How important is the Air Relief Tube on a SwimClear cartridge filter?

[jag1117]

It sits on top of the manifold and goes into the pressure relief valve? I ordered another one but it will be a week before it gets here and I already have chemicals in my pool.
I also made another one from the tube inside a shampoo pump, but it's not the exact same thickness. I don't know if this tube just guides the air or if it actually engages something to release pressure. Pictures attached.
Hayward CX2030Z3 2.5-Inch Air Relief Tube for Hayward Swim Clear Cartridge Filter

 

[proavia]

Welcome to TFP!

The air relief tube usually goes from the top of the filter tank into the bottom manifold.
Its main purpose is to remove any air from the top of the tank. It does this by venturi action and injects the air into the lower manifold to be returned to the pool. It doesn't go into the pressure gauge or the top relief valve.

You can run without the air relief rube temporarily - be sure to bleed the air out of the tank with the air relief valvle daily if need be.

Suggest you have a look thru Pool Care Basics.
We do things a bit different here, but it's all based on solid science.

 

[Newdude]

It's basically a straw that extends to the top so that any air in the system is automatically purged back into the returns and the filter media remain fully submerged.

Some dirty filter water will return to the pool in the short term but it won't affect the chemistry. It may take several days to polish the pool water after replacing it, but that's a have a beverage and wait it out situation.