Thinking about a pool..wanting automation...no pool guy...little maintenance

[KDpoolguy]

Thank you, KD! How deep is your pool? One PB encouraged me to do a hybrid - some IFC complimented by robot for “less money”. Interesting concept.

We’d have a large sun deck on one end that would likely need to be brushed by me or vacuumed by robot. Does IFC really work on sun decks and stairs? The rest is spa, and a smaller single bench in the deep-end. I’m guessing that the debris I would see most often in the pool might be flakes of mulch. However, most all of the mulch would be behind the wall.

My pool is 3.5’ shallow, 6’ deep end. I have a 5 bank IFC, Feeding 9 outlets, one of those being just a regular supply into the spa, each pool bank feeding 2 floor “sprinkler-style” heads. I resurfaced the pool last year and added a shelf, and did not move any plumbing so the new shelf and steps don’t get IFC help. Again, price no object you can add IFC heads anywhere, advisable on the shelf and steps-this are the areas where the kicked up sediment from the floor tends to land and I have to brush off every week or so.

I’d purchase a robot (Dolphin S300+), but really it wouldn’t help reach the shelf or steps much and when your IFC works well, & you clean your filter out every 6 months, I don’t see the need. I do manually vacuum 3x/year, but that’s it!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Stone, first off- welcome to TFP

I take care of the chemistry on our pool and I'm a bit lax at times. With my SWG dialed in (takes about 5 minutes of time once a month or so all based on testing) and my pump working off a simple intermatic timer my pool "work" takes less than 20 minutes a week. That includes water testing at least twice and dropping the robot cleaner in and out to empty its basket.

Once in a while I manually brush the steps, and sometimes while just chillin' in the water I might brush a bit more.

I rarely have to add chemicals and when I do (all based on water testing!) it takes moments. Hardly any effort.

My results are we have a spotlessly clean pool and in the 7 years of ownership I've *never* had algae.

Your desire to do nothing for a pool is unrealistic and seems more of a challenge just to see how little you can do? But seriously.. you have to cut up your own steak and chew it, right? Pool care can actually be quite pleasurable. A little sun, a little exercise and a feeling of accomplishment when your pool is sparkling when others who use pool guys or pool store testing are anything but!

Maddie

 

[HiddenRiver]

Stone, first off- welcome to TFP

I take care of the chemistry on our pool and I'm a bit lax at times. With my SWG dialed in (takes about 5 minutes of time once a month or so all based on testing) and my pump working off a simple intermatic timer my pool "work" takes less than 20 minutes a week. That includes water testing at least twice and dropping the robot cleaner in and out to empty its basket.

Once in a while I manually brush the steps, and sometimes while just chillin' in the water I might brush a bit more.

I rarely have to add chemicals and when I do (all based on water testing!) it takes moments. Hardly any effort.

My results are we have a spotlessly clean pool and in the 7 years of ownership I've *never* had algae.

Your desire to do nothing for a pool is unrealistic and seems more of a challenge just to see how little you can do? But seriously.. you have to cut up your own steak and chew it, right? Pool care can actually be quite pleasurable. A little sun, a little exercise and a feeling of accomplishment when your pool is sparkling when others who use pool guys or pool store testing are anything but!

Maddie

I have to say that I agree 100% with Maddie. Some time to “primp” the pool is part of the experience. I appreciate being able to get the exercise and activity in the sun while accomplishing something. Embrace your pool maintenance efforts and enjoy!

 

[jnojr]

I'll share my experience, as it may be relevant. I'm a first-time pool owner, and inherited a pool with some pluses and some minuses. I don't want to be endlessly fiddling with it... I want to get in and enjoy it, then get out and forget it

I inherited an automation system and a robot vacuum. Both are mandatory, IMO. The automation system was dead, and the first pool guy tried to rip me off by charging $850 for a new motherboard when he installed a relay. Caught him, fired him, brought someone else out.

One other thing I inherited was an old single-speed pump. Replaced it with a variable speed. Even though both the new pump and automation was Pentair, they wouldn't talk. Replaced the controller (sort of again) for $1900, and still needed the Pentair rep to come out and set it up. So, now, all of the old stuff and new stuff is working and cooperating. While I could probably program the pump to run a cleaning cycle, I doubt I could easily switch from pool to spa, easily control lighting and other features, etc. So, for me, automation, while expensive, is worth every penny, 'cause I do not want to fuss every time I want to use the pool!

Maintenance - your pool needs it. You either need to pay someone, or do it yourself. Many people say a pool guy is too cheap not to use. Others point out many are incredible flakes. The seller was paying someone to maintain the pool, and clearly they didn't... it turned green, didn't work, etc. I had to put all-told about $5K in (including the variable-speed pump which, while not mandatory, was nearly a no-brainer). I'm the type who'll happily pay someone to do stuff like this... but, so far, maintaining the pool has not been a time sink and is a little like a Zen garden for me. Brush it down weekly, empty strainers, test water. I've ordered a test kit so I can really keep an eye on chemicals, especially when the weather warms up. But once you're set up, if you stay on top of it, it isn't a big deal. Cleaning the filters is kind of a Pain, but you do that 2-3 times a year.

I have a neighbor who's used the same pool guy for 14 years, so if I grow tired of doing this stuff, I have at least one way to get someone who's hopefully trustworthy to stay on top of it! But it doesn't take a whole lot of time, and there's something to learning about how the pool works and keeping it up. It doesn't have to be a massive chore.

 

[Stone76]

Thanks for the insights, perspective, and tips!