A clean, well-maintained swimming pool is essential to responsible pool management, providing users with a safe and pleasant aquatic experience. There are many variables and parameters to establish optimal pool cleanliness: water quality and disinfection, temperature, humidity, water recirculation, filtration, equipment cleaning, and maintenance, to give but a brief outline. A key tool in this endeavor is a robotic pool cleaner.
A robotic pool cleaner helps keep the water and pool basin clean. This is especially important in public pools, where a large number of clients use the installation throughout the day. Operating the water treatment systems is clearly essential, but cleaning the walls and floor of the pool is also of special importance.
Dirt on these surfaces can affect water quality via the proliferation of algae and unhygienic bacteria. Their neglect can also lead to cloudy water or faster deterioration of the pool basin and its elements. It is therefore vital to periodically clean the pool shell, an ideal solution for which is a robotic pool cleaner.
A robotic pool cleaner removes sediment and debris from the bottom and walls of a swimming pool. A key advantage of a robotic pool cleaner is that they mitigate the need for excessive chemical disinfection.
Further benefits include the reduction of new water inputs, lower energy consumption, less filtration, and reduced wear and tear on the installation. This is because, with less debris and bacterial build-up on the pool shell, water is cleaner and there is less need to recirculate the water and add more disinfectants. In simple terms, the better the cleaning, the lower the overall maintenance costs.
Pool cleaning robots come in two main types: hydraulic (suction or pressure) or electric. Depending on each model and its features, it might have more functions for a more intense, faster, and autonomous clean. The most advanced models are even able to ascend and descend the walls and get out of the pool on their own.
The size of the pool, as well as its purpose and intensity of use, are key when deciding on a specific model of robotic pool cleaner. So, we can clearly differentiate between those intended for small pools for private use in residential settings or those that are designed for heavy-duty use in large public pools with more users.
Within commercial swimming pools, we should also take into account what type of pool it is: Olympic pool, diving pool, recreational pool, spa pool, children’s pool, etc.
You will also need to consider whether your pool is installed in-ground or above-ground, rectangular or free-form with curves, the type of coating (liner, reinforced PVC, reinforced concrete, polyester shell, tile or stainless steel), the size of the usual debris (leaves, dust, sand, insects, pine needles, pebbles, etc.) and the shape of the pool bottom (flat, gently sloping, compound or diamond).
Electric pool cleaners
Electric pool cleaners are connected to the power supply, meaning they are completely independent of the pool’s filtration circuit. This makes using them almost effortless, with reduced water and energy consumption. Unlike other robotic pool cleaners, they sweep debris from the pool and vacuum it up, storing it in its own filter. Overall, their high performance, durability, efficiency, and greater sustainability arguably represent better ROI for pool operators.
Pros:
- Suitable for intensive use even in large pools.
- Connected to the electrical supply, completely independent of the pool’s filtration circuit, reducing the need to clean the filtration system.
- The electricity required to constantly run a filtration system is greater than that used by the electric pool cleaner, thus saving energy.
- No installation required.
- Many models are programmable (cleaning duration, areas to be treated, delayed start, etc.) according to the operator’s wishes.
- Clean all surfaces effectively and efficiently, without leaving hard-to-reach areas.
- They absorb from dirt and thicker particles to finer debris in a fast way.
- Autonomous and easy to control.
Cons:
- The robot’s filter has to be emptied and washed regularly.
- More expensive to purchase than hydraulic models, although its savings and efficiency represents a better choice in the long-term.
Hydraulic pool cleaners
Hydraulic pool cleaners are available in two subgroups: suction and pressure. Suction equipment is connected to the intake of the pool cleaner or to the skimmer. They are powered by the filtration system and randomly vacuum the bottom and walls of the shell. Pressure pool cleaners, meanwhile, are connected to the return of the pool. They usually require the installation of an extra pump and incorporate filter bags to store solid impurities.
Pros:
- Cheaper to purchase than electric models, but represents less savings in operations.
- No particular monitoring needed, as dirt passes into the pre-filter then the filter.
Cons:
- Mainly designed for cleaning flat floors, however, there are some models for sloping surfaces.
- Cleaning is irregular due to their dependence on the pump.
- If the pool filter is very dirty, the pool cleaner may stop (to avoid this, we recommend that you set the pump suction to drain function when placing the pool cleaner in the water).
- Dirt from the pool gets into the filtration equipment, requiring extra filter media cleaning.
- Since they move randomly, they take longer to clean the pool thoroughly.
As is clear from this analysis, electric pool cleaners come out on top in regard to efficiency, convenience, and economising in the long term. This is why Fluidra offers an expertly designed range of Zodiac® electric robotic pool cleaners.
This new range of electric pool cleaners delivers more features, premium quality, greater robustness and high efficiency. With an intelligent and efficient design, these cleaners are an ideal solution for cleaning the bottoms and walls of commercial swimming pools in hotels, campsites, sports centres, and water parks.
There are four electric models divided into two series:
VORTRAX
For daily maintenance in pools of up to 25 meters, we recommend the TRX 7500 iQ and TRX 7700 iQ models from the Vortrax range. Their powerful cyclonic suction efficiently sucks up all dirt while the dual-stage level filtration from 60 to 150 microns allows for the collection of debris of all sizes. This doubles the filtration surface area, and in turn, reduces the frequency with which you need to clean the filter.
ARCO
Designed for intensive daily use in medium and large public pools up to 50 metres, the ARCO and ARCOMAX models are an ideal solution for professional use, collecting all types of debris in swimming clubs, sports centres, hotels, and campsites.
Keeping pool water clean, hygienic and pleasant should be the focal point of your business plan as a commercial pool operator. Thankfully, this need not be difficult, or indeed, expensive. Robotic pool cleaners, especially electric models, can save on wider pool maintenance and treatment while keeping the water in peak condition on a daily basis.
Zodiac® pool cleaners help operators do just that. With a range of innovative features beyond intensive cleaning, both the Vortrax and Arco models offer easy management, autonomous performance and optimal efficiency, making pool maintenance easy. Learn more here.