Do I need a separate vacuum vs my polaris?

[PSJ]

I've started taking over the pool duties, and a lot of the guidance states to 'vacuum' the pool. I have a Polaris 280 - is this considered a vacuum? I have it on a timer ~2 hours a day, and it usually collects most of the debris, given that I sometimes have to empty the bag daily in fall.

Is there some other benefit to a "manual" vacuum I'm not understanding?

Thanks!

 

[IceShadow]

A pool vacuum is something like this:

Hayward Triangular Pool Vacuum Cleaner Head SP1068 - The Home Depot

Hayward SP1068 Triangular Vacuum Head with 3-Brushes 1 1/4 In and 1 1/2-In Swivel Hose connections included for In Ground and above ground pools. The Hayward Power-Vac and Super-Vac family of vacuum cleaning

www.homedepot.com

You attach it to your pole, put a hose on the top, and the other end of the hose plugs into your skimmer or a dedicated port in the pool.

It has the same function as a cleaning robot - scrub the bottom and get anything there up. If the robot is doing a good job then you don't need to vacuum. However, having one in case the robot has an issue would be a good idea. If you ever have a lot of dirt/small sediment/small plant parts that wash into your pool, and you're worried about the robot clogging up, a vacuum might be a good way to go as well.

 

[ajw22]

Polaris 280 does a fine job “vacuuming“ the pool if it is operating properly. The Polaris cleaners can be fixed with tune-up or repair kits if necessary.

The Polaris 280 is a pressure side powered cleaners. Many folks use the suction side of their pool system to vacuum dirt through their skimmer and pump into their filter. The pressure side cleaners do not risk clogging the pump or filter with the dirt and captures the dirt in a separate bag.

 

[PSJ]

Got it! Thanks for the clarifications!