Auto Cleaner with EasySet Pools?

[Sin Wagon]

Does anyone have any experience using an automatic above ground pool cleaner with the Intex Easy Set Pools? I have the 18' x 48" with the inflatable ring at the top. I bought it almost 4 years ago when they were still including decent sized pumps with them. Considering buying a Baracuda Ranger and an inline leaf catcher and connecting it to the suction portion of the pump. Has anyone done this or know of anyone who has used an auto pool cleaner/vacuum with the EasySet inflatables? Any help/advice would be appreciated!!

[RavenNS]

I had the dolphino easy-set pool 18' x 48" for two summers.
The soup-bowl like sides, not to mention large seams & wrinkles on the bottom, make pool cleaning quite difficult for most vacuums.

I bought a Pool Buster ( by WaterTech inc.). It's like a dust-buster, but goes under water. You can get in the pool with it or attach it to a "real" telescopic pole that you buy at a pool store or hardware store... ( it didn't fit the pole that came with my set).
The Pool Buster is expensive for a donut-pool ... runs about $200usd ( although you could probably find one cheaper on Ebay), but it does an awesome job!

Good Luck! :)

[BlueBlobTX]

I have the same pool. Thought about an auto cleaner, but for the reasons stated above, plus having to go in and hook it up and unhook it all the time, I decided against it. I bought a Pool Buster also and it is awesome. Takes me about 20 minutes once a week to vac the pool. No hoses to deal with... it runs off a rechargable battery (mine charges in less than 1 hour). I also purchased the fine sand filter for it and it came with some socks too for extra-super fine stuff. It picked up all the dead algae and dirt particles that we couldn't get out for months before (the stuff that all the other vacs stir up and make the water cloudy but that all settles back down on the bottom). The Pooldoctor website has a modified version for the Easy Set and that's the one I purchased. Includes the bigger pole too. I'm a sucker for "as seen on tv type stuff" and I also bought a Pool Devil, which is a skimmer that works off the return line and the venturi principal. I can't see it working real well in a larger above-ground pool, but it also works great in the Intex. The Intex skimmer just never worked right or stayed in place and it seemed to stress the pump. The Pool Devil also uses a long sock, so everything that goes in it stays in it. It picks up tons of hair and fine stuff off the surface, as well as all the bugs and floating leaves. That one didn't cost much at all (around $20). You have to buy an adapted for the return to hook the hose to, but it hugs the wall of the pool and stays out of the way. I've probably spent more on all this stuff than the pool itself, but it has been worth it this year. Cleaning has been taken down to a minimum, and thanks to this website, maintaining my water has never been easier.

Hope my experiences help you in your decision making. I'm not trying to promote any products here, just letting you know what has worked for me in this type of pool.

Good luck.

Lori