I have an automated chlorinator. Do I still need to test my water every day?
Once or twice a week testing may suffice with automated systems. Using an SWG (salt water chlorine generator) is a particularly good method of chlorinating a pool. It is still important to test daily until you have become familiar with your pool’s equipment and refined its adjustments.

Be especially watchful if you use chlorine tablets. These typically contain stabilizer (cyanuric acid, also called CYA or conditioner). CYA is necessary in an outdoor pool to prevent chlorine from being broken down by sunlight. However, chlorine breaks down over time and CYA does not! Excessive stabilizer levels in your pool can prevent the chlorine from doing its job.

I have a Polaris (or other automatic or robotic pool cleaner). Do I still need to brush my pool?
Yes, every pool should be brushed regularly! This is especially important for a new pool with a plaster finish (or a pool with a newly-refinished plaster surface). It takes some time–up to a year–for a new plaster finish to cure completely. If the plaster is not brushed regularly during this time, it can cure to an unpleasantly rough finish!

Even if your pool’s finish is not fresh plaster, regular brushing is important. Brushing helps clear out incipient algae and improve water circulation. When adding granulated or powdered chemicals to a pool, brushing is essential to help dissolve and distribute the chemicals.

Should I winterize my pool, keep it open during the off season, or just drain it?
Draining and refilling a pool every year is unnecessary and a waste of water. Currently the city of Uvalde, my primary service location, is subject to stage 5 water restrictions. Pools with a capacity greater than 7500 gallons may not be filled from the city water supply. This is a problem for local pool owners who drained their pools last winter and now are expected to have water trucked in to fill their pools!