For every week’s maintenance Pool Clarifiers can work great but if your swimming pool dives normally during hot summers with heavy usage, you are going to have to bring in the big guns and that’s when using Pool Flocculants can save the day. How do you use Pool Flocculant?
- Read directions
- Turn filter to the ‘Recirculate’-for 2 hrs.
- Adjust pH-7.4- 7..6.
- Determine the amount using the volume of your pool to gals.
- Dilute in a 5 gal. bucket-pour around pool edges
- T/Off pump & leave sit for 8 hrs.
- After 8 hrs. turn filter to ‘waste’ & vacuum the pool
- Refill pool-Balance chemistry.
The main ingredient in a pool (or spa) flocculants is aluminum sulfate. Clarifiers are often confused with Flocculents, which are similar but work differently for maintenance use Clarifiers of Pool Polishers for a dirty pool use a Flocculant.
How to Use Pool Flocculant
Both Flocculants and Clarifiers are considered coagulants, but the main difference is the time it takes for the products to work. A clarifier is a milder chemical that will take several days to completely clear up a cloudy pool, while a flocculant works almost immediately.
The first thing needed to do before adding flocculant to the swimming pool is to test your pool water. Quality pool flocculant comes in powder and liquid forms. Consult your pool supply store and let them recommend a good Flocculant Read the directions for how much you will need a Pool Volume Calculator here’s a good one in any shape and size.
Knowing how many gallons of water are in your pool is important for determining things like the right amount of chemicals to add, heater size, and so many other decisions.
You are going to have to know the volume of your pool in gallons to figure out the amount to use. One cubic foot of water equals 7.48 US gallons; once you have calculated the volume of your pool in cubic feet, simply multiply it by 7.48 and the answer is the number of gallons of water your pool holds.
Square: Volume (US Gallons) = Side Length 2 × Average Depth × 7.48
Using pool flocculant, also known as pool floc, can effectively clear cloudy water in swimming pools. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use pool flocculant:
- Test the Water: Before adding any chemicals to your pool, it’s essential to test the water’s pH and chlorine levels using a pool testing kit. Ensure that the pH is within the recommended range of 7.2 to 7.6 and that the chlorine level is adequate for sanitization.
- Backwash the Filter: If your pool has a sand filter, backwash it to ensure optimal filtration before adding the flocculant. This helps remove any debris trapped in the filter that could interfere with the flocculant’s effectiveness.
- Dilute the Flocculant (Optional): Depending on the specific product and its instructions, you may need to dilute the pool flocculant before adding it to the water. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for dilution ratios if necessary.
- Add the Flocculant: Pour the diluted or undiluted pool flocculant directly into the pool water. Distribute it evenly across the surface of the pool to ensure thorough mixing.
- Turn off the Pump: After adding the flocculant, turn off the pool pump to allow the water to remain still. This encourages the suspended particles to settle to the bottom or rise to the surface, depending on the type of flocculant used.
- Wait for Settling: Allow the pool flocculant to work for several hours or overnight, depending on the severity of the cloudiness and the product’s instructions. During this time, avoid disturbing the water to prevent agitating the particles.
- Remove Settled Debris: Once the particles have settled, use a pool vacuum or skimmer to remove the debris from the bottom of the pool or the surface. Be gentle to avoid stirring up the settled particles back into the water.
- Turn on the Pump and Filter: After removing the settled debris, turn the pool pump and filter back on to resume normal filtration. This helps capture any remaining fine particles and restore water clarity.
- Monitor and Maintain: Regularly monitor the water clarity and maintain proper pool chemistry levels to prevent future cloudiness. Depending on your pool’s condition and usage, you may need to repeat the flocculant treatment periodically as needed.
- Dispose of Waste Properly: Dispose of any waste collected during vacuuming or skimming according to local regulations for chemical waste disposal. Avoid pouring it directly into storm drains or waterways.
By following these steps and the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific pool flocculant product, you can effectively use pool flocculant to clear cloudy water and maintain a clean and inviting swimming pool.
Floccing is best done in the evening: you can add the floc, run the pump for 2 hours, then leave it for 8 hours overnight and vacuum the next morning. Suppose you have a pool party on Saturday. Then, do the floccing on Friday night and you’ll have sparkly water by the time your guests arrive.
Vacuum slowly! The movement of the vacuum will stir up the deposits. To prevent them from floating again (and being inaccessible to the vacuum), be gentle with the vacuum head. You can even vacuum twice to be sure to catch everything.
Usually while vacuuming to ‘waste’, you can run the garden hose into the pool to keep the water level the same. But when vacuuming after floccing, we recommend topping the water up afterward, as the inflow of water will also disturb the debris at the bottom.
How Long Does Pool Flocculant Take to Work
The time it takes for a pool flocculant to work can vary depending on several factors, including the severity of the cloudiness, the type of flocculant used, and the pool’s circulation system. In general, pool flocculants typically provide rapid results, with visible improvement in water clarity within a few hours of application.
However, the complete process of settling the particles may require additional time, ranging from several hours to overnight. During this time, it’s essential to avoid disturbing the water to prevent agitating the particles and disrupting the flocculation process. Once the particles have settled, they can be removed from the pool through vacuuming or skimming, further improving water clarity. Overall, while the initial effects of pool flocculant may be noticeable within a few hours, it’s important to allow sufficient time for the flocculation process to complete fully for optimal results.
Factors such as water temperature, pH levels, and the type of contaminants in the pool can also impact how quickly the flocculant works. Warmer water temperatures tend to speed up the flocculation process, while colder temperatures may slow it down.
Additionally, maintaining proper pH levels within the recommended range (usually between 7.2 to 7.6) can help optimize the effectiveness of the flocculant. The type and amount of contaminants in the pool water can also affect how long it takes for the flocculant to work, with heavily contaminated water requiring more time for the particles to clump together and settle. Regular monitoring of the water clarity and adjusting the treatment as needed can help achieve the desired results efficiently.
How Much Flocculant is Too Much Floc
The amount of flocculant that your pool needs depends on a few things, like:
- Your pH level, so it’s important to balance it first.
- The volume of water in your pool.
- The type or brand of flocculant you are using.
Using too much flocculant in a pool can lead to several issues, including excessive particle clumping, difficulty in removing the settled debris, and potential damage to the pool filter. It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dosage carefully and avoid over-treating the water.
Typically, using more flocculant than recommended can result in an excessive amount of debris settling to the bottom of the pool, making it challenging to remove with a vacuum or skimmer. Additionally, the excess flocculant may overwhelm the pool filter, leading to clogging or damage.
As a general guideline, it’s best to start with the manufacturer’s recommended dosage for your pool size and severity of cloudiness and only adjust the dosage if necessary based on the results. If you suspect that you’ve used too much flocculant, monitor the settling process closely and be prepared to take corrective action, such as diluting the water or manually removing excess debris.
Using more flocculant than recommended can also result in wasted product and unnecessary expenses. Flocculants are designed to work within specific concentration ranges, and using excessive amounts may not improve the effectiveness of the treatment. Instead, it can lead to diminishing returns and potentially cause imbalances in the pool water chemistry.
Moreover, excessive flocculant in the pool water can create challenges when attempting to restore water balance and clarity. It may require additional time and effort to correct the situation, including diluting the water, adjusting chemical levels, or manually removing excess debris.
In summary, it’s crucial to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommended dosage carefully when using flocculant in a pool. Using too much flocculant can lead to various problems, including ineffective treatment, potential damage to equipment, and unnecessary expenses.
How to Get Flocculant Out of the Pool
Too much flocculant means that it will start to stick to itself over and above the bacteria and algae spores that we’re trying to clear. The issue with this happening is that it won’t sink to the bottom. It’ll stay floating in your pool and start to cause more problems, like clogging your pool filter.
Using more floc than necessary can make your pool look even cloudier, hence why some people get frustrated with this product.
If you’ve gotten a bit too excited while adding the floc, leave the pool alone for a few more days to give it more undisturbed time to sink to the bottom. It’s recommended not to swim when the floc is in the pool. As you can imagine, it’s not so pleasant and might irritate your skin.
Vacuum again after a few days, even several times if needed, to clear up the debris that has hopefully settled by now. If this is still not working, you’ll have to empty the pool and refill it to start again.
To remove flocculant from a pool, you need to follow these steps:
- Turn off the Pool Pump: Before starting the removal process, turn off the pool pump to stop the circulation of water.
- Allow Settling: If you’ve used a flocculant that causes particles to settle to the bottom of the pool, allow several hours or overnight for the particles to settle completely.
- Skim or Vacuum the Debris: Once the particles have settled, use a pool skimmer or vacuum to carefully remove the debris from the pool’s surface or bottom. Be gentle to avoid agitating the settled particles back into the water.
- Clean the Filter: After removing the visible debris, clean the pool filter to remove any remaining particles that may be trapped. Depending on the type of filter you have, this may involve backwashing a sand filter, cleaning a cartridge filter, or refreshing a DE filter.
- Backwash (if necessary): If you have a sand filter, you may need to backwash it to flush out any trapped particles and restore optimal filtration efficiency.
- Run the Pump and Filter: Once the filter is clean, turn on the pool pump and filter to resume normal filtration. This will help capture any remaining fine particles and restore water clarity.
- Monitor and Maintain: Regularly monitor the water clarity and maintain proper pool chemistry levels to prevent future cloudiness. Depending on your pool’s condition and usage, you may need to repeat the flocculant removal process periodically as needed.
By following these steps, you can effectively remove flocculant from your pool and maintain clean and clear water for swimming.
When should I use a pool flocculant?
If your pool falls out of control
Cloudy pool water (milky color water)
Green color pool water
pH, Chlorine, Total Dissolve Solids, and Alkalinity (TA) tests become skewed
Clarifiers are used as preventive maintenance & filtering aids after shocking .………………………….. Read more
Difference Between Clarifier and Flocculant
The primary difference between a pool clarifier and a pool flocculant lies in their mechanisms of action and intended use:
- Mechanism of Action:
- Pool Clarifier: Clarifiers work by coagulating tiny particles in the water, causing them to clump together into larger masses. These larger particles can then be trapped more effectively by the pool’s filtration system, leading to clearer water.
- Pool Flocculant (Pool Floc): Flocculants, on the other hand, work by causing suspended particles to clump together into larger masses, which then settle to the bottom of the pool or rise to the surface. This makes it easier to physically remove the clumped particles through vacuuming or skimming
- Intended Use:
- Pool Clarifier: Clarifiers are often used as part of regular pool maintenance to maintain water clarity over time by enhancing the filtration system’s efficiency in capturing small particles.
- Pool Flocculant (Pool Floc): Flocculants are typically used to address severe cloudiness or turbidity in pool water by rapidly clearing suspended particles that are too small for the filtration system to capture effectively.
- Application Method:
- Pool Clarifier: Clarifiers are added directly to the pool water and can be applied while the pool pump is running. The circulation of water helps distribute the clarifier evenly throughout the pool.
- Pool Flocculant (Pool Floc): Flocculants are also added directly to the pool water, but they often require the pool pump to be turned off for a period to allow the particles to settle. This settling process may take several hours, depending on the severity of the cloudiness.
- Timeframe for Results:
- Pool Clarifier: Clarifiers may take longer to show noticeable improvements in water clarity compared to flocculants. However, with regular use, they can contribute to maintaining consistently clearer water over time.
- Pool Flocculant (Pool Floc): Flocculants typically provide rapid results, with visible improvement in water clarity within a few hours. However, additional time may be needed for the settling process to complete fully.
Below is a comparison chart outlining the key differences between pool clarifiers and pool flocculants:
| Aspect | Pool Clarifier | Pool Flocculant |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism of Action | Coagulates tiny particles into larger masses for easier filtration by the pool’s system | Causes suspended particles to clump together into larger masses for physical removal from the water |
| Purpose | Regular maintenance to maintain water clarity over time | Addresses severe cloudiness or turbidity in the water |
| Application Method | Added directly to the pool water, often while the pump is running | Added directly to the pool water, typically requires the pump to be turned off for settling |
| Timeframe for Results | May take longer to show noticeable improvements in water clarity | Provides rapid results, with visible improvement in water clarity within a few hours |
| Usage Frequency | Used as part of regular maintenance to maintain water clarity over time | Used as needed to address severe cloudiness, frequency varies depending on water condition |
| Compatibility | Compatible with most pool filtration systems | Compatible with most pool filtration systems |
| Common Side Effects | None significant if used properly | Excessive use may lead to difficulty in removing settled debris and potential damage to the pool filter |
This chart provides a concise comparison of the key characteristics of pool clarifiers and pool flocculants, including their mechanisms of action, purposes, application methods, timeframe for results, usage frequency, compatibility, and common side effects.
In summary, while both pool clarifiers and flocculants are used to improve water clarity in swimming pools, they differ in their mechanisms of action, intended use, application methods, and timeframe for results. Clarifiers work by coagulating particles for more efficient filtration, while flocculants cause particles to clump together for easier physical removal from the water.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, applying pool flocculant is a straightforward process that can effectively clear cloudy water in swimming pools. By following the manufacturer’s instructions and ensuring proper distribution of the flocculant, pool owners can achieve optimal results. Allowing sufficient time for the flocculant to work its magic undisturbed is key to successful particle aggregation and settling. Once the particles have settled, diligent vacuuming or skimming ensures thorough removal for visibly clearer water. Ultimately, proper application of pool flocculant can contribute to maintaining a clean and inviting swimming environment for all to enjoy.
Why isn’t the pool flocculant working?
Reasons Flocculant didn’t Work:
You are using flocculant on living algae-you need to shock your pool with chlorine first to kill algae then settle
You didn’t wait long enough-Flocculant directions have a dozing rate & wait time.
Cloudiness in the pool could be caused by an in-balance ………………………………………………………… Read more
References:
Dolphin Pacific- How to Clear Your Pool With Clarifier
FAQ’s
Can I use a pool clarifier and a pool flocculant together?
- It’s generally not recommended to use a pool clarifier and a pool flocculant together in the same treatment. Clarifiers and flocculants work through different mechanisms, and using them together may interfere with their effectiveness or cause undesirable results.
How long does it take for a pool clarifier or flocculant to work?
- The timeframe for results can vary depending on factors such as the severity of the cloudiness, the type of product used, and the pool’s circulation system. Pool clarifiers may take longer to show noticeable improvements in water clarity compared to pool flocculants, which typically provide rapid results within a few hours.
Is it safe to swim in a pool treated with a clarifier or flocculant?
- When used according to the manufacturer’s instructions, pool clarifiers and flocculants are generally safe for swimming. However, it’s important to avoid swimming in the pool while the chemicals are actively working and to wait until the water clarity has been restored and any settled debris has been removed.
How do I dispose of the leftover pool clarifier or flocculant?
- Pool clarifiers and flocculants should be disposed of according to local regulations for chemical waste disposal. It’s important to follow guidelines for proper disposal and to avoid pouring the chemicals directly into storm drains or waterways, as they can harm the environment.
Can I use pool clarifiers or flocculants in other water features, such as ponds or fountains?
- Some pool clarifiers and flocculants may be suitable for use in other water features, but it’s essential to check the product labels and manufacturer’s instructions for compatibility and proper application. Additionally, consider any potential environmental impacts before using these chemicals in non-pool water features.