What is my Polaris doing anyway? Cleaning or Stirring?

[simpleton]

Hey all. I'm new here.
After last years fiasco of algae and cloudiness, i decided to get on the ball and learn about pool upkeep.
(Yes, i'm studying and taking notes from the Pool-School)

So, here's my question:

Does my Polaris 360 "clean" the pool?
or just pickup large junk and keep the water circulating on the bottom?
and is that little "tail-scrubber" actually doing anything?

My in-laws are telling me that it just keeps the water stirred up.. and that we should turn it off.. let the junk settle, and vacuum the Crud off of the bottom... and if we leave the polaris running.. it'll just keep the pool cloudy and stirred up with junk.

The bag it catches with doesn't seem like it would grab little things.. just leaves and big stuff...
so maybe they're right.. or maybe partially.

 

[Guest]

the point of the tail is to suspend settled stuff so it is removed by the drain, similar to how in floor cleaners work. There are several different bags available for the Polaris units from silt to leaf so if your bag is not collecting fine enough stuff get a different bag for it. it actually is cleaning the pool.

 

[HarryH3]

We have a Polaris 280 and it certainly cleans the pool. I don't vacuum the pool. Ever. Even with Live Oak trees dropping leaves, pollen pods, etc. into the pool. In 3 hours or less the Polaris has the pool spotless! Our bag is very fine mesh and traps some pretty small stuff. The pool filter should clean out anything else suspended in the water. It won't happen instantly, but keep the pump running and the chemicals balanced and the water will be crystal clear soon.