Moving into a house with a pool. Never had a pool before and don't know where to start, feel I could be upsold a lot of useless devices if I'm not careful.
What are the must haves, robot pool vacuums? Solar cover? Just a net and some chlorine?
In the long run I would also like to heat it somehow.
Any advice would be great. In South East Queensland. Cheers.
Unless it is long enough to assist with health, fill it in!
Cartridge or sand filter? Chlorinator? Need more info.
Defs get a cover. Keeps it way warmer and way cleaner.
Get some advice from a local pool shop. Get them to test the water. I paid for someone from the pool shop to come and visit and show me how stuff is supposed to work, around $200 well spent.
I wouldn’t go without my auto pool cleaner. It lives in the pool, cleaning around every time the filter runs.
Haven’t bothered with a cover it’d be off more than on in summer because I’d leave it off just-in-case someone wants a dip a bit later rather than rill it in and out a dozen times a week.
In some areas where the nights are cooler a pool cover can help save on water heating costs.
IF you heat. Can’t imagine Qld would need a lot of heating.
"I wouldn’t go without my auto pool cleaner. It lives in the pool, cleaning around every time the filter runs"
This type? How long do they last being always in. Do you ever get air sucked into the pump, or does it stay fully submerged after the pump turns off?
https://www.mydeal.com.au/creepy-crawly-automatic-pool-clean…
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Mine is like this https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/the-poolcleaner-2-…
Came with the house, so cant conpare it with others. Stays on the bottom. Occasionally gets clogged, usually with a dive toy or palm frond. We don’t get a lot of debris in the pool though.
I'm on the Northern end of the GC and was in a similar position about a year ago. I take water samples to Captain Nemos (Helensvale/Hope Island) every now and again and they advise what the pool needs (or doesn't). They're really friendly, and seem to offer great advice. They're also open on Sunday's which is really helpful. The young team there are great at running samples, but for really good advice talk to the older guys in the shop — they've provided me some great info.
I empty the skimmer box frequently (daily) - we've got a lot of tall gum trees surrounding or property, net anything else (cane toads) and vacuum with either a manual vacuum or throw in the creepy crawly on a weekly basis.
I've been told to steer clear from Bunning's and the self test / Hy-Clor chemicals, friends haven't had a good experience. Alternatively you could just book a pool guy to come and look after the pool on a scheduled basis.
Thanks for all the comments and advice so far!
The questions above make me realise even more just how little I know. I think it's concrete and chlorine but will check once move in next week, no idea about filter. I think my first stop is at the local pool shop!
Did you take any pictures of the pool pump/s etc when you inspected?
You can often pay to get the local pool shop guys to come over and explain to you how everything runs. I found that helpful when I first became a pool owner a few years back.
If you have trees that drop leaves in it, expect to be doing more cleaning/emptying leaf baskets etc.
contact the vendor and see if you can get 5-10minute run through of the equipment. thats what we did last year, and it was enough to give a heads up to work it out ourselves with some online reading.
bunnings chemicals are fine - a relative who's had a number of pools over the last 15 years has had no issue with them, so good enough for me. His advice was to keep it in balance - easier to maintain than it is to bring it back into balance. If you never learn, you'll forever be laying out $$$ to the pool shop to do it for you.
I probably spend maybe 30mins a week maintaining the pool, which includes the creepy crawly in/out, pool cover on/off, cleaning baskets/etc.
Same. Used Bunnings stuff exclusively for 18 years without issues.
Based on my experience, I would fill it in. Pools are a money pit.
Salt, mineral or chlorine?
Fibreglass or concrete?