Automatic vacuum

[jmcdtucson]

Any suggestions on an automatic vacuum for my rectangular intex ultra-frame?? I have the 2650 gph filter and hayward thru-wall skimmer so it should be no problem to hook up, I'm just not sure which would be best.

I'd rather not spend $300+. So far looking at these:

Pentair 360100 Kreepy Krauly Lil Shark Above Ground Pool Cleaner
Baracuda W01698 Ranger Suction Side Automatic Above-Ground Pool Cleaner
Hayward 500 Aqua Bug Above-Ground Automatic Pool Cleaner

I'm tired of hand-vacuuming.

 

[DianeF1]

I have the Aqua Bug. Would I buy him again....maybe not I'd have to talk to owners of other above ground auto vacuums. I tend to have problems with air leaking into the hose as getting the hose sections to be 100% together is a challenge - during pool start up when I want daily vacuuming I have been known to put the hose together and let it live in the pool once I get it all assembled and not sucking air. I did buy the leaf catching attachment which helped me see the air leakage so I could catch the leak right away during setup. I usually don't set and forget him in the pool - instead a more set, hang around, verify, leave and check back in 15 min type of game.

So - is he worth it - YES totally love having an automatic vacuum as I can get other things done while bug is at work it's just that I do wish he was a little bit better.
Diane

 

[f3justusc]

Until last week, I loved the Kreepy Krauly Lil Shark (Original). It has only one moving part and it works great. I got rid of it because I got tired of having to drag the hose and such to the pool, stop the pump, start the pump, etc. Also, the few times I got in the pool while it was running were the only times that I lost suction. If I stayed by the pool, it never lost suction. Again, the fact that it only has one moving part is what sold me. If required, repairs would be super cheap.

 

[jmcdtucson]

Thanks for the advice. I'm fine with kind of setting up and supervising the process - as long as I don't have to spend 30 minutes vacuuming the pool!

 

[jmcdtucson]

I bought the Aquabug.
It's super easy and works well, except I seem to have an air leak where one of the hose sections attach. I'm going to try swapping them out with the extra one that came and see if that fixes it.

Any other suggestions? I was thinking of teflon tape, attaching some weights to sink it below water an inch or two, Duct tape. None of those seem like great solutions. I could send it back too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=I37Q1IoZZSg#t=18

 

[S1ngram]

I have the kreepy krauly lil shark. He does a pretty good job in my pool. I had a mat under my pool steps to protect my liner which he could not stop himself from getting hung up on. I took the mat out from under the steps and he seems to not get hung up now. I'll be putting the mat back in the pool this year, but I'm going to trim it to the same shape as the bottom step so the vacuum won't stick on it again.

Having one moving part and a reasonable selling price was why I bought it. I haven't had any issues with air leaks or anything. I like to watch it move around the pool, but don't need to spend much time watching it since I took out the mat under the steps.

You have to piece this hose together too. Unless I know I'm going to use it again right away, I disassemble the sections and lay them out flat. I store the pieces in an old plastic kitchen trash can that has holes drilled in the bottom. I carry the can to the pool and take the hose apart as I pull the shark out of the pool. When he's all apart, I set the can upright to let any remaining water drain out and stick it in the shed. When I put it together, I just do things in reverse.

The only issue I have is that I have to run my pump on high speed the entire time he's in the pool. He is so stinking slow at the low speed that it's hard to tell he's moving. He does have a dial on the bottom that you can use to adjust the size of the circles he moves in as he cleans.

 

[techguy]

Diane,

When I put the hose sections together on my Aquabug, I start at the bug end. I put on the leader hose and then add each section. When I add the new hose, I hold the male end under the water, add the female and give it a quarter turn. I then feed the new section in to the water (filing the hose) and repeat the process of adding under water. When I get to the last section, i confirm the hose if full of water.

It's my understanding the Hayward hoses float on purpose and it makes it easier for the bug to move around. I have used generic replacement hose sections and they don't work as well as the Hayward hoses.