Please explain brushing a plaster pool

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I don't mind maintaining my own pool, but I must say that brushing is my least favorite thing to do. My pool is pretty big and it takes a while.

I'm not clear on the purpose of brushing. Is it to dislodge nascent algae growth? Assuming my FC never falls below minimum, and I make sure to knock CC down whenever it reaches 0.5 ppm, there should be no algae growth at all, right? Plaster fully cured long ago and doesn't throw any dust when brushed.

Pool School says "Weekly: Brush and/or vacuum the entire pool or run pool cleaner." I never vacuum, but I do run my pressure-side Polaris 3900 cleaner every day. The Polaris action does not seem like it would be a substitute for brushing, though. I have the PoolMath app remind me to brush every 2 weeks, but my pool is lucky if it gets brushed that often. PoolMath is always nagging me that brushing is overdue.

Forgive me if I'm being whiny (which I am), but what is the rationale for weekly brushing?

 

[bdavis466]

The same reason you brush your teeth and not just use mouthwash. If you don't brush the pool you will more than likely get algae at some point regardless of the FC level....

I say all this but candidly I might brush my pool once or twice a year. If I had to brush weekly then I wouldn't have a pool

 

[duraleigh]

Running the robot is most always a good substitute for brushing the floor but it is seldom really thorough on the walls.

As bdavis says, making physical contact with that surface is pretty much mandatory.

Could you brush less than TFP suggests?......sure, but you might then spend even more time cleaning up the algae that forms.

I think a good practice would be to run the robot daily or thereabouts and then manually brush just the walls every couple of weeks. That would likely insure a pristine pool.

 

[Katodude]

I hate brushing as much as you do. That is why I have a robot. When I put the M500 in I make sure I run a bunch of cycles in hopes it brushes enough of my pool so I dont have to. Every few weeks I try to brush the corners and the steps and sun shelf which I know the robot does not reach. But I hate that task.

It’s almost worth hiring a pool service to do nothing but brush my pool, and occasionally clean my filter (another task I hate). I will handle everything else. I wonder what kind of looks I would get asking pool guys if thats all they would do?

 

[ajw22]

I will handle everything else. I wonder what kind of looks I would get asking pool guys if thats all they would do?

They would be happy spending their 30 minutes just brushing and cleaning your pool. That is basically all my pool guy does.

 

[Katodude]

Yeah, but I want a discount since that is all they are doing. Since all them also have a chemical surcharge where they want to add Stabilizer 4 times a year at $60 each, they should be willing to charge less for doing less.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

We have a local pool service company that only does chemicals. That’s the easy part! I don’t understand how they stay in business.

 

[Katodude]

We have a local pool service company that only does chemicals. That’s the easy part! I don’t understand how they stay in business.

I would move.

 

[mguzzy]

Its really more of a cathartic early morning ritual for me.. Just me and the pool and a cup of coffee in the dawn's first sun beams of the day. I check my stance, work my traps and triceps, breathe in, breathe out.. I hope some day to advance to the Crane technique

 

[newdude]

I hope some day to advance to the Crane technique

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I've been really lax about it. I suppose I need to take an hour this weekend to brush, it's past due..... Now that the water is 61F I'm getting lax about everything....

I need to invent a very gentle vibrating or rotary brush that uses either vacuum or pressure for a wall brush.....

 

[JJ_Tex]

I need to invent a very gentle vibrating or rotary brush that uses either vacuum or pressure for a wall brush.....

A sonicare for the pool. You should invent that, so we can be rich

 

[mguzzy]

A sonicare for the pool. You should invent that, so we can be rich

Wait a minute.. you might be on to something. Incorporate a Romulan Disruptor into a robot.. and now there are less moving parts and it will shake loose those kling-ons

 

[Chrissykr]

I must be an oddball because I LOVE brushing my pool. I am a huge advocate for brushing. It makes my water look so good. I can always tell when the pool has been brushed. I usually do mine on Sunday nights after everyone goes to bed. I put my headphones on, grab an adult cocktail, put the pool light on and brush away. I can do my whole pool in 20 minutes.

 

[Rich D]

I would assume that a exposed pebble pool might require more brushing than a smooth plaster or polished finish? My In floor cleaner pushes water up all sides of the pool to include keeping the waterline clean. I have not noticed any difference from brushing weekly or when I take a extended brushing vacation.

 

[duraleigh]

My In floor cleaner pushes water up all sides of the pool to include keeping the waterline clean.

In the long run, I don't think water flow will substitute for the physical contact brushing provides.

Since things are working for you, I would sure be reluctant to change anything but I think most of us need to brush.

 

[Rich D]

In the long run, I don't think water flow will substitute for the physical contact brushing provides.

Since things are working for you, I would sure be reluctant to change anything but I think most of us need to brush.

"Moss won't gather on a rolling stone"...

I believe as far as algae goes, I think we have it a lot easier up here in the north east. My system does run about 20hrs a day so there is almost always constant movement in the pool.

 

[poolnoobgrandma]

We haven't brushed since we got the robot. Knock wood, but got through the hottest part of the summer with just the SWG, TFP methods, and the robot once a week-ish.

 

[Randrx2]

I have a less than year old pool. For the first 2 weeks I had to brush twice a day. Then the next 2 weeks it was once a day. Now I only have to brush once a week...it seems like a vacation! I like to get in the pool to brush, makes it easier to do.

 

[Rattus Suffocatus]

I would love to get into my new pool to brush it now. But 62F water would give me a coronary.....