There is nothing more inconvenient than swimming in a cloudy pool. In addition to being difficult to look at, it is also unhealthy.
There is a possibility that a murky swimming pool is infected by bacteria, and filtering the water won’t make it better.
It is crucial to maintain your swimming pool clean.
Since the bacteria and cloudy particles are so small, your pool filters cannot remove them completely. A pool clarifier or a pool flocculant is used in order to get rid of them.
These are chemicals used to clean pool water without draining the pool. Now let’s see what they are.
This method would be useful for pool owners who are searching for;
How to clear or fix cloudy pool water? or How do I make my pool water crystal clear?
What is a Pool Clarifier?
A Pool Clarifier is a strong chemical substance, when added to the pool water, it catches all the tiny particles and bacteria in your pool and makes them clump together into larger particles.
Since pool filters don’t filter all the fine particles in the water. By doing this your filter will remove them through its normal process and pick them up easily.
Pool Clarifier clumps them together and leaves them on top for filtering.
Note: You must ensure that your pool clarifier has not overdosed. This will result in particles becoming very small and more cloudy, which your filter will not be able to remove.
The best homemade pool clarifiers are baking soda, bleach, and borax. They can be easily obtained and can be used to manage pH, alkalinity, chlorine levels in your pool. You can use this at home to clear up the cloudy pool water.
It is much easier and cheaper to clean water with homemade clarifiers because they contain enzymes that can break down dirt in the water.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate.
Baking soda raises alkalinity as well as pH levels in your pool. This is probably the easiest and least expensive way to clean your pool naturally.
It’s important to use the right amount of baking soda to keep both your pH and alkalinity levels correct. And increasing alkalinity can affect pH levels.
Using 3 pounds of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of pool water can increase to 20 ppm.
To determine how much baking soda to add to your pool, conduct an alkalinity test.
The recommended alkalinity range for swimming pool water is 80 – 120 ppm and the pH level is between 7.4 and 7.8.
The baking soda you want to use must be based on Sodium Bicarbonate as its primary ingredient.
Alternative Option
Baking soda from Arm & Hammer is generally considered a good choice.
How to Add Baking Soda to Pool?
It is advisable to gather the below items before starting. You will need a
Testing Alkalinity Level
- Check the alkalinity of your pool water as per the kit instructions.
- Ideally, the range should be between 80‐120 ppm. If less than 80 ppm, then the level needs to be increased.
Test pH Level
- Check the pH level of your pool water.
- Ideally, the range should be from 7.4 to 7.8. If your pH level is below 7, you will need to raise it.
- If your pH levels are below 7.2, then you can add 3-4 pounds of baking soda.
Measure Baking Soda
- Add one or two pounds of baking soda depending on the alkalinity levels.
- If your alkalinity levels are below 50. Then add 6 lbs of baking soda in 10,000 gallons of water, which can increase the alkalinity level to 80 ppm.
Add Baking Soda
- Turn the pool pump on and add the necessary baking soda to all sides of your pool. Avoid doing it on a windy day.
- Wait for at least 6 hours before retesting.
Test your pool’s alkalinity daily to maintain the proper balance.
Note: It is always advised to add only one-half or three-fourths of what’s recommended. In case the level is still low after retesting, you may add more. Otherwise, you might lose the delicate pH balance and have to add acid.
Bleach
Bleach is Sodium Hypochlorite.
Bleach raises chlorine levels in your pool. As a result, all bacteria and algae present in the water will be killed.
There are various strengths of bleach, each labeled by percentage. Typically, 8.25% strength is the most common. It means it contains 8.25 percent of sodium hypochlorite.
Do not use bleach without a percentage on the label, as it usually contains a very small percentage.
For 10,000 gallons of water, 1/4 gallon of bleach will raise the chlorine level by 2 parts per million (ppm).
To determine how much bleach to add to your pool, conduct a chlorine test.
The recommended free chlorine range for swimming pool water is between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm).
You can also use liquid chlorine in place of bleach. It is cost-effective and typically has 10% or 12.5% of concentrations.
Alternative Option
Adding 5 cups of this Clorox bleach (8.3% sodium hypochlorite) to 10,000 gallons of pool water can increase the chlorine levels to 1.8 ppm.
The strength of bleach decreases over time, and the rate is faster when the concentration is high and when the temperature is high.
The shelf life of 6% bleach is approximately six months and 12.5% bleach is about one month. Even though it is still usable after that period, some of its strength has been lost.
The best place to store bleach is in a dark, cool place.
How to Add Bleach & Adjust Free Chlorine Level in Pool?
It is advisable to gather the below items before starting. You will need a
Chlorine bleach will kill and sanitize microbes when added to the pool. When bleach is added to the pool water every day, the level of active sanitizing chlorine stays relatively constant, thereby saving you money and making pool maintenance easier.
Adding chlorine this way will require you to add some stabilizer to your pool to make sure all of it doesn’t get destroyed by the sun.
Sunlight decomposes free chlorine. A cyanuric acid solution can significantly reduce this decomposition by stabilizing the chlorine.
As long as the chlorine levels in the pool are maintained, you can rest assured that you aren’t over-stabilizing the pool and that your stabilizer doesn’t over-stabilize it.
Before adding bleach, the first thing you need to do is to test the cyanuric acid and add the necessary amount of acid for stabilization.
Testing Cyanuric Acid Level
- Using the Cyanuric test kit, test your water per the kit instructions.
- The recommended range of Cyanuric Acid is between 20 to 50 ppm.
- If your levels are above 100 ppm, you have to remove some pool water and replace it with fresh water.
1 pound of Cyanuric Acid in 10,000 gallons of pool water can increase 10 ppm.
By adding the right amount of stabilizer to your pool, you are preventing a certain amount of chlorine from breaking down, while permitting a suitable amount of non-stabilized chlorine to do its sanitizing work.
When you have set the level of cyanuric acid, you can add bleach.
Testing Free Chlorine Level
Determines the amount of free chlorine by doing a DPD test.
- DPD tests require sampling pool water into a test tube.
- Chlorinated water becomes pink after adding DPD chemicals.
- As you add more chemicals, the pink color will disappear, counting every drop.
- You can calculate the free chlorine level by dividing this number by two.
To ensure your chlorine levels are adequate, you should test them daily.
Add Bleach to Pool
Once you know your free chlorine levels, add the necessary amount of bleach to the pool. It is preferable to add bleach after sunset.
- When adding bleach to a pool, it should be poured slowly into the return jets while the pump is running.
- The liquid should be poured slowly enough so that it will take longer than a minute to pour an entire jug.
- Following the addition of bleach, let the pump run for at least 30 minutes.
Check Free Chlorine Level
- After sanitizing and exposure to light, it will start to break down naturally.
- During the next day, test the level again and adjust it as necessary.
Note: A pool with few visitors and a lot of shade can use 0-1 (ppm) of free chlorine each day. An outdoor pool used regularly in the sun can consume 3 to 4 (ppm) per day.
To maintain your pool’s chlorine levels, do the daily tests and add a little bleach every day. Using this method, your pool will remain crystal clear all summer long.
Borax
Borax is sodium borate or sodium tetraborate.
Borax raises pH levels in your pool. Using borax can increase the alkalinity as well as the pH levels in your pool.
Adding half a box of borax in 10,000 gallons of water can increase the pH level by .5
To determine how much borax to add to your pool, conduct a pH test. The recommended pH range for swimming pool water is between 7.4 and 7.8.
Alternative Option
If you are using a laundry detergent booster from the 20 mule team, then 1 box per 10,000 gallons can increase the pH levels to 1.
How to Add & Use Borax in Pool
Borax can be easily purchased at your local grocery store, making it a safer option than using soda ash.
In addition to preventing algae growth, Borax will also make the water soft and sparkling.
It is advisable to gather the below items before starting. You will need a
Testing the pH
- Check the acidity of your pool water.
- Ideally, the range should be from 7.4 to 7.8. If your pH level is below 7, you will need to raise it with Borax.
Measure Borax Amount
- Add one or two boxes of borax depending on the pH levels.
- If your pH levels are below 5. Then add 2 1/2 boxes of borax in 10,000 gallons of water, which can increase the pH level by 2.5.
- Since there are other chemicals that can indirectly affect the pH levels. It is preferable to have lower pH levels to be able to easily adjust when required.
Add Borax to Pool
- Turn the pool pump on and add the necessary borax to all sides of your pool.
- Make sure the water pump is running three days in a row to ensure that the borax is circulated completely.
Check pH Levels
- Test the pH levels after three days to see if they are within the ideal range.
- You can add more Borax at this point if the pH level remains too low.
- pH levels are not of concern if they exceed the ideal range by less than 0.2 pH units. After a few weeks, this will naturally decrease.
By using Borax in the pool, you can balance the pH acid quickly and easily! Enjoy your pool with this convenient product, which helps you maintain its cleanliness.
A Dependable Test Kit: Invest in a reliable test kit before you begin so you can accurately test the water and keep it balanced.
You can save money by using household products to clean your pool, but make sure you buy a test kit so you know exactly what is in your water.
Double-Check: If you plan to use household products in your pool, make sure you check the labels to see what is really in the product before you pour it into your pool.
In the event that you don’t, you could cause damage to your pool’s lining, even to the plumbing, or you could risk poor water quality.
Conclusion: Keep yourself safe and everyone else in the pool safe by checking the labels and taking proper precautions before using them for maintenance and cleaning.
The above homemade pool clarifiers can act as a natural pool cleaner and keep your pool healthy, as well as ensuring a comfortable swimming environment.
