internal base of the unit and was spinning freely. I had to remove it from the pool wall jet mount which was very simple and reinstall/retread the cap to the base. As with all pool ownership related items, from time to time, they will require maintence and or repair.
As for cost, it can add up if you have more than two return jets. I just referred this to a fellow pool owner and who said they have six return jets in their pool. It might be that In the Swim should offer a price reduction for any order over two jets. In closing the product delivers good results."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 9 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
circulator,
Date:July 27, 2010
By MedDoctor
from NJ
from NJ
Pros: The circulator was the best item I have ever bought for my pool
Cons: none
"The circulator is the absolutely best item I have ever purchased for my pool. It has save me 1/2 of my electric and chlorine bill. The circulator drives the surface heat and chemicals to the floor of my pool eliminating dead spots and cold areas. Now, for once I have absolutely no cloudy pool water and no algae.
Thanks for making my life easier.
Thanks for a great product."
Thanks for making my life easier.
Thanks for a great product."
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review 10 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
mechanically challenged female,
Date:July 26, 2010
By poolGoddess
from Sunny, Florida
from Sunny, Florida
Pros: works really well
Cons: not necessarily a "con," but it's only been two days
"Super easy to install-- twist off old returns; twist on new ones. No tools required. It actually took me longer to read the directions than anything else.
17 year old pool. Std. filter (no sand). Two returns. Pool chemicals circulated quickly and I watched the water go from okay to balanced, chlorinated and crystal clear in minutes."
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review 11 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Worked for a month,
Date:May 24, 2010
By DaveBlodg
from NJ
from NJ
Pros: worked well when it worked
Cons: stopped circulating after a month or so
"My guess is that since I have a sand filter, and sand filters invariably emit a little sand out of the return fitting, especially after backwashing, it jammed up the mechanics inside the unit that cause it to rotate. It definitely worked well when it worked, but that was way too short of a period of time for the price."
Review 12 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Works great when installed properly,
Date:May 28, 2009
By DonS
from Georgia
from Georgia
Pros: Increases circulator and pressure at the returns
"Another reviewer stated that the presure at the 'other' returns increased and the Circulator returns decreased. If you install these as their web site instructs (install on ALL returns) it works just as advertised. Water takes the route of least resistence so if you don't install on all returns the circulator will not get a consistant presure at all returns. I would buy again."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 13 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
Limits water flow too much,
Date:April 11, 2009
By BQTampa
Pros: it spins around like it claims
Cons: there's not nearly enough force in water output
"As soon as I screwed this in, I noticed that the water flow in my other pool return increased substantially. That's because The Circulator limits water flow so much that it has no other option but to be diverted to the other return. The water that came out of the top of the circulator was coming out at less than half the force that it does from a normal "eyeball" return. Yes, it spins around, but what good does that do if most of the water is getting diverted to the non-circulator return?
So, I'm sending this back. I called In The Swim ahead of time and they said "no problem". At least returns are easy with this company."
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 14 for The Circulator Return Line Fitting
Overall Rating:
The Best Investment for My Pool Yet,
Date:November 27, 2008
By bradcombs77
from Midwest City, OK
from Midwest City, OK
Pros: Easy to install; Flawless operation; Amazing results
Cons: I didn't buy two
"My circulator arrived quickly and was easy to install (my wife, who doesn't usually tend the pool, installed it while I was at work). The deepest part of my in-ground pool is 8 feet and I've struggled to keep crystal clear water (judged by being able to see the drain clearly). I have two jets (one on the deep end and one in the shallow; I installed it on the deep end). I only used the circulator for a couple of days before I saw results. I could not only see the drain clearly, but I could see the heads of the screws that held the drain in place.
Ordering the circulator was quick and easy, it arrived quickly and in excellent condition."
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.