Leslie’s CLEAR Aid

[paulmaz]

So back a few months ago when I got my pool and knew nothing, I went to Leslie's to talk to them about my pool, they sold me this stuff for $26. It is sitting in my shed. I know now not to buy it, but, can't take it back, and it's just there...

Questions is, since I have it, my pool is kind of cloudy right now from all the rainstorms we have had, basically organic material, I need to scrub and vacuum and let filter run. Would it be helpful at all to dump this stuff in? I promise this would be the only time I would ever use it!

 

[Puppiesonacid]

I got lots of stuff i bought in the winter i may never use now... may have to donate it to some pool somewhere. but even though i don't know a whole lot... if the numbers are good. can't really hurt to much doing it one time.

 

[duraleigh]

can't really hurt to much doing it one time.

Maybe....Maybe not.
a primary belief at TFP is that we NEVER put anything in the pool unless you know the outcome.

 

[pinguy]

Out of curiosity what does the bottle say the ingredients are? All the Leslie's website says is "SMARTzyme technology with an organic clarifier"

 

[pinguy]

I did some more research and I think I figured it out. The chemical is "Alcohols, C9-11, ethoxylated"

Pool Perfect | Product Detail | Natural Chemistry
https://media.nat.cm/filer_public/0...bff73aa/pool_perfect_-_english_sds_-oct14.pdf

I think it works by lowering the surface tension of the water, such that suspended particulates sink to the bottom.

Particulates are best taken care of by your filter and good brushing. I'm not sure it would hurt anything, but I wouldn't add it myself.

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

I think it works by lowing the surface tension of the water, such that suspended particulates sink to the bottom.

Particulates are best taken care of by your filter and good brushing. I'm not sure it would hurt anything, but I wouldn't add it myself.

Just to be clear. If you used something like a floc that drops "stuff" to the bottom and you have the pump running it should not be filtering. It should be bypassing the filter and just recycling to mix the chemical and stir the water. When it's time to get rid of the stuff that's dropped to the bottom it should be vacuumed to waste and not sent through the filter.



If you chose not to use the Leslie's product (IMHO I wouldn't) you can always Craigslist it too.

 

[pinguy]

Just to be clear. If you used something like a floc that drops "stuff" to the bottom and you have the pump running it should not be filtering. It should be bypassing the filter and just recycling to mix the chemical and stir the water. When it's time to get rid of the stuff that's dropped to the bottom it should be vacuumed to waste and not sent through the filter.



If you chose not to use the Leslie's product (IMHO I wouldn't) you can always Craigslist it too.

Not saying your wrong, but what's the reasoning behind never letting it touch the filter? The product page says: "Pool Perfect also acts as a continuous filter cleaner. It eliminates oils and other non-living organics that clog filters and reduce efficiency." -- Not that we haven't seen BS marketing claims from pool products in the past.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Products like that have been known to gum up filters.

 

[paulmaz]

I think I have read enough that I am not going to use it...will CL it or give it away....thanks everyone!

 

[triptyx]

The urge is so strong to say to yourself "dangit, I paid all this money for this stuff, so I'm going to use it!". I've fallen prey to that too. But when it could add things to your pool that are impossible to get out without a full drain, or cause an unanticipated reaction, losing swimming time because you're trying to clean up after something that you didn't need need in the first place would be horrible.

Great idea on CLing it. Stay the course!

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Not saying your wrong, but what's the reasoning behind never letting it touch the filter? The product page says: "Pool Perfect also acts as a continuous filter cleaner. It eliminates oils and other non-living organics that clog filters and reduce efficiency."

Pool Perfect is a different product than the one the OP was asking about.

The OP in the original post mentioned using Clear Aid and letting the filter run. It's a new product and not one I've ever used or am familiar with. Introducing Leslies Poolapedia

All the flocking agents I'm familiar with are not to be run into the filter as they can clog and or clump up the sand and cause problems with proper filtering and aren't necessarily removed by backwashing. That's why I said what I said. I was lazy and didn't pull up the product and read up on it.

Apparently this product is supposed to help grab onto organic matter and get filtered out so my advise wouldn't apply to this product if it works as advertised. IMHO, I still wouldn't use it and just adding some DE to a sand filter might work as well. That's what works for me.
Pool School - Add DE to a Sand Filter