Do you need a vacuum or pool robot?

[UCFPoolBoy]

Hi All,

New home owner with an inground plaster pool. Previous owner had a pool company cleaning the pool. However, I want to tackle this myself. Unfortunately, there was no pool cleaning equipment with the house. Do you need a vacuum and/or pool robot? The pool is covered by a pool cage so not much gets in the pool. I have a brush and skimmer net however I notice quite a bit of "sediment" when I brush the pool walls and floor and seem to be unable to get it sucked down the main drain.

The automatic suction vacuums (think Hayward Navi) are almost as expensive as the robots. If I were to invest in a robot, I would probably go with the Dolphin Nautilus CC. Would it be kind of pointless for me to get this if my pool doesn't get a lot of debris?

Or do I buy a vacuum hose and head that attached to a pool pole and manually vacuum once a week? What do you all recommend?

Thanks in advance. Learning a lot from this site!

 

[Texas Splash]

Do you need a vacuum and/or pool robot?

Yes. As you are seeing now, the finer sediment will begin to accumulate. I'm still using a basic/manual vacuum. Cheap & easy.

 

[kellyfair]

Couple of things - are you balancing your water with your own test kit? How are you chlorinating? Want to make sure your sediment isn’t actually dead algae.

I vote for robot for a couple of reasons. One, I’m too lazy to vacuum every week. And two, even if an ultra fine filter basket in the robot doesn’t keep the sediment from escaping, the robot will keep you water stirred up, hopefully causing the sediment, dust, etc. to be suspended in the water longer, so that it reaches your filter.

 

[randytsuch]

Even if you get a robot, I'd still have the hose/vacuum. Robots can break, nice to be able to clean your pool if the robot is down.
And hose and vacuum isn't that much (although nothing is cheap these days)

So I suggest getting a hose and vacuum and see how it works for you. If its too much work, then get a robot.

I've had robots over the years, but after the last one broke I didn't replace it, been vacuuming when I need to. But kids are grown, and pool doesn't get used nearly as much as when they were little.

For the vacuum, I bought a wider head a few years ago, like it a lot better then the standard size head it replaced. Not sure the exact size, but it makes a difference (IMHO).

Randy

 

[Jimrahbe]

UFC

I have three saltwater pools. I used a manual vac system for the first season on my original pool and threw it in the trash, and got a low voltage robot. I have never looked back.. All three of my pools have robots and if (when) one of them goes bad, I'll have a new one on my porch the next day...

All of my past robots were Dolphin models, but the new Dolphins have not been lasting as long as their older units. My last purchase from Marina Pool and Spa was a new EVO which I really like. Too early to tell about lifespan, but we will see.

See this review...

New EVO 614i Robot Pool Cleaner Review

About a month ago I needed a new robot pool cleaner and I contacted Margaret at Marina Pool and Spa. My initial goal was to buy another S200 "style" robot as I have been happy with them so far. Margaret suggested that I might want to look at a new line of robot cleaners that Marina is now...

www.troublefreepool.com

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[pjt]

Get a quality robot. I would hold off on buying a vacuum until you can assess if you really need one, especially with an enclosure. I don't even own a vacuum.

 

[SoDel]

If you don’t mind spending the $, I‘d go for the robot. Setting up and putting away the manual vacuum hose, for me at least, was a huge hassle, plus then the time to actually vacuum. I’ve got the robot, the leaf blaster thing for post hurricane leaf litter, and a small rechargeable vac for the spa and steps. The manual vac hose hasn’t left the garage in years .

 

[Blancmik]

+1 for the robot.

I also have a screen enclosure over my pool, but we still get sediment, the occasional worm after a rain storm, or grass clippings from me jumping in to cool off after I mow. The convenience is worth it if you can afford it!