
You should not use a pool flocculant and clarifier together. But you can use them in conjunction, for quick and best results. If your pool is not too cloudy, that is you can still see the pool bottom, then just using a pool clarifier will do the job.
Should I use a pool flocculant or a clarifier?
If you have signs of cloudy water, brown stains, or discoloration from hard water or high mineral content, use a pool flocculant. If you have pockets of grime layered on the bottom of your pool, or unsightly algae floating on the top and want them removed without scrubbing your floors yourself, use a clarifier.
What is flocculant and how does it work?
Flocculant, also known as pool floc, is another chemical to add to your pool when the other clarifier options are not working effectively. First, let’s lay out the similarities and differences between flocculant and pool clarifier because they both have the same end goal: to clear up your pool.
Can you use flocculant with cartridge filter?
You SHOULD NOT use the flocculant with cartridge filter or if the filtration system does not have a “to waste” setting. Cloudy water is the most popular reason for using flocculant for the pool. Be prepared, it is a responsible procedure. While vacuuming the waste the water will decrease significantly.
What is pool clarifier and how does it work?
They are so small that the pool filter is unable to trap them. Pool clarifier works by coagulating the microscopic solid particles into larger solid particles that the pool filter can trap. Sometimes, especially after a storm or chlorine shock, the pool may be so cloudy that you can’t even see the pool bottom.
Is Flocculant The Same As Clarifier?
Can You Use Clarifier After Flocculant?
Can You Use A Flocculant And Clarifier At The Same Time?

Should I use flocculant or clarifier?
Should You Use Flocculant or Clarifier? If you want to quickly clear up your cloudy water (like for a pool party) or if you've got a really cloudy pool, use pool flocculant. Even though the vacuuming takes more work, floc works more effectively at clumping together particles.
Does flocculant clear cloudy water?
Pool flocculant makes cloudy pool water clean and clear again. It essentially gathers together all the small floating specks in your pool that are not heavy enough to sink by themselves. Then it bundles them together, and sends them down to the bottom of the pool.
Is pool flock the same as clarifier?
Both products are coagulants, but the main difference is the time it takes for the products to work. A clarifier is a milder chemical that will take several days to completely clear up a cloudy pool, while a flocculant works almost immediately.
What happens if you use too much pool clarifier?
However, be careful: too much clarifier will clog your filter. If you've accidentally used enough clarifier to clear all of the pools in your neighbourhood, you'll need to fully drain your pool.
Can I use pool clarifier after flocculant?
Do you use Clarifier in conjunction with Flocculant? Flocculant can be used after clarifier. However, using too much of any product can work against the clarifying process.
How long should flocculant sit?
Flocculant, although fast-acting, will still need around 8-16 hours to work its magic. It's easiest to do this overnight. The pump definitely needs to be off as you want the water to be still. The floc will have settled at the bottom of the pool and will require manual vacuuming to remove the debris.
Do you add clarifier directly to pool?
Clears cloudy pool water by combining particles making it easier for your filter to remove. Let your filter do all the work! This fast-acting formula improves filter efficiency for the more effective removal of dead algae and organic debris. Apply clarifier directly to the pool.
Will clarifier clear a cloudy pool?
Clarifier works to clear mild cloudy pool water. Add it every other day as your filter runs until your water clears. If you have extremely cloudy water, you need to use a pool flocculant.
Can I shock and floc at the same time?
It Should Not Be Done Together. While shocking and adding algaecide is effective in getting rid of algae, it should not be done together. This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless.
How often should I use clarifier in my pool?
Weekly Treatment. Apply weekly as routine maintenance to maintain a clear pool.Clears Cloudy Water. Super-charged pool clarifier maintains crazy clear water by improving filtration and clearing cloudy, hazy water.All Pool Types. Suitable for in-ground and above-ground pools.
How do I make my pool water crystal clear?
The secret to a crystal clear swimming pool is keeping it clean....Skim, brush, and vacuum weeklyEnjoy a consistently clean pool.Spend less on chemicals.Reduce your pool cleaning time more and more each week.Keep your swimming pool crystal clear.
How long after shocking do you add clarifier?
Some clarifiers are polymer based and the shock can act to break up the polymer causing the clarifier to be ineffective. It's best to shock your pool before and wait a day or two before adding clarifier.
How do you clear up cloudy water fast?
To treat cloudy water due to poor filtration:Check your filter for worn or broken parts. ... Run the pump for at least 8 hours a day. ... Backwash the filter until a clear stream of water flows.Chemically clean your filter media with a filter cleaner.Empty any debris in the skimmer basket that may clog water flow.
How do I clear up cloudy pool water?
7 Ways to Clear Cloudy Pool WaterBalance free chlorine (FC) levels.Eliminate ammonia.Get rid of young algae.Monitor and balance pH and TA levels.Correct calcium hardness (CH) levels.Backwash filter or replace filtering agent.Remove foreign particles and mineral deposits, scrub, and vacuum up the pool.
What is the fastest way to clear up a cloudy pool?
The quickest way to clear up a cloudy pool is the use of a pool clarifier. These work with any type of filter and pool surface type.
How do you cure cloudy water?
If the cause of turbidity is chemical in nature, gypsum (calcium sulfate), Epson salts (mag- nesium sulfate), aluminum sulfate (alum), or limestone (calcium carbonate) can be used to clear muddy ponds by removing suspended clay particles. Gypsum is a neutral salt and will not affect the pH of the pond.
After I use flocculant how do I vacum to waste? | Trouble Free Pool
NO, you do not have to floc! What I suggest you do is go to the Pool School section of the forum (link in my sig and in the upper right corner of page), read everything on it, and then post any questions you might have.
still cloudy after floc | Trouble Free Pool
Welcome to TFP. No, it won't hurt your filter to run it with the floc. With the cloudy water, run it 24/7. If you could posts your test results, we can give you better advice.
The Ultimate Guide to Pool Flocculants: Do and Don’t While Using
Flocculant can turn your dirty and cloudy water into crystal clear in just a day. Find out the insights on pool floc usage based on pool owners' experience and analysis of 100+ forum threads. Flocculant can turn your dirty and cloudy water into crystal clear in just a day. Find out the insights on pool floc usage based on pool owners' experience and analysis of 100+ forum threads.
The Ultimate Guide to Pool Clarifiers - InTheSwim Pool Blog
Hello class, take your seats – I’m Dr. Pool, and today’s lecture will focus on swimming pool clarifiers.. I’ll discuss what pool clarifiers are made from, when the use of clarifiers is appropriate, and how to avoid a few pitfalls that are particular to using clarifiers in pools.
Which is better: flocculant or clarifier?
If you need a quick solution that clears up your pool for a party, you should choose the flocculant. It gets the job done in less than a day, even though it is more work. If you have more time and are clearing up a semi-cloudy pool, then you can choose the pool clarifier.
What is the difference between a flocculant and a pool clarifier?
The main difference between the flocculant and pool clarifier is where the clumped particles go. Clarifier keeps the bounded matter at the top of the pool to be grabbed by the pool filter.
What is Pool Clarifier?
Pool clarifier is a concentrated chemical mixture that condenses the little bacteria and particles in your pool into the more massive matter that can be swallowed up by the pool filter.
What is flocculant in pool?
Flocculant, also known as pool floc, is another chemical to add to your pool when the other clarifier options are not working effectively. First, let’s lay out the similarities and differences between flocculant and pool clarifier because they both have the same end goal: to clear up your pool.
How to spread flocculant around pool?
Much like the pool clarifier, you can pour it around the edges of the swimming pool. To spread the flocculant solution evenly around the pool, go ahead and run the pool filter for a couple of hours. Then, you can shut the filter off overnight so that the flocculant can officially perform the job.
What qualifies as a pool clarifier?
So, what qualifies as a pool clarifier? These products are packed with polymers that get utilized as coagulants on the foreign debris in your pool water. Because a pool clarifier brings a negative charge, they magnetically bind to the foreign particles with a negative charge. When they collect into bigger clumps, the filter goes to work, and your swimming pool will soon be clear again!
What are the benefits and drawbacks of pool clarifiers?
Benefits and Drawbacks of Pool Clarifier. When you decide on the right solution for your cloudy pool, you need to understand the positives and negatives of each product. The first benefit of pool clarifiers is that it involves a simple and straightforward process that creates minimal work for you. All you need to do is pour the clarifier into ...
Flocculants Vs Clarifiers
Pool clarifiers are typically used in conjunction with flocculants to ensure all particles have been removed from the water. Flocculants target particles that are larger than 1 micron. Clarifiers, on the other hand, target particles that are smaller than 1 micron.
How Pool Flocculants Work
A pool flocculant is an agent that causes fine particles to clump together and settle out of water. This ensures that filtering is more efficient and that algae do not return right away. This process, known as coagulation, improves the clarity of the water by removing unsightly floating debris such as algae and leaves.
How Pool Clarifiers and How Are They Different Than Flocculants?
Clarifiers are chemicals similar in composition to flocculants. They are limited in their use, but they take less effort. You can usually apply them at night or on weekends without disrupting your day-to-day activities.
Everything You Need to Know about Flocculants and Clarifiers
Warning - Don't Use Flocculants If You Have a Cartridge Filter without a Filter Bypass
How to Use Pool Flocculants
There are two main ways to use a pool flocculant: through the skimmer or in-line. Using it in your skimmer is probably easier but not always necessary. If you notice high levels of debris in your water, adding a flocculant directly into your pump basket may be more effective. Flocs may be used in either a pump or gravity-fed system.
How to Use Pool Clarifier (Step-by-Step)
Start by removing any algae from your pool with a brush and skimmer. Clarifier doesn't work well with algae because it can inhibit the clarifier from working. It's important that you remove any visible algae before adding a pool clarifier to your pool.
What Are the Different Types of Pool Flocculants?
There are three main types of pool flocculant: cationic, anionic, and non-ionic. Cationic flocs have a positive charge, while anionic ones have a negative one. Non-polar or non-ionic flocs have no charge.
Which is better: clarifier or flocculant?
So which is best for you? Clarifier is best suited for basic maintenance, and picking up straggling silt your filter just can’t seem to catch. Flocculant is best for more severe cases, like part and spring cleanup. Flocculant shows results within a few hours, making it great for cleaning in crunch time.
What is pool clarifier?
Pool clarifier is a mild coagulating agent that boosts your filter’s cleaning capabilities by clumping small dirt particles into larger particles your filter media can trap . Safe to use with sand, DE and cartridge filter systems, clarifier requires that your pump and filter are run continuously for at least the first 24 hours for optimal results.
What is flocculant coagulation?
Flocculant’s coagulation process is basically a supercharged version of a clarifier. But instead of relying on a pool filter to do the cleaning, it requires vacuuming. Floc clumps the dirt into large clots, so large that they no longer float, dropping all the dirt to the pool floor where you can then vacuum to waste.
Can you use floc to clean a pool?
Your pool should show marked improvement within a few hours of its application, making it ideal for procrastinators (like me) cleaning just before a pool party. Floc can be used for mild cases of cloudiness all the way up to murky. However, I usually suggest it as a last resort, because you must vacuum it to waste.
Is clarifier good for pool?
So, if you are needing a quick fix for a pool party only hours away, clarifier will not be the choice for you. Clarifier is the ideal choice for mild cloudiness or a regular part of a cleaning regimen to give your water that extra sparkle.
Is clarifier the same as flocculant?
Now, clarifier and flocculant (floc and vac) are two sides of the same coin. Both are types of coagulant agents that accomplish the same task using different routes. The key differences are the time it takes for the reaction to take place and the extra elbow grease needed from you to finish the job. We will discuss the pros and cons and the best times to apply which chemical.
Can you use floc with sand filter?
Floc should never come in contact with your filter media as the clumping agent can cause havoc. Floc is only suggested for use with filters with bypass options, i.e. sand and DE filters with multiport or slide valves. It is not suggested to use floc with a cartridge system, unless you have plumbed a bypass for the filter.
Is Flocculant The Same As Clarifier?
Pool Flocculant and Pool Clarifier have a similar chemistry and very similar uses, but they work in somewhat different ways. So a pool flocculant is not the same as a pool clarifier, just similar.
Can You Use Clarifier After Flocculant?
For a heavily clouded pool, use the flocculant first. It is a quick way to remove the bulk of the solid particles without clogging the filters. Follow it up with the clarifier to trap the balance through filtration.
Can You Use A Flocculant And Clarifier At The Same Time?
You need to somehow fix your pool. You could use a Flocculant. Or you could use a Clarifier. But Can You Use A Flocculant And Clarifier At The Same Time?
