With or without a pool Polaris

[klee777]

Hi, I've been using this Polaris 360 for more than 15 yrs. However, my pool has a screen enclosure so water is always clean. Sometimes, maintaining a Polaris is not fun. So, last month I detached it from the return line and stored it in my garage. Yesterday one of my friends stopped by and told me I need to put my Polaris back as it helps distributing the pool chemicals evenly.
Is he correct? I want to listen to your expertise.

 

[PoolStored]

Using a Polaris will not help maintain/balance the pool chemicals. It doesn't matter in or out.

Use it to filter debris from the pool floor.

 

[klee777]

Using a Polaris will not help maintain/balance the pool chemicals. It doesn't matter in or out.

Use it to filter debris from the pool floor.

Hello @PoolStored, Thank you for your quick reply. I just revised my original question as it was misleading. When I said "maintain/balance", I meant whether a Polaris can evenly distribute the pool chemicals. After I heard from my friend, I was concerned calcium or other chemicals I put maybe just sit in the pool floor.
One of other reasons I removed the Polaris is, I bought a rechargable pool vacuum which does what the Polaris is supposed to do.

 

[Saturn94]

Other than perhaps acting as a “roving return” that might help with circulation, the Polaris has nothing to do with chemical balance.

Edit: I just realized the OP is using suction side cleaner, not a pressure side cleaner (ie 280), so my comment about it acting like a roving return doesn’t apply.

 

[PoolStored]

calcium or other chemicals I put maybe just sit in the pool floor.

Typical pump circulation will mix chemicals sufficiently with 30 minutes of runtime.

You should never allow any chemicals to sit on the floor. Calcium, for example, dissolves fairly quickly, and any remaining particles should be brushed around until they have dissolved. Same for Salt or any other solid granular product you might use.

 

[ajw22]

Do you brush the pool?

The Polaris and its scrubber tail can substitute for regular brushing.

If you don’t run the Polaris you should brush all surfaces of the pool at least weekly.

 

[klee777]

Thank you @PoolStored / @Saturn94 / @ajw22. for your time and advice.
No, I seldom brush. To get the same effect as brushing, how often and how long should I run the Polaris? My pool is 17,000 gallons.

 

[reggiehammond]

A Polaris 360 is moving water around, but very little else, unless you have larger debris it can pick up.
A robot with fine filters, however, might surprise you in how much it can pick up of dust/silt.

 

[ajw22]

To get the same effect as brushing, how often and how long should I run the Polaris? My pool is 17,000 gallons.

I would suggest two or three times a week.

 

[Saturn94]

With all the vegetation around here, I run our Polaris 280 every couple days or so. Doing this, the only brushing I have to do are places the Polaris can’t reach (stairs, behind the deep end ladder, etc).

 

[klee777]

You guys are really amazing & helpful. Thank you very much!!!