POOL CLARIFIER vs. POOL FLOCCULANT: When Should You Use Them? | Swim University

If you’ve got cloudy pool water, should you use pool clarifier or pool flocculant? While they both help with regular pool maintenance and they both clear up a cloudy pool, it’s important to know which one to use for your inground and above ground pool
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⏰ Timestamps:
00:00​ - Introduction to Pool Clarifier vs. Pool Flocculant
00:16 - What Is Pool Clarifier?
01:26 - What Is Pool Flocculant?
03:11 - Should Your Use Pool Clarifier or Pool Flocculant?
03:35 - Pool Care Video Course
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[@SwimUniversity]

We hope this cleared up the difference between pool flocculant and pool clarifier! If you'd like to learn more about pool cleaning and pool maintenance, subscribe and leave a comment to suggest a future pool care video. And visit www.SwimUniversity.com/pool to get the Pool Care Handbook and Video Course (Use The Promo Code VIDEO for 10% Off!)

[@bridgetk9282]

Swim University are the videos in the course the same as those here on KZbin?

[@marjoleinvaningen7686]

Ha. Wish I had this video 2 weeks ago. Needed to use clarifier, I used floc. 2 weeks of blood, sweat and tears and a new pump, but my pool is finally clear

[@Matt22222]

Can you make a video specific to weekly maintenance on salt generator pools? Is the weekly Bioguard Mineral Springs “Renewal” product good or necessary?

[@boleromientay3769]

I got cloudy bad, i have cartridge filter intex, i used clarifier but not work, then i used floc, it work next morning, i used vacuum hose take all cloudy bottom out to garden, it take around 20’, it is super clear now, very happy. Weekly test, maintain balanced chemicals in range, run pump 8hrs daily by timer 4hr morning, 4hr evening, water good crystal for months summer despite of much rains sometime. Thanks for your video.

[@qbass1129]

I have a cartridge filter.. My pool was green. I shocked it, then it became cloudy. Ran my pump 24/7 and it didn't clear up. I put clarifier in, it still didn't clear. I took my filter out and added floc. Let the pool run for 2 hours then turned off pump. Next day pool clear. I did have to vacuum. But the floc worked for me

[@sunlitmoonshine]

This is my exact situation. Did you have a multiport valve for vacuum waste? I don't have that option so wondering how you vacuumed.. Edit: for anyone who is interested, I tried first vacuuming and outputting the waste onto my driveway but i lost so much water doing this and the vacuuming was SO inefficient. I ended up taking an old user cartridge filter and just running the pool filter for 24 hours and then dumping the entire cartridge filter out and replacing with a new one. Worked like a charm though and my pool water has been clear for weeks with minimal maintenance

[@ChrisHall-cu9sc]

This guy is the Truth!

[@nickstaaa]

Great info thank you! After floc’n I vacuumed 4 times over 3 days and there are still small floating particles visible. If I filter and regularly check the pressure and backwash will this be ok.

[@daphnejackson9461]

🏆Thanks, for the cartridge filter info. Happy swimming back at you 🤽🏊

[@ceyhanyzc]

This clarifed the difference between clarifier and floc. It was flocking good. I wonder if I can take those microscopic particles out of my pool by using only the sand filter and vacuum? I mean without these two chemicals. Thanks for the info 🤌🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@mrtaskhunter555]

you wil need a micron(5)or better) filter cartridge inbetween your sand filter and pool.

[@megibg890]

Thank you for mentioning we can’t use this with a cartridge filter. I bought it for nothing. I was recommended this for water that tested way too hard.

[@Cordelia0704p]

Pool store sold me floc. I have a cartridge filter. Glad I saw your video before I used it. Now I have no idea what to do though.

[@getreal4883]

If you pool has a waste setting use the floc .follow the directions on it.I just used what's called green 2 blue hth got it at wal mart.my pool was bad I couldn't see the bottom .now its clear .it all settles on the bottom and I vac it out .you have to have a waist setting on the filter to vac it out after it does its job

[@rogermowery3048]

Take the floc back and get clarifier. Don't forget to clean filter after.

[@Cordelia0704p]

@@rogermowery3048 I do clean and change the filters. They aren't doing returns because of covid. They also sold me clarifier (which I had i just didnt remember) and that's not working.

[@charlies.5777]

WHATEVER you do, DON'T circulate the FLOC through your cartridge filter OR it'll kill it. I also have a cartridge filter and I'm a Big fan of FLOC, BUT I also have a standalone deck pump that I use to vacuum the pool to waste after I FLOC it. The answer Is probably "NO," but do you Have a vac to waste setting?! If NOT, you might want to think about have one plumbed-in for a decent price, as they definitely come in handy if the pool gets cloudy or If you ever Have an algae issue. Lastly, I think that on some cartridges, you can remove the top of the FILTER canister, then remove the filter element ,thread in a piece of plastic pipe and then essentially vac to waste; but, obviously, I'm not sure if your filter canister will allow for this - JUST an idea.

[@AHannah79]

@@charlies.5777 you have to buy the piece that the vacuum hose goes to that slides onto the top of cartridge pump canister. I bought mine from the pool company that makes the pool I bought. You slide it onto the top and then hook the vacuum hose up to it and cut the pump on with the vacuum down in the pool and it’s what sucks up the debris on the bottom but make sure the hose on the outside of the pool that goes to the intake is pulled off so it shoots the debris out into the yard and not back into the pool.

[@KaseyBlanks]

I used floc in above ground pool but plan to siphon vacuum to waste. 😅

[@BookkeepingMadeSimpleLLC]

Couldn't you take the cartridge filter out? I don't have a cartridge filter on my current pump I am just curious

[@jrodgers211]

I have a cartridge filter, the pipe from the pump housing to the filter has a union, could I just remove that and build a hose to run to waste?

[@mocholatteful]

Is it safe to use both clarifier and floc?

[@TheThreekeys]

Great video! Personally, I don’t mind the work! Our sand filter system was EXPENSIVE! So the Pool Floc sounds better to me! Backwashing is a LOT of water loss! I bought a cordless pool vac from Lowe’s-I love it! $144 and worth every penny!-I did add the foot portion from a pair of pantyhose to the screen filter to capture the teeny tiny stuff!)

[@SwimUniversity]

Pantyhose are such a good hack!

[@TheThreekeys]

@@SwimUniversity Yes!😄

[@twomilfs1cup]

Which vacuum did you buy I’m looking into getting one thanks in advance

[@TheThreekeys]

@@twomilfs1cup AquaEz Underwater Rechargeable Vacuum. Lowes and Home Depot carry them.

[@bigkev8511]

good information thank you

[@Keige_Fiapoko]

My husband has put pool clarifier directly into pool without mixing it. Does it matter?

[@dirkg.950]

Can I use clarifier with a sand filter?

[@rubenrenteria227]

Hey I was new to pool scene and used floculant in my pool and running it though my filter what would be ideal to fix or did I damage something that isn’t fixable ? Thank you

[@eviscero]

Just backwash your filter really well or take it apart and completely rinse off the screens.

[@AntonioH.Vasquez]

What if we have a very cloudy pool but also have a cartridge filter? Do we just keep on adding clarifier?

[@joanna0988]

No you should shock it.

[@joeyviggers6041]

I only have flocculant and right now I am using the OEM summer waves cartridge filter/pump because my sand filter broke. Is there any harm in "bypassing" the filter by removing it and redirecting the pump hoses to drain?

[@kylethomas5666]

Thats exactly what im going to do

[@tamatetera6702]

Floc plus pool robot good idea?

[@joshuafoli4848]

Can I use ph and Flucculant at the same time

[@nunya6379]

I used floc yesterday it’s been about 16 hrs & my pool is still black it doesn’t look like it’s even working I’m stumped????

[@anitaybarra7438]

Hi, I have a 42× 14 best pool. Along with the stock filter & pump. I haven't upgraded yet. & I have no vacuum, I use the net& a smaller net. Can I use floc with this??

[@SwimUniversity]

You will need to be able to vacuum by by-passing the filter. It will not work with a cartridge filter.

[@22josta]

Can I use the Clarifier with my Glass filter? (Same as sand, just glass media)

[@c1h2r3i4s56987]

wanna know what sand is? it's mostly glass

[@1rokslut]

So my pool is clear but has very fine silt on the floor that the filter just can't get. Any suggestions? I've tried vacuuming it up but just comes back when water settles

[@hombreastuto6052]

User ‘super blue which binds the particles and helps it get trapped in your filter. You will have to clean your filter after the PSI goes up. I had the same issue. First I ended up buying a pool Vac (pool blaster). Then the super blue saved me. Vacuuming to water was wasting too much water.

[@JohnScheppler]

I added clarifier to my pool now my filter cartridge it seems to plug up and the water won't pass through the filters. I'm not sure if this is from the clarifier or if I got a batch of bad filters?

[@danielpeck6269]

Remove the filter and see if the pump moves water. If no water passes with or without the filter then suspect a jammed pump or a clogged pickup hose

[@gutzman0]

I have an above ground pool and recently had a blue canopy next to the pool and the wind blew it into the pool so it was in there overnight. Now my water is green and liquid chlorine is not clearing it. I use a sand filter. Should I use floc for this or could it be dye from the canopy and may need to be just emptied and refilled?

[@sonofnaphtalifromisrael8531]

Will flocc be good to remove iron from water? Then vacuum off the bottom?

[@c1h2r3i4s56987]

use metal out.

[@Mike_jones32]

Do you have the filter pump on while the flocculant is working over night?

[@vivi-uz7qq]

how do you use floc in an above ground pool ? it’s a summer waves elite with the cartridge filter it comes with .

[@boleromientay3769]

You used floc, then next morning use the vacuum hose to take out all bottom cloudy out to garden, it take 20’, work so quickly, should not turn pump in while you take bad bottom out.

[@Mike_jones32]

@@boleromientay3769 do you have the filter pump on while the flocculant is working over night?

[@boleromientay3769]

@@Mike_jones32 , after put on, i run only 2 hours to it mixing then stop let it overnight sitting.

[@jo-anngotzon9334]

Thanks. Alk of a sudden my 45 year old concrete pool got cloudy. I cant get it out and back clean and shiny. Thanks

[@Jeff_Jacobs]

Great information but you may want to turn down the background music some in the future so it doesnt overpower the narration making it difficut to listen to.

[@samabdel2905]

Hi what about the sulfate copper I saw a guy putting it in the pantyhose and just put it in the skimmer and he’s claiming that it’s good to clarify the pool very well

[@IbrahimAli-xe9iz]

I wouldn't recommend to put anything in your pool which has a copper inside.

[@itsnotmeitsyou8271]

Copper is toxic even in low concentrations. It is used, however, in some algaecides.

[@miguelschief2476]

How do I get algae from the bottom of my pool forever.😃

[@PNess-is6ox]

Vaccuum slooooooooowly with flocc

[@joshharris5168]

First time I ever used floc I woke up the next morning and my cloudy pool was crystal clear with a layer of floc that I easily vac’d off the bottom. Next 2 times I tried it it didn’t work and I had to blind vacuum and change my sand. Don’t recommend floc unless your chemicals are on point

[@SwimUniversity]

Yes, great reminder to balance your water before using floc

[@libbysnuggs8547]

I don't have a manual vacuum cleaner. Will my dolphin robot vacuum work instead?

[@jeffborkowski]

Curious of the same. Did you find an answer somewhere else or give it a try?

[@libbysnuggs8547]

@@jeffborkowski no I actually ended up doing the bucket method.

[@jeffborkowski]

@@libbysnuggs8547 what's the bucket method?

[@antonerasmus8638]

What about a automatic pool cleaner

[@leemarymaldonado3576]

Which one it's best after Dust Storm???

[@ddtuss2585]

I have a sand filter so I used Floc.

[@andreajohnson6059]

Our pool is green and cloudy and nothing is fixing it. We’ve done the floc and shocked the crap out of it and it’s still gross. About ready to be done with it

[@terrellposada3481]

Use calcium hypochlorite, like 4 pounds to be safe. You can get it at a pinch a penny. Sprinkle it into the pool and let the pool run for 24hrs. Wash your filter before you do this and after, make sure to brush all the algae off of the walls amd floor before you sprinkle the shock, “Calcium hypochlorite”

[@shinaikouka]

My suggestion would be to ensure that your chemical levels are where they should be as it's *really* easy to make an assumption about chemical levels, and for that to come back and bite you. For example, last year, I had drained water prior to closing the pool, and when I opened it up, I figured my stabilizer was a little bit lower, but still serviceable. Similar to you, I was a bit shocked that adding a few jugs of liquid chlorine didn't really do anything. Well, it turns out that my stabilizer was pretty much non-existent, which meant the sun just destroyed all of the chlorine in a few hours. This year, I had liquid stabilizer ready to add at the start so I'd be in a much better place.

[@marisolrivera1666]

please help. took the pool down for an event. cleaned liner with vinegar and water mix (saw on internet) filled it up and now it is yellow. do i need to drain and refill. shocked it and it is still green. HELPPPPPPP

[@kc6442]

Gangsta video on FløCC 😂 thanks for the game. 👍

[@renej5774]

Thanks, my pool is in a great condition, but I’ll buy that clarifier just for the final sparkly effect. Your video was clear, I was thinking “I wonder when I should use the floc i bought” , at the moment, not at all, taking the lesson from your video.

[@biancaperez2401]

Oh great I didn't vaccum to waste. They didnt tell me that detail at my pool store. What do I do now?

[@eviscero]

​@Eyezayah I think the flocc will cause the sand to bind, making sand replacement necessary.

[@eviscero]

@Eyezayah oh then it should congeal on the filter grid and require frequent heavy cleaning while the floc is present.

[@michaelpianokeys]

Please do not vacuum floc through filter! The chemistry of it makes it not friendly for your filter media AT ALL.

[@coastuncle1965]

What about the tiny floating floc particles you'll still see 6 months later? Never ever ever ever use floc ever ever. Ever