It's not a good idea to use pool shock at the same time as 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.
Alkalinity Balance, pH up, pH down, Calcium Balance, Water Stabilizer, and clarifier are all swim-safe chemicals. Wait about 20 minutes, and you are free to swim. We suggest adding algaecide, Super Erace, and shock at night, after everyone is out of the pool. It is safe to swim again the next day.
Never add chemicals at the same time, whether you're balancing the water, shocking the pool, or adding a specialty chemical. For most water balance changes, the pump needs to run on the high setting for at least four hours before you can add another chemical or retest the water.
When should Pool Clarifiers be Used? Pool Clarifiers are not meant to be used all season long, but are quite helpful at pool opening, after an algae bloom, or battles with cloudy pool water. Follow label directions, but most pools can be retreated after 5-7 days, with a lower dosage than initially used.
What happens when you add too much clarifier is that all the little particles clump together too much an end up as a colloidal suspension. When that happens, the whole thing turns cloudy. It'll clear but it will take a while. Run the filter 24/7 until is clears.
If your pool is just mildly cloudy and you are not in a rush to clean it out, a clarifier may be your best bet. A clarifier requires less work and less water but can take to two to three days to achieve the results you are looking for.
If there is algae, brush it off of the walls and floor. Clean the filter then shock the pool. After that, add the phosphate remover. Keep in mind that phosphate remover is hard on the filter, and you will notice reduced flow after a day or two.
The water should then be a blue or cloudy blue color. Test the water 24 hours after shocking and start adjusting pH and alkalinity levels. The chlorine will still be elevated, but over a few days, it should stabilize.
It's usually just a temporary reaction as the sanitizer works its magic, and doesn't always indicate a problem. But if the cloudy water persists long after you've shocked the pool, you're likely having an issue with water balance, circulation, or filtration.
Adding a recommended dose of shock to your pool can clear it right up. Poor circulation or filtration can contribute to cloudy water. Make sure your pump and filter are working properly.
High doses of chlorine, like pool shock, can cause temporary cloudiness as it kills contaminants. High levels of pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness are more likely to cause cloudy water.
While dosing, water will quickly cloud up with an intensity that corresponds to the phosphate contamination. Following up with an effective clarifier, along with a clean pool filter is the best way to clear the cloudiness and rid the pool of contamination.
Phosphate removers can also cause cloudy or hazy water as they bind to phosphates and cause them to fall out of solution and precipitate for removal by filtration.
These phosphates aren't harmful or toxic. If algae is your pool's issue, use an algaecide regularly, and shock your pool at night for the best effects. You'll also need to keep those chlorine levels in check, too. However, a phosphate level of under 100 ppb is perfectly fine.
To maintain a clear sparkling pool add 4 fluid ounces of Water Clarifier per 10,000 gallons of water weekly. If the pool is cloudy due to dust or to high hardness of the water, add 32 fluid ounces of Water Clarifier per 10,000 gallons of pool water.
ADD POOL CLARIFIER
The change in your pool water colour means that you have successfully eliminated the algae and can now clean it out of your pool. If your water is still green, wait another 24 hours and redo the steps from Days 1 and 2.
It's not a good idea to use pool shock at the same time as 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.
Check the Pool's pH
The pH of a pool should be between 7.2 and 7.8, with 7.6 being the ideal balance. Levels below 7.0 indicate acidic water. Levels above 7.8 mean that the water is too alkaline or basic. Both instances can lead to a cloudy pool.
The main reason for high CYA levels in your pool is from using too much stabilized chlorine. When the pool water evaporates, CYA remains in the water, much like other chemicals such as salt and calcium. As an example, 1 lb. of trichlor in a 10,000 gallon pool will raise the CYA level by 6 ppm.
Swimmers: human sweat, skin and hair products, and detergents used in towels or bathing suits, all can contribute to the level of phosphates in a pool. Water runoff: fertilizers and garden care products that are used around a pool may add phosphates to pool water.
Phosphates eat the chlorine, with low to no chlorine leads to algae growth. Only treat when needed.
Do NOT use chlorine granules in a floater or feeder. When you're adding granules, broadcast them evenly over a wide area in the deepest part of the pool – NOT in the skimmer.
Pool flocculant can clear up your cloudy pool water in 1 or 2 days. Though it works faster than pool clarifiers, it will need 8 to 16 hours to clump together the particles before you can vacuum. Add flocculant to your pool with your filter on “recirculate.” Then let the flocculant sit overnight with your pool pump off.