Sunlight, water, and pool chemicals create a harsh environment. Your Tracker will remain in the best possible condition with care and regular maintenance.

To properly care for your unit:

1. Remove the Tracker from the pool before shock treatment and reinstall it at least four hours later.
2. The weir basket, pump basket, cartridge, and sand filter (whichever is applicable) should be
cleaned regularly to ensure optimum pool cleaner efficiency.
3. Before backwashing your filter, always disconnect the hose from the weir.
4. Never “coil” the hose; always store them straight.
Note: Your pool cleaner will discolour over time, keeping the unit’s performance the same.
5. Large foreign objects, such as toys and branches, should be removed manually from the pool cleaner.

Pools have a filtration system that keeps the pool water filtered and clean. In basic terms, the “heart” of this system is your pool’s pump. The pump is responsible for pulling and pushing water and filtering out debris. The pump sucks water into the skimmer; as the water flows through, a filter collects dirt and debris. Finally, the pump pushes the freshly filtered clean water back into your pool.

As a pool owner, you’ve probably heard of a suction pool cleaner — one of the three main types of automatic cleaners. Automatic cleaners are the easiest and most effective way to maintain your pool. A suction pool cleaner is an automatic option that’s quiet, simple and cost-effective.

When finding the right pool cleaner for you, knowing your pool’s unique needs and how different pool cleaners work is important. Let’s dive deep into one of the market’s most popular automatic suction pool cleaners.

What is a Suction Pool Cleaner?
A suction pool cleaner is a simple cleaner that uses your pool’s existing filtration system to keep everything clean. It connects directly to your skimmer or a dedicated suction line that pulls water into the pump. The cleaner then moves around the pool, suctioning up sediment and debris and sending it to the pump filter basket and the pool filter.

Pools have a filtration system that keeps the pool water filtered and clean. In basic terms, the “heart” of this system is your pool’s pump. The pump is responsible for pulling and pushing water and filtering out debris. The pump sucks water into the skimmer; a filter collects dirt and debris as the water flows through. Finally, the pump pushes the freshly filtered clean water back into your pool.

Is a Suction Pool Cleaner Right for Me?
Your dedicated pool professional is the best person to answer this question. While suction pool cleaners are accessible and affordable, they aren’t right for everyone or every pool.

Ensuring that your suction pool cleaner is compatible with your pool type and finish is essential. Also, consider what kind of debris your cleaner will encounter regularly. Not all suction cleaners can handle larger items like leaves, pine cones or twigs.

Suction-side pool cleaners are terrific at picking up small-to-medium-sized debris such as fine sediment, seeds, dirt, silt, algae and small leaves. Models vary, but Baracuda‘s suction-side models are safe to use on fibreglass, tile, concrete and vinyl pools. There is a Baracuda suction cleaner for in-ground pools of every size.

Main Benefits of Baracuda Suction Cleaners:
Baracuda Tracker and Baracuda Ranger cleaners are marked above the rest when looking for the best suction pool cleaner. These suction-side pool cleaners offer many clear benefits, including:

1. They run using your pool’s existing filtration system
2. They feature cyclonic scrubbing brushes for superior cleaning
3. They climb walls and scrub at the waterline to remove stuck-on debris
4. They’re safe to use on most pool types
5. They’re quiet and operate on their own
6.  No extra storage basket is required
7. You can use them as often as necessary
8. They’re terrific at picking up small-to-medium debris

A suction pool cleaner has many advantages. Remember that these cleaners rely exclusively on the main pool pump and filtration system and must be manually connected to the hose each time you use them.
Suction-side cleaners aren’t the only type of automatic pool cleaners available through Baracuda. There are also robotic cleaners. These cleaners present unique benefits, which we’ll discuss in an upcoming article.

Making the Right Choice:

Automatic pool cleaners are effective tools for keeping your pool clean while eliminating the hassle of manual cleaning. If you’re looking for the best suction pool cleaner on the market, Baracuda’s suction-side cleaners are the right choice.

Your Ranger relies on the filtration system to operate efficiently as a pool accessory connected to the suction line. Follow these simple maintenance tips:

1. The weir basket, pump basket, cartridge filter, and sand filter (whichever is applicable) should be thoroughly cleaned regularly to ensure optimum pool cleaner efficiency. N.B. Always disconnect the hose from the weir or vacuum line before backwashing your filter.

2. Always store your BARACUDA Long-Life Twist Lock Hose in a straight line – never coil or leave the hose coiled in the sun.

3. Periodically inspect parts for wear. The Flexi-foot Disc and Deflector Wheel are the most critical. As the Disc wears, it begins to curl at the outer edges. When the depth of the channels between the treads on the Flexi-foot is 3mm or less, replace the Flexi-foot.

4. In the event of an object becoming stuck in the Diaphragm, clear it quickly and easily by following the simple instructions laid out for Diaphragm maintenance under Section 3 – Quick Release Cassette System shown on your Owners Manual.

5. To maintain optimum performance from your Ranger, we recommend that your Cassette Diaphragm is reset when required. (See Section 3 – Quick Release Cassette System, step 5 – Owners manual ).

IMPORTANT
Sunlight (UV rays), pool chemicals, and other harsh conditions can take their toll on your Ranger and other pool accessories.

pH is Very Important
pH is a simple numerical scale indicating the water’s acid / alkaline balance. A pH value of 7.0 denotes neutrality, i.e. neither acid nor alkaline. High pH values (above 7.0) denote alkaline conditions, and low pH values (below 7.0) denote acidic conditions.

To extend the lifespan of your APC:
1. Ensure your pH is always between 7.0 and 7.6*, as recommended. pH levels higher or lower than the recommended levels are detrimental to most types of plastics and rubbers and will seriously damage your Ranger.
2. Remove your Ranger from the pool before chemical shock treatment and only reinstall it after a minimum of four hours.
3. Follow these recommended water balance levels*
Chlorine: 1.0 – 2.0ppm pH Levels: 7.0 – 7.6 Total Alkalinity: 80 – 120ppm

*Values may vary within their ranges, depending on the pool surface, i.e. concrete, fibreglass or vinyl.

NOTE: Due to the harsh environment in which your pool cleaver operates, your Ranger may discolour during normal
use over a period of time. This will not affect the cleaning performance of your unit.

Baracuda Troubleshooting Tips:

Follow these troubleshooting tips for the Baracuda Ranger, and your pool cleaning schedule will never be interrupted again.

Our Baracuda pool experts provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Baracuda pool cleaner below, including: