We have had our pool for 12 years and have always used a Polaris 280 for the cleaner. 2 / 280's and 3 pumps in 12 years. This is the first full year that we have has a SWG and a new liner... The time savings the SWG offers from messing with chlorine is amazing. I now have time to brush the pool daily and keep it remarkably clean. I have most likely only used my cleaner 5 times this year and 4 out of the 5 it was more of preventative maintenance to stir up the bottom than any real cleaning. Just saying the Polaris is great and before we used to leave it in the pool considering how often it was used. I know the SWG does not remove dirt but the time you gain without messing with chemicals is amazing. Just my opinion and it looks a lot better too!
Best Pool Cleaner is Your Debris Basket and Brush
- Thread starter pondfishr
- Start date
Happy for you, but if I had to rely solely on brushing for a clean pool I'd have a swamp with few feet of muck. As for "messing with chlorine" if I added up the time savings over the entire season it wouldn't amount to much over an hour.
SWG is mandatory equipment on every pool I own. It is so easy and convenient. Just being able to go on vaca with no worries is worth it. My pool cleaner grew algae in it last year and it was banned from the pool. I have made an effort to brush weekly-ish since then and it has made my pool better. I used to be a slacker in the brush department. Even going through fall and spring with no cleaner wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Not messing with the cleaner frees up some time to brush instead.
It just works good for me to stay in close touch with my pool by cleaning most of the time by hand. I realize that your pools physical environment and use could be much different than mine. Before our SWG I was adding chlorine pucks to mine at a minimum of once every three days having to take the time to turn the pump off check the chorine pucks closing and opening valves. With the changes in water temps my chlorine levels could be all over the map so testing was much more time consuming and he PH was never stable. Now I just adjust the level of SWG or increase/decrease the run time which is not very often. Once a week add muriatic acid to level the ph down. Today I spend 10 - 15 minutes a morning at the pool netting and sweeping small debris. Some days more time if I am checking the water levels with my test kit. I was slow to convert to the SWG but I wish I had done it sooner my liner would have most likely lasted longer due to less harsh chemicals. I have a 3 year old Polaris cleaner that still looks new and will continue to own one but it is now more of a luxury or want to instead of a requirement to use 2 -3 times a week.
Our cleaning rituals clearly differ. I run a test daily on the weekends and less frequently during the week. Takes next to no time. If chlorine is needed I can add liquid pretty much by instinct at this point. Everyone I know with a SWG has tried to get me to jump on board. I probably will one day, but I'm very comfortable with what I have.
We all do what works best in our own case. I see you have a plaster finish and larger volume and mine is vinyl so that in itself causes difference in approach. Good luck with it and enjoy your summer
