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Above Ground Pool Cleaner

The Best Ways To Clean The Pool

 

This is my top pick for an above ground pool cleaner.  I have owned above ground pools for 30+ years.  The first half of this time I spent with the hand vacuum.  Then I acquired one of the first editions of The Aqua Bug.  Over the following years I used many different types of automatic pool cleaners but the bug has always been my favorite.  This cleaner works most effectively on flat bottom pools.

Here is a word of warning about automatic pool cleaners.  I don't hand vacuum anymore, I let my cleaner clean the pool.  But I use it only once or twice a week and I supervise it with a watchful eye.  I love these things but if they run every time the filter runs they will eat up your vinyl liner.  Pool cleaners will always have a place where they stay in one place for long periods of time.  That's when they do the damage.  I just keep them in motion and when the pool is clean the cleaner comes out.  While the pool is getting cleaned I can get all my yard work done. Or I can lay on an air mattress for an hour while my pool is being cleaned.  I have not had a hand vacuum for many years, I love my automatic cleaner.  But just like my children I never leave them unattended.

 

above ground pool cleaner
The Bug
For about a couple hundred dollars you cannot beat this cleaner.  It has a Smart Drive system that really works.  Not only does it keep moving most of the time, it moves over different spots.  That's really the key to keeping a pool clean, not cleaning the same spot twice while neglecting others.


I mentioned above that I have used many different types of cleaners.  That was never because I was unhappy with my bug, I just got them for free and tried them out.  I always went back to my bug.

Getting the initial setup correct is the key to enjoying the Lady Bug, or any other automatic pool cleaner.  Follow the instructions very closely and try it their way first.

Keeping the pool cleaner out from under the ladder is important if you want it to operate effectively.  You can use milk jugs or the ladder guards if they are sold for your particular ladder.  There are other methods being used but these are the two most common.  Letting the cleaner get stuck around the ladder for long periods of time is a sure way to get pin holes in your liner. Most ladders currently come with some sort of cleaner guard, a nice addition to above ground pool ladders.

There are two factors that can be played with and adjusted if needed to get your bug in motion.  The angle of the return flow and the length of the hose are variables that can be fine tuned so that your cleaner will not have a favorite place, at the far end of the pool, where it spends most of it's time. There is also an adjustment on many models where you can adjust the suction going into the cleaner. With high powered pumps this is one to set correctly.

Keeping your above ground pool cleaner in motion at all times is the key to a cleaner pool and greatly reduces the risk of the cleaner wearing holes in your liner.

You might also want to have a Battery Powered Vacuum on hand for last minute touchups before the guests arrive.

 

Pool Cleaner
Hayward 500 Aqua Bug Above-Ground Automatic Pool Cleaner

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What Others Say

I have been sold on this cleaner for many years but was curious to see what others had to say about it. As I expected they were almost all positive.

 Love this critter. Very easy to set up and get to working. So glad I don't have to manually vacuum the pool anymore. This little bug does it for me. Works great and now I can relax by the pool instead of always cleaning it.

This does an excellent job, my pool has never been so clean.

Love my aqua critter! Makes keeping the pool clean a breeze!

Best above ground pool cleaner ever!! My husband loves this thing and is so happy with the results! He hooks it up and puts it in the pool and leaves it for for an hour and it's beautiful!! It cleans better than when he used to clean it with a hand hose. It's a must buy and cheaper on Amazon than the stores!

I love this comment, yes it is cheaper on Amazon, but what isn't? He leaves it in the pool long enough to clean the pool then takes it out, smart man.

Its cute. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to use it.

I will let the next two reviews answer the one above.

Best purchase I've made in a long time. I hate cleaning the pool. Had it in the pool cleaning within 10 minutes of opening the box.

Pay attention to the instructions. Watch the video. Number one is, you must get all air out of the hoses and the device. Submerge the vacuum in the water and twist it to get all air bubbles out. To the person who answered my question, which was does it get stuck on the ladder , "I sent it back because it kept turning upside down", that's because there was air in it! If you pay attention to the details, this thing is awesome! Works great. I have a 4 x 18 above ground pool. It is very hard to keep clean. This automatic vacuum is a life saver!!

On the negative side we have these.

Works ok. Clogs if you have a bunch of leaves.

I'm sure that is true, it is meant to vacuum dirt, not leaves. It might be helpful to use the leave skimmer to remove them before operating the cleaner.

Doesn't pick much up but seems to work well for what it is.

How well the cleaner works depends a lot on the smoothness of the pool bottom. Deep craters or large wrinkles are hard to clean. A smoother the base the better the cleaner will work.

And I just love this one.

I Had to return it, because I have a spa not a pool.

The next one has me wondering, but in a steel wall above ground pool the cleaner will not go up the sides.

Does a great job on the bottom but doesn't seem to get up on the sides.

This comment goes back to what I was saying about paying attention to it. I never had one tip over but it could happen. It sounds like a hose issue to me, could probably be fixed with some trial and error.

Good price, fast delivery. Works pretty good, but sometimes tips over so you should keep checking on it if you leave it alone.

 

 

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