What are the thoughts on Polysheen blue or other like clarifiers? The "blue stuff"? Seems to work great for me but I was wondering if there are cons to using these.
Clarifiers
- Thread starter kgriggs
- Start date
Here at TFP we preach not to put anything unneccessary in your pool - clarifiers fall into that category, along with most algaecides, flocs, various pool store recommendations for expensive and completely unneccessary chems.... etc.
Would there be a better way to clear my pool after a rain that clouds it up terribly? Installer is repairing a problem with one of the levels of concrete decking that is allowing significant runoff to go into the pool. but until then everytime it rains pool is horrible.
I wonder if your chlorine level is high enough. It may be that a bit more FC in the pool will allow it to handle the debris, or maybe the CYA is too low and the SWG is having a hard time keeping up.
Can you post a full test; FC, CC, TC, CH, TA, CYA?
Can you post a full test; FC, CC, TC, CH, TA, CYA?
Yes, if there is any way you can prevent the runoff (contractor should be doing that already) your issues will be solved. It is never a good idea to allow runoff to enter a pool.
He is putting in a NDS drain trough as we speak. I think it will make a huge difference.
My testing:
Taylor's drop test:
FAC 3
TAC 3
pH 7.8
TA 70
dipstick testing:
CH 250
CYA 30 (or lower)
My testing:
Taylor's drop test:
FAC 3
TAC 3
pH 7.8
TA 70
dipstick testing:
CH 250
CYA 30 (or lower)
Now my free chlorine and total chlorine are both way up. pH is good still at 7.5-7.8. CYA 50-80.
kgriggs said:
Don't be so hard on yourself :lol:
Oh maybe you meant dip strip, well the CYA could be anywhere as they only really show you may have some.
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Bump. Are there any other thoughts on clarifiers by the people in the know? How about Pool First Aid?
Natural Chemistry® Pool First Aid is a combination of enzymes with a polymeric clarifier. When you've got some nasty organics in the pool that chlorine doesn't handle well like oils, this product can work well but it's expensive (a scum ball in the skimmer will often handle this if there's not too much oil, though can take longer). BioGuard® Polysheen Blue® and GLB® Clear Blue® are both polymeric clarifiers where we've had good reports on the former and I've used the latter myself (twice in the past) with good results. These latter clarifiers won't break down oils, but will consolidate particles in the water so that they get more readily caught in the filter. It's particularly useful for cloudiness caused by chemicals that chlorine won't touch such as the precipitate of lanthanum phosphate if phosphate removers are used.
Note that PolyQuat 60 is also a clarifier and was originally sold as such before it became more profitable and practical to sell it as an algaecide. It isn't as effective a clarifier as those mentioned above but if one wanted supplemental algae prevention (like insurance) then you get a 2-fer with this product as it also helps clear the water. Of course, it's extra cost and not really necessary.
As was mentioned in earlier posts, a clarifier is not normally needed and chlorine alone will usually clear a pool, but if you are impatient and don't mind spending more money then these products often do speed up the clearing process. Whether you use a clarifier or not, recognize that it is filtration that mostly clears the water for chemicals/particles that chlorine doesn't break down so that you need to run the filter longer with the pump on a at least a moderate speed for faster turnovers. You can also Add DE to a Sand Filter for more efficient filtration.
Richard
Note that PolyQuat 60 is also a clarifier and was originally sold as such before it became more profitable and practical to sell it as an algaecide. It isn't as effective a clarifier as those mentioned above but if one wanted supplemental algae prevention (like insurance) then you get a 2-fer with this product as it also helps clear the water. Of course, it's extra cost and not really necessary.
As was mentioned in earlier posts, a clarifier is not normally needed and chlorine alone will usually clear a pool, but if you are impatient and don't mind spending more money then these products often do speed up the clearing process. Whether you use a clarifier or not, recognize that it is filtration that mostly clears the water for chemicals/particles that chlorine doesn't break down so that you need to run the filter longer with the pump on a at least a moderate speed for faster turnovers. You can also Add DE to a Sand Filter for more efficient filtration.
Richard
Thanks for the input. My biggest problem is runoff water that basically adds fine particles of dirt that cloud the water. I have used polysheen blue and the other (ie Leslie's, In The Swim) blue clarifiers and they seem to help. I do have a cartridge filter so DE is not an option. I bought a bottle of first aid on sale and used it but did not notice any big difference for what I was doing from the blue stuff.
That makes sense since the clarifier in Pool First Aid isn't as strong as the other clarifiers since Pool First Aid is primarily for enzymes and the clarifier is secondary. Enzymes won't break down dirt that much while clarifiers can help consolidate the fine particles to filter them out faster. Chlorine won't usually clear up dirt, but filtration usually will though may take some time.
So I guess in addition to getting away from the 'packaged chemicals' at the pool store and moving toward more common household chemicals for pool maintenance the clarifier is still one to keep in the pool house for a rainy day. I am trying to streamline my chemical;s for the pool and spa, but I do want to keep what works. I like the 'don't put anything in the water that isn't needed' approach. What about shocking and a SWG. And borates in a salt pool?
A properly maintained pool, whether it has an SWG or not, should rarely need shocking. Basically, with a sufficient FC level relative to the CYA level, contaminants are continually oxidized and algae continuously inhibited from growing so that shocking is not needed.kgriggs said:
Borates in an SWG pool can be helpful since such pools typically tend to rise in pH over time so using an auxiliary pH buffer is helpful and will let you lower the TA level further which can help slow down the pH rise. Also, the borates help inhibit algae growth so may reduce your SWG on-time which also helps reduce the rate of pH rise. It doesn't help everyone, but has helped many.
