I’ve noticed that the area around the inside of my skimmer, sealed with what looks like marine caulk, seems to be opening up. I’m losing about 1.5 inches of water per week when it doesn’t rain. Could these cracks be the cause? I’m also seeing small amounts of dirt coming up from these cracks.
Allow the water to fall and it will show where the leak is. This can help you find it. My leak was at the bottom of the skimmer box. I fixed it with a 1-inch thick layer of Hayward Skimmer.
A typical household pool will lose around one-quarter inch of water every day due to a variety of causes. That arithmetic puts you practically precisely where you are after a week. You are OK.