Maintenance
5 min read

Understanding Clarifiers for Your Pool: A Comprehensive Guide

Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Clarifiers for Clearing Water: A Comprehensive Guide

Clarifiers play a crucial role in maintaining the clarity and cleanliness of your pool water. In this guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about clarifiers, including their types, usage, and benefits.

What are Clarifiers?

Clarifiers, also known as flocculants, are chemicals designed to make small particles in pool water clump together, forming larger particles that are easier to filter out. This is particularly useful for pool owners as it helps eliminate tiny particles such as dead algae and skin cells that can make the water appear cloudy.

Types of Clarifiers:

  1. Traditional Clarifiers: Historically, solid chemicals like Aluminium Sulphate, commonly known as alum, were used to clarify pool water. These chemicals work by forming a coating on the filter sand, capturing particles as they pass through. However, the traditional method has now been surpassed by newer, more effective alternatives.
  2. Chitosan-Based Clarifiers: The latest and most efficient clarifiers on the market are chitosan-based liquid clarifiers. Chitosan, derived from crab shells, is a natural and environmentally friendly product. Among the various chitosan products available, Perfectly Clear natural clarifier stands out as one of the best options.

Usage and Application:

  • For kibbled alum tablets, they are typically added to the water through the skimmer basket. It's crucial not to place them directly into the circulation pump strainer basket as the water flow may be too fast for them to dissolve effectively.
  • Keep the filter running continuously to ensure proper dispersion of the alum and effective filtration.
  • Regularly monitor the filter pressure and backwash as needed to prevent blockages and maintain optimal filtration efficiency.
  • Consider using pool clarifiers, also known as cationic liquid clarifiers, which work by imparting an electrical charge to particles, causing them to clump together for easier filtration. While these clarifiers are effective, they tend to be more expensive than alum-based options.

Additional Considerations:

  • Jolly Gel and Jelly Clear are innovative gel-based clarifiers that offer ease of handling and application. However, they may come at a higher cost compared to traditional clarifiers.

Conclusion:

Clarifiers are indispensable tools for maintaining clear and pristine pool water. Whether you opt for traditional alum-based products or modern chitosan-based clarifiers, ensuring regular application and proper filtration will help keep your pool water sparkling clean and inviting for bathers and swimmers. Explore our range of clarifiers at Pool Design and Build to find the perfect solution for your pool maintenance needs.

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