Getting desperate, might add clarifier

[singerteacher]

FC 15
CC 0.5
PH 7.8
TA 100
CH 100
Cya 30
Sat -.1

Graduation pool party in 3 days. Pool is somewhat cloudy due to very fine dirt or pollen which accumulates in the little divits on the steps, and seems to pass right thru the sand filter, even though I’ve been adding DE to it. Yes, it’s slooooowly clearing … but not fast enough to be clear by Saturday, I fear.

Talk me out of adding clarifier! Should I add more DE? Vacuum to waste (hate this idea because I don’t want to add cya again)? The clarifier is looking very tempting — it’s cationic polymide solution and n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. Help.

 

[Texas Splash]

How long has this been going on? How long have you been keeping the FC elevated? Cloudy water tends to point to algae. Have you performed an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test yet? Your FC is currently slightly above SLAM level, so that's good. Assuming you have been following all of the other SLAM Process protocol, have you performed a sand deep clean recently? As you may know, we typically discourage the use of a clarifier because of potential complications later. Chlorine is always the best sanitizer.

 

[Newdude]

Is your FC holding ? If it is, it's likely pollen and all the clarifier in the world won't help when more pollen blows in tomorrow.

 

[duraleigh]

Clarifier has a poor track record on this forum. Hundreds and hundreds have used it, often with no improvement or worse. You can certainly buck the odds and use it anyway.........I wouldn't

 

[singerteacher]

As to what is suspended in the water: it could be dust, pollen, or dead algae. I did have a slightly green pool, with lots of dust in it, when it was opened. My question is, though, how do I get it out by Saturday? It is getting better every day, but at this rate I don’t think it’ll be clear by then. I can see the bottom in the deep end, but it’s cloudy. Shallow end is clear.

1) What’s the worst that could happen if I add clarifier?

2) If I pass the OCL test, is it safe to swim in a pool that has suspended dust?

3) What would you do in my situation?

 

[Newdude]

1) you wreck your sand. Clarifier is for lack of a better term, glue.

2) if you can see bottom for swimmer rescue, you may swim from minimum to SLAM FC per the FC/CYA Levels. Dust / pollen/ algae are harmless. It's the bacteria, viruses and person to person transmissions that you sanitize for. They are killed above minimum FC and you are safe to swim if it's clear enough.

3) a) filter around the clock for 2+ weeks until the pollen passes.

b) Perform an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test weekly to ensure its still just pollen

c) run 1-2 FC over target for insurance for now.

 

[Bperry]

As to what is suspended in the water: it could be dust, pollen, or dead algae. I did have a slightly green pool, with lots of dust in it, when it was opened. My question is, though, how do I get it out by Saturday? It is getting better every day, but at this rate I don’t think it’ll be clear by then. I can see the bottom in the deep end, but it’s cloudy. Shallow end is clear.

1) What’s the worst that could happen if I add clarifier?

2) If I pass the OCL test, is it safe to swim in a pool that has suspended dust?

3) What would you do in my situation?

Being rushed into making a decision about anything often doesn’t work out so well.

If you happen to have a robot with extra fine filters, I’d give that a go before I tried clarifier.

 

[ajw22]

1) you wreck your sand. Clarifier is for lack of a better term, glue.

It really is not. Flocculant is.

Not advocating for Clarifier. It has a poor track record.

Clarifier - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Flocculant - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[singerteacher]

Thanks for the replies. I do have a robot, which I’ve been running quite a bit. The bags are mostly empty though, and it seems to spread the pollen/dust/dead algae around like a fine mist. I think it’s doing more harm than good at this point.

Do you think this might help?
1) Tonight, test FC after dark, and turn off pump (thinking the suspended stuff might settle better with the pump off?).
2) Tomorrow, check FC in morning, then vacuum whatever has settled to waste. (Will that eliminate more of it, as it doesn’t seem the sand filter is catching it too well?)

Thanks for your thoughts. Meanwhile, it is slowly clearing.

 

[Newdude]

Do you think this might help?

It's better for the OCLT to be mixing all night, But if the pump is off, you need to mix before you test in the morning.

For the pollen it's a gamble if more would be filtered with the pump running, or if enough of it would settle to be beneficial with the pump off. There might not be a wrong answer here.

 

[dozer11]

What did you decide to do?

 

[singerteacher]

I added a larger amount of DE, optimized the pH, and bumped the chlorine up to 20. It was clear a day after that!

 

[Orion7319]

I added a larger amount of DE, optimized the pH, and bumped the chlorine up to 20. It was clear a day after that!

That’s usually what I do, except I only bump up the chlorine on rare occasions. You don’t want that much DE in the filter for very long, your pressure will rise and your flow from your returns will drop in short order. I usually don’t let it go for more then 24 hours. I use DE in my sand filter like that instead of adding clarifier. I think it’s a good approach, just keep an eye on your filter pressure and flow. I don’t use DE all the time, just when I feel it needs it.