Pool Professionals - Alum vs Liquid Floc - Which Do You Like More and Why?

[InfoKid]

So you get a call to a pool that has the following:
Size: 27k
CYA: 0
TA: 30
pH: 8.0
TC: 0
FC: 0
CH:250
Temp: 65 f - 78 f each day


The water is teal green and hazy, looks like the chlorine has recently been depleted due to still being able to see all the leaves on the bottom .

It takes the client 12 days to agree to your quote + 3 more days before you can start on it due to xmas/new years. So now you return and its now a darker green, you can only see the floor on the 3' shallow side . You remove enough leaves in it to fill 1 x 55 gallon drum.

C = Circulation is Good, C = Cleaning out all debris completed, C = Chemicals / CYA, Acid, TA, SLAM completed - Flocc'ing is a must due to all the dead algae, using powder shock and the client wanting the pool finished within 7 days.

PS. I told them I don't do yard work and they need the yard cleaned before I flocc the pool (see pics)

I have used both, and both work well, but I prefer Alum when lots of powders are used to clean a green pool. With Alum it does take 3-4 days to be ready to vacuum, which is not a problem and the water looks like its been filtered when done I am thinking of trying 2 bottles of Regal QT SUPER FLOC this time instead of powder alum, what do you think?

So what do you prefer and why? - Alum Powder vs. Liquid Floc

Price is not a factor, but here is what we pay in South Texas
10lb of Alum = $14.53
REGAL QT SUPER FLOC = $6.49

Thanks in Advance

 

[kimkats]

We teach them how to care for their pool using their own test kit. Once they learn that it is all good.

 

[setsailsoon]

Neither, we prefer prevention with TFP methods and if there's a lapse in treatment clean followed by a SLAM. Floc doesn't do anything except remove the fine solids and most don't have the right equipment to even achieve that. Not to mention problems with filtration media that also result. It does nothing to disinfect, and nothing to prevent reinfection of the pool.

 

[moore887]

That looks like a sand filter over there. I have used both, floc and alum and honestly, I don't like either because of the amount of gummy debris it leaves behind. I also have a bottom feeder and a portable filtration system by advanced manufacturing. If you don't have either of those, I would spend 20 minutes or so netting out as much heavy debris as possible, then put the sand filter into waste mode and vac the floor to waste - quickly. Be mindfull where you are running the hose to as you may get a few strange looks if you are running green water out onto the street.

Drop a sock loaded with CYA into the skimmer and a jug of liquid chlroine into the pool. Save yourself a trip the next day by leaving a jug for the owner to pour in the next day as you MUST keep that chlorine level elevated and the filter running. It could be worth running a sample of the water BEFORE you shock it to leslie's to see if there's any metals in the water. I've come across a green pool or two with very high copper content because someone was using copper algacide in the pool before I got my hands on it.

 

[JamesW]

The turquoise colored plaster looks like it could be due to copper stains.

I would definitely not use calcium hypochlorite because it can leave some nasty permanent black stains.

I would not use floc or alum.

I see buckets of jumbo tabs, so how is the CYA = 0?

SLAM completed

How is a SLAM completed?

You're going to have to be careful not to turn the pool black from copper stains.

It's a bad situation and you should inform the customer about the risks before proceeding.

CYA: 0
TA: 30
pH: 8.0
TC: 0
FC: 0
CH:250
Temp: 65 f - 78 f each day

Those numbers look highly suspicious. Do you know the history on the pool maintenance?

It takes the client 12 days to agree to your quote

the client wanting the pool finished within 7 days.

If they can wait 12 days to respond to the quote, they are probably not in that much of a hurry.

 

[InfoKid]

We teach them how to care for their pool using their own test kit. Once they learn that it is all good.

you cant teach anyone who doesn't want to learn.

 

[InfoKid]

The turquoise colored plaster looks like it could be due to copper stains.

I would definitely not use calcium hypochlorite because it can leave some nasty permanent black stains.

I would not use floc or alum.

I see buckets of jumbo tabs, so how is the CYA = 0?


How is a SLAM completed?

You're going to have to be careful not to turn the pool black from copper stains.

It's a bad situation and you should inform the customer about the risks before proceeding.


Those numbers look highly suspicious. Do you know the history on the pool maintenance?


If they can wait 12 days to respond to the quote, they are probably not in that much of a hurry.

They bought the house without a pool inspection, its a mess. I already cleaned it with a lot of work. Alum seems to leave the water clearer then Liquid Floc don't know why yet!

 

[setsailsoon]

Ditto Jame's comments about alum or any floc. Residential pools are not set up to treat using floc. Manually vacuuming is no substitute for a bottom circulated drain and waste system. Have you checked your filters?