Does Clarifier Help a Cloudy Pool?

A cloudy pool can be frustrating, especially in the midst of hot summer months where a clear, inviting pool is the goal. If you’re throwing a pool party or just enjoy swimming, dirty water can not only make your pool seem uninviting, but it can also cause health issues! If you’ve recently treated your pool with shock or chemicals — but your water still entries hazy — you might be thinking: Does a pool clarifier help a cloudy pool? And can a robotic tool cleaner help to clear up the water?

So in this blog, we’re going to talk about how pool clarifiers work, if they work with cloudy pool water, and how using them along with a robotic pool cleaner can help you give your pool the best chance at remaining clean and clear.

What Is a Pool Clarifier?

A pool clarifier is a chemical that works to clear up cloudy water in your pool by making tiny particles and debris clump together. Once particles are clustered into larger masses, they can be trapped and removed by the filtration system more easily. Clarifiers are usually employed if the haziness in a pool is due to very small debris, oils, and dirt that the filter unit may not be able to trap.

While shocking the pool kills algae and bacteria, clarifiers work by binding tiny particles together to form larger clusters for easier trapping by the pool filter. If you have a cloudy pool and think the reason for cloudiness is due to suspended debris, a clarifier is an effective solution.

Continually running the filter allows for suspended debris to be collected, but doing this alone may not have an impact on clarifying the water.

So, does a clarifier work for cloudy water? The short answer is: Yes, but only in some cases.

When Clarifiers Work

Fine Dirt and Suspended Debris: Clarifiers are most effective when the source of the cloudy water comes from fine particles such as dirt, oils, and suspended debris. If you just shocked the pool and the cloudiness remains, it could be particles that are too tiny for the filter to capture. A clarifier sticks these together to make it easier for the filter system to remove.

Filter performance — If your pool’s filter is working properly, a clarifier can help keep the water crystal clear. This can facilitate your pool filters to work much more efficiently, as they may seize the recently clumped particles. That's why a pool cleaner robot or vacuum cleaner for the pool left onto clean before adding the clarifier can ensure that the filter does not become overwhelmed.

When Clarifiers Don’t Work

Algae Bloom: If your pool is cloudy because of algae, you won’t fix the problem just by using a clarifier. That creates larger clumps of algae that the clarifier does not bind properly. In this instance, you'll first have to shock the pool to kill the algae, followed by adding a clarifier to clear up the tiny debris left behind.

Unbalanced Chemicals: If your pool’s chemical levels, including pH, chlorine levels, or alkalinity, are too high or too low, clarifiers may not work properly. The first step in using clarifiers is to verify proper water chemistry before adding any chemicals. If the chemical balance in a pool is not correct, the clarifiers will not be effective.

A Robotic Pool Cleaner To The Rescue For Cloudy Water

And while a pool cleaning robot such as the Beatbot iSkim Ultra or Beatbot AquaSense Pro won’t, in itself, clear up cloudy water, it is key to preventing the accumulation of debris that leads to cloudiness in the first place. Here’s how:

Efficient Debris Removal

Robotic pool cleaners are made to clean the pool surfaces, from the floor, up the walls, and along the water press. These devices collect debris like leaves, dirt, and oils to keep contaminants from dirtying the water. While cleaning, they make sure whatever debris is left is remarkable to be easily gathered by the filtration system, as this helps clarifiers to function better.

Enhancing Pool Circulation

Improving water circulation is how pool cleaner robots work. This allows the pool chemicals, like shock, chlorine, and clarifiers, to disperse uniformly throughout the pools. Using a swimming pool robot cleaner avoids dead spots that ensure that debris and dirt will not build up in the depths of the pool and guarantees better effectiveness of the overall filtration system. In turn, this ensures the clarifier can maximize efforts to clear up the water.

Preventing Future Cloudiness

Prevention of Future Cloudiness – The number one advantage of a robotic pool cleaner is that it prevents debris from accumulating which may lead to some cloudiness in the pool. Routine cleaning with a robotic cleaner decreases the quantity of dirt that can exacerbate the situation, meaning you’ll have fewer instances in which you need to use clarifiers or shock treatments. RC is not only a higher performance and superior filtration, but it can also mean a cleaner pool system that reduces the particles suspended within pool water that corrupts crystal clear pool water.

What Works Better: Clarifiers or Robotic Pool Cleaners?

Though clarifiers indeed help to clump together fine particles for easier filtration, they are not a panacea for cloudy water. However, when used together with a robotic pool cleaner, you will see better output. Here’s what to do about the problem:

Use Clarifiers Only Positively: Clarifiers are excellent for cleaning up particles that are too tiny for the filter; however, they should NOT be used as the only remedy. Be sure to test your pH and chlorine levels in your pool first, if those levels are good and cloudiness persists even after shocking, then using a clarifier is a wonderful next step.

Regular Cleaning with a Robotic Pool Cleaner Keeping your pool cleaner with a robotic pool cleaner minimizes the presence of debris in the water, preventing particles that cause cloudiness from entering the water in the first place. By using a robotic pool cleaner on a regular basis, you are able to make sure that your pool stays cleaner, which in turn, allows clarifiers and other chemicals to do their job properly.

Check Your Filtration: Both clarifiers and robotic pool cleaners depend on a properly functioning filter. Make sure you are regularly checking and cleaning your pool’s filter to keep it working well. A vacuum cleaner for pool and skimmer too is an integral part that should belong to your cleaning arsenal, which aids in cleaning up pool debris.

When to Use a Pool Clarifier

Tips for using a clarifier effectively:

Pool Water Testing: Before you start pouring any clarifiers into your pool water you should also test the pool water for pH alkalinity and chlorine. Make any adjustments to your chemicals, then add a clarifier.

Follow Manufacturer’s Instructions: For various brands of pool clarifiers, the dosage and application vary, so it’s best to follow the product instructions.

Check Your Filter: Ensure your filter is clean and working. If your filter is clogged, it will not be able to remove the particles that the clarifier has clumped together.

Conclusion

A pool clarifier will work on a cloudy pool, but only if the cloudiness is due to fine debris or particles that your filter has a hard time catching. To enhance efficiency, combine with a clarifier as well as correct pool cleaning tools including a robotic pool cleaner. Devices such as the Beatbot AquaSense and Beatbot AquaSense Pro improve filtration, removal of debris, and circulation which can improve the efficiency of the clarifier. Keep your pool regularly maintained, balanced in terms of water chemistry, and equipped with an efficient cleaning system so you can keep the water clear and protect against cloudy water.