You can use Polyquat as your floc as well. It's more expensive but it helps prevent algae starting if your chlorine level drops--that's its main job.
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
You can use Polyquat as your floc as well. It's more expensive but it helps prevent algae starting if your chlorine level drops--that's its main job.
Carl
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
A minor clarification...
PolyQuat is not only an algaecide, but is also a clarifier and was initially sold as such until the manufacturer figured out it was also a good algaecide and more profitable sold as such. It is a polymer with a net positive charge so attracts particles with a negative charge (including algae cells) and can consolidate and get caught in the filter which can then get cleaned or backwashed.
It isn't technically a flocculant which is usually something that consolidates into much larger and heavier particles that settle to the bottom of the pool if you turn off the pump and then need to vacuum to waste.
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
I always defer to Richard in these matters, but you'll notice that it DOES help clump particles so the filter can trap them--I think this is BETTER than having them fall to the floor of the pool.
And, BTW, I've never used or needed a flocculent in this pool going on 8 years. I did use it once in my old pool, a little Intex, and only because I had messed up by following pool store instructions!
Carl
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
Learn something new everyday!Originally Posted by chem geek
I had polyquat just sitting in my pool chem cabinet, would have saved me the drive to get floc.
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
About the only time a flocculant would be better than a clarifier (which again, neither are usually needed since chlorine alone can frequently clear a pool) is if there is a substantial amount of debris in the pool as this could overwhelm a filter or require many backwashings. For those with the ability to vacuum-to-waste, it helps remove debris so that it reduces the amount of chlorine needed to clear the pool and reduces the number of backwashes needed.
Imagine the classic algae opening handled by chlorine as shown in this post. Here the chlorine caused the algae to settle to the bottom and after day 2 (early day 3) there was a vacuum-to-waste to get rid of what settled to the bottom. That sped up this clearing. A flocculant is the same principle, but obviously would only make sense if chlorine didn't have the settling effect and there was more debris than would be reasonably cleared by the filter.
The bottom line is that normally neither a clarifier nor a floculant are needed and that chlorine alone will clear most pools. Of course, even when using chlorine you need to brush the sides, run the pump 24/7, backwash or clean the filter if it gets too full, etc.
Richard
Re: Ok, my lesson learned the hard way.......
Last season I had the pool opened and clear in 24 hours. I took the cover off, got the pump up and running and then vacuumed to waste once. Refilled the pool, vacuumed to waste again. The water was crystal clear at opening, and vacuuming to waste made sure nothing got stirred up and suspended in the water.
This year for some reason it took me a lot longer using the same procedure. I think mostly because I closed earlier than normal last year and I opened later than normal this year.
After vacuuming to waste a few times there was still a bunch of stuff suspended in the water. Of course brushing made it even worse. Even with 24/7 filtration after 4 or 5 days it was only making a small dent in the clarity. I forgot about the DE in the sand filter tip until after I had added floc, but the combination of those 2 things got it clear overnight.
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