- May 23, 2019
- 64
- Pool Size
- 17000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
What is the minimum or recommended equipment list I should own for keeping my new pebble pool and spa clean? All input is gratefully received! Details below...
I am currently manual brushing and using a leaf rake and I need to graduate to a less labor intensive method. Some notes about my situation:
- I think I'm doing pretty well on the chemistry front, I'm strictly wondering about hardware for physical cleaning.
- Back yard does not generate a lot of leaves or other mess. (Mostly concrete pavers, artificial turf, and drought-tolerant plants that don't drop too much junk).
- My "leaf rake" seems to be a pretty cheap blue net that came with the pool at startup.
- I have enough rooftop solar that electricity is close to "free" for the purposes of this decision.
- The pool was built with a dedicated suction line for a cleaner, but no dedicated pump. I have a variable speed pump. If I understand correctly, I would need to open a manual valve to activate the suction line and it would essentially "turn off" the skimmer while it runs. I'm assuming I could add an actuator to the valve and add it to my automation (Pentair EasyTouch) but that would be an extra cost.
- The pool has a bench and Baja shelf that I'm sure I will need to continue brushing manually.
- Shallow to deep end transition is about a 3:1 slope.
- My deep end is only 7 feet but my skill at removing leaves from the bottom with the rake is terrible. I really want something that could grab a few large-ish leaves (maybe 5-6 inches long) without my intervention.
- I'm assuming I will spend in the high hundreds but hopefully less than $1,000 to get set up. I would be open to spending a bit more if it got me a great cleaning solution.
- From my research so far I am leaning toward "The Pool Cleaner" for the suction side cleaner option or the Dolphin S200 for the robot option.
- A tidy solution that minimizes the amount of equipment laying around my pool deck during cleaning or that needs to be stored between cleanings is a definite plus.
- I'm fine with putting in whatever physical effort is needed, what I'm REALLY trying to save is time.
So, my questions:
- Suction cleaner or robot? Any model recommendations?
- If I have a suction cleaner or robot do a still need to buy a manual vacuum?
- Will a robot remove finer mess like dirt and sand?
- If I need a manual vacuum, any recommendations on which one and any necessary accessories (e.g., leaf canister)?
- Is there a better leaf rake that would make a useful difference, or do I just need more practice?
- Any other equipment I have not mentioned that I should be considering?
Sorry for the long post but I have yet to see a TFP reply that complains about having TOO MUCH information
Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give. This site has been a fantastic resource. I see an expensive shopping day in my near future and I would like to get it right the first time.
I am currently manual brushing and using a leaf rake and I need to graduate to a less labor intensive method. Some notes about my situation:
- I think I'm doing pretty well on the chemistry front, I'm strictly wondering about hardware for physical cleaning.
- Back yard does not generate a lot of leaves or other mess. (Mostly concrete pavers, artificial turf, and drought-tolerant plants that don't drop too much junk).
- My "leaf rake" seems to be a pretty cheap blue net that came with the pool at startup.
- I have enough rooftop solar that electricity is close to "free" for the purposes of this decision.
- The pool was built with a dedicated suction line for a cleaner, but no dedicated pump. I have a variable speed pump. If I understand correctly, I would need to open a manual valve to activate the suction line and it would essentially "turn off" the skimmer while it runs. I'm assuming I could add an actuator to the valve and add it to my automation (Pentair EasyTouch) but that would be an extra cost.
- The pool has a bench and Baja shelf that I'm sure I will need to continue brushing manually.
- Shallow to deep end transition is about a 3:1 slope.
- My deep end is only 7 feet but my skill at removing leaves from the bottom with the rake is terrible. I really want something that could grab a few large-ish leaves (maybe 5-6 inches long) without my intervention.
- I'm assuming I will spend in the high hundreds but hopefully less than $1,000 to get set up. I would be open to spending a bit more if it got me a great cleaning solution.
- From my research so far I am leaning toward "The Pool Cleaner" for the suction side cleaner option or the Dolphin S200 for the robot option.
- A tidy solution that minimizes the amount of equipment laying around my pool deck during cleaning or that needs to be stored between cleanings is a definite plus.
- I'm fine with putting in whatever physical effort is needed, what I'm REALLY trying to save is time.
So, my questions:
- Suction cleaner or robot? Any model recommendations?
- If I have a suction cleaner or robot do a still need to buy a manual vacuum?
- Will a robot remove finer mess like dirt and sand?
- If I need a manual vacuum, any recommendations on which one and any necessary accessories (e.g., leaf canister)?
- Is there a better leaf rake that would make a useful difference, or do I just need more practice?
- Any other equipment I have not mentioned that I should be considering?
Sorry for the long post but I have yet to see a TFP reply that complains about having TOO MUCH information
Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give. This site has been a fantastic resource. I see an expensive shopping day in my near future and I would like to get it right the first time.