Pool Clarifiers

Keeping your swimming pool clean and clear is the goal for any pool owner. But when sanitizers alone won’t cut it and you are left with cloudy water, a pool clarifier can be your best friend. Not only does cloudy pool water look bad, but it can indicate the presence of bacteria and other unwanted elements that can make swimming unsafe for you and your family.

What Are Pool Clarifiers?

Swimming pool clarifiers are concentrated chemicals that are used to eliminate particles in the water that are too tiny for your filter to properly catch. There are many types of these particles in the average swimming pool, including silt, algae, oils, and minerals. These tiny particles are the cause of dreaded cloudy pool water.

Types of Pool Clarifiers

Swimming pool clarifiers and enzymes offer two different approaches to clearing these remaining contaminants from your water. The eco-friendly approach uses the power of natural enzymes, which eliminate organic particles by breaking them down. Also great at fighting stains, pool enzymes can work to reduce phosphates that encourage algae growth.

The other option, chemical pool clarifiers, are broken into two different categories: clarifiers and flocculants. Both work by using positively charged ions to attract the negatively charged particles in the pool water. This causes them to form larger clumps. Clarifiers cause the clumps to float on the surface so that they go into the skimmer and can be removed by your pool’s filtration system. Flocculants (also called pool floc) cause the clumps to sink to the bottom of the pool so that they can be removed by a vacuuming pool cleaner.

How To Choose a Pool Clarifier

The type of water clarifier you choose depends on a few different factors. Clarifiers are suitable for use with sand filters and cartridge filters, but should not be used with DE filters. Flocculants and enzymes can be used with all types of filters.

If you need super fast results, flocculants are the quickest way to clear up a cloudy pool, but you will need to put in some time vacuuming the gunk off of the bottom. When you use a clarifier, it does not work as quickly, but the pool filter takes care of all the gunk removal for you. For amazing results, we recommend Doheny’s Water Clarifier Plus or Doheny’s Extra Strength Flocculent. These pool chemicals work fast to get rid of suspended debris and bring crystal clear water in no time.

If you are interested in taking a more natural approach to fixing water cloudiness, enzymes are a great option. We offer many different enzyme-based treatments from popular brands, such as Natural Chemistry and more.

When To Use a Pool Clarifier

Chemical pool clarifiers are meant to be used on an as-needed basis. Times when pool clarifiers are recommended include:

  • At pool opening, when organic materials can cause the water to look murky.
  • After an algae bloom. Be sure to kill the algae before using a clarifier.
  • Any time your pool water looks cloudy.

Natural clarifiers or enzymes are appropriate for regular use to prevent buildup of oil and scum around the waterline or when needed to treat cloudy water.

How To Use a Pool Clarifier

In order to achieve the best possible results with your pool clarifier, follow these simple steps:

  1. Balance your pool water, including the chlorine levels, pH levels, alkalinity, etc.
  2. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer in order to add the correct amount of clarifier for your type and size of swimming pool.
  3. Leave your pool filter running until the water is clear.
  4. If using a flocculant, vacuum the clumps from the bottom of the pool.

It is very common to experience cloudy pool water every now and then. With Doheny’s selection of fast-acting pool clarifiers and enzymes, you will have clean, clear water that is ready for your next pool party in no time at all. If you are constantly struggling with cloudy pool water, you may have a larger problem, like poor filtration issues or improper chlorine levels. Contact our pool experts, and we can help you get to the bottom of your cloudy pool water problem or any of your other pool issues. Give us a call at 800-574-7665 or visit our website at doheny.com.