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=Flocculant= | =Flocculant= | ||
| − | TFP discourages the use of flocculants with ALL filter | + | TFP discourages the use of flocculants with ALL filter mediums. |
| − | Flocculant is a glue that causes particles in the pool water to clump together and fall to the bottom of the pool. Flocculent does not | + | ==What is Flocculant?== |
| + | A flocculant is a glue that causes particles in the pool water to clump together and fall to the bottom of the pool. Flocculent does not eliminate live algae, lower CH, or remove CYA from the water. | ||
| − | Flocculants are meant to be removed by vacuuming to waste. You add them to the pool and then only recirculate long enough to distribute the chemical (usually an hour or two). Then you shut off the circulation and let the floc fall to the bottom of the pool (typically 24 hours later). You then vacuum the floc to waste to remove it. | + | Flocculants are meant to be removed by vacuuming to waste. You add them to the pool and then only recirculate long enough to distribute the chemical (usually an hour or two). Then, you shut off the circulation and let the floc fall to the bottom of the pool (typically 24 hours later). You then vacuum the floc to waste to remove it. |
| − | Flocculants should only be used if you can vacuum to waste. Vacuuming flocculant into a filter can gum up | + | Flocculants should only be used if you can vacuum them to waste. Vacuuming flocculant into a filter can gum it up, require a significant sand filter or DE filter cleaning, and destroy a cartridge. |
| − | If you leave a filter in filter | + | If you leave a filter in filter mode, some of the floc'd particulates will make their way into the filter and get trapped. Flocs do not last forever; they begin to break down back into their smaller particle sizes within a few days (there's an entire technical discussion of why and how this happens that is not necessary to get into here). So, any fine particles trapped in the filter as floc will eventually start to break up again and then come out of the filter. It won't be terribly obvious, but cloudy water develops slowly over time. |
| − | The circumstances where | + | The circumstances where Floc fixes something that won't fix itself with a bit of patience are extremely rare. If it works perfectly, the clearing time will be slightly shortened. If it fails, you can deal with considerable consequences in time and money. Not to mention, it can mask ongoing issues that otherwise would have been properly fixed.<ref>https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/flocculants-with-cartridges.207840/post-1825068</ref> |
| − | Flocculant is | + | Flocculant is rarely entirely removed from the water after vacuuming to waste and causes cartridges to become almost useless. Sand filters can more readily recover from a proper floc treatment, but in the long term, they will ruin those, too. |
| − | One of the few times TFP recommended | + | ==When is using Floccuant Recommended?== |
| + | One of the few times TFP recommended using a flocculent was to clear a pool of ashes from a wildfire. We advise exhausting every other possibility before using a flocculant. Flocs and clarifiers can be tricky to use, and if used incorrectly, they can cause a royal mess. So, they are definitely a method of last resort. | ||
| − | Flocculent is different | + | ==What is the Difference Between Flocculants and Clarifiers?== |
| + | Flocculent is different than a [[clarifier]]. Clarifiers will cause small particles to clump together so they can be skimmed out and captured by the filter. Flocculents cause larger particles to glue together and fall to the pool floor. Flocculents need to be vacuumed to waste and never to the filter. | ||
| + | ==What to Do If You Ran Your Filter with Flocculent== | ||
If you have already added flocculent to your pool and let it into your filter: | If you have already added flocculent to your pool and let it into your filter: | ||
| − | *for a sand filter, there is a | + | *for a sand filter, the sand needs to be cleaned using the deep clean method, and there is a chance you will need to change your sand |
*Cartridges need to be replaced in a cartridge filter | *Cartridges need to be replaced in a cartridge filter | ||
| − | *DE filters need to opened and the grids cleaned. | + | *DE filters need to be opened and the grids cleaned. |
| + | |||
| + | Generally speaking, when floc gets sucked up into a filter, it will stay there for a time and remain captured. The problem is that over a short time, days or so, the floc will start to break down and, as it does, it releases all of the fine particulate matter that it trapped initially. So, for a sand filter, the floc breakdown will eventually cause “dirty” water to start streaming out of the returns. Then, the pool will cloud up again. This is why you must always vacuum to waste with flocs - the floc needs to be removed from the pool. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==What if You Added Flocculant and Have Algae?== | ||
| + | |||
| + | SLAM the pool and ensure the water is clean (no algae or anything that will consume chlorine). Then, if clarity is an issue, you can work on cleaning out the filter sand using the deep clean method. A single round of floc will not harm the filter sand, and it can be cleaned rather than replaced. You can then use pool-grade DE as an additive to the sand filter to help clear up fine particulate cloudiness. The nice part about using the DE in a sand filter is that once you get the desired clarity, you can quickly and easily flush the DE out using the backwash feature on a sand filter.<ref>https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/help-used-floc.278767/post-2443688</ref> | ||
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Latest revision as of 19:11, 23 November 2024
Flocculant
TFP discourages the use of flocculants with ALL filter mediums.
What is Flocculant?
A flocculant is a glue that causes particles in the pool water to clump together and fall to the bottom of the pool. Flocculent does not eliminate live algae, lower CH, or remove CYA from the water.
Flocculants are meant to be removed by vacuuming to waste. You add them to the pool and then only recirculate long enough to distribute the chemical (usually an hour or two). Then, you shut off the circulation and let the floc fall to the bottom of the pool (typically 24 hours later). You then vacuum the floc to waste to remove it.
Flocculants should only be used if you can vacuum them to waste. Vacuuming flocculant into a filter can gum it up, require a significant sand filter or DE filter cleaning, and destroy a cartridge.
If you leave a filter in filter mode, some of the floc'd particulates will make their way into the filter and get trapped. Flocs do not last forever; they begin to break down back into their smaller particle sizes within a few days (there's an entire technical discussion of why and how this happens that is not necessary to get into here). So, any fine particles trapped in the filter as floc will eventually start to break up again and then come out of the filter. It won't be terribly obvious, but cloudy water develops slowly over time.
The circumstances where Floc fixes something that won't fix itself with a bit of patience are extremely rare. If it works perfectly, the clearing time will be slightly shortened. If it fails, you can deal with considerable consequences in time and money. Not to mention, it can mask ongoing issues that otherwise would have been properly fixed.[1]
Flocculant is rarely entirely removed from the water after vacuuming to waste and causes cartridges to become almost useless. Sand filters can more readily recover from a proper floc treatment, but in the long term, they will ruin those, too.
When is using Floccuant Recommended?
One of the few times TFP recommended using a flocculent was to clear a pool of ashes from a wildfire. We advise exhausting every other possibility before using a flocculant. Flocs and clarifiers can be tricky to use, and if used incorrectly, they can cause a royal mess. So, they are definitely a method of last resort.
What is the Difference Between Flocculants and Clarifiers?
Flocculent is different than a clarifier. Clarifiers will cause small particles to clump together so they can be skimmed out and captured by the filter. Flocculents cause larger particles to glue together and fall to the pool floor. Flocculents need to be vacuumed to waste and never to the filter.
What to Do If You Ran Your Filter with Flocculent
If you have already added flocculent to your pool and let it into your filter:
- for a sand filter, the sand needs to be cleaned using the deep clean method, and there is a chance you will need to change your sand
- Cartridges need to be replaced in a cartridge filter
- DE filters need to be opened and the grids cleaned.
Generally speaking, when floc gets sucked up into a filter, it will stay there for a time and remain captured. The problem is that over a short time, days or so, the floc will start to break down and, as it does, it releases all of the fine particulate matter that it trapped initially. So, for a sand filter, the floc breakdown will eventually cause “dirty” water to start streaming out of the returns. Then, the pool will cloud up again. This is why you must always vacuum to waste with flocs - the floc needs to be removed from the pool.
What if You Added Flocculant and Have Algae?
SLAM the pool and ensure the water is clean (no algae or anything that will consume chlorine). Then, if clarity is an issue, you can work on cleaning out the filter sand using the deep clean method. A single round of floc will not harm the filter sand, and it can be cleaned rather than replaced. You can then use pool-grade DE as an additive to the sand filter to help clear up fine particulate cloudiness. The nice part about using the DE in a sand filter is that once you get the desired clarity, you can quickly and easily flush the DE out using the backwash feature on a sand filter.[2]
.
