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Author Topic: what a difference clarifier makes  (Read 6513 times)

st18901

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what a difference clarifier makes
« on: December 05, 2005, 03:36:55 pm »
My water was the tiniest bit hazy - from the moment I filled the tub.
Though it smelled good and tested fine, I felt it could be a bit clearer.

I had no idea how much more clear it could be. The clarifier  effect was amazing! I was also amazed by how much gunk collected on the surface. ew.

What I am most amazed about, and I'm not sure if it's my imagination or not, is how much better the water feels. Last night's hot tub experience was like a dream (not that others weren't).

So, if there is a question to this gushing - does a clarifier (not a sequestrant) take any calcium or other minerals out of the water?


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what a difference clarifier makes
« on: December 05, 2005, 03:36:55 pm »

Anoroc

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2005, 03:47:43 pm »
I would be interested in hearing responses on this since I have also heard that you should never add clarifier because in the long run it acutually hurts the clarity of the water.

I dont know for sure though..

tony

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2005, 04:17:52 pm »
I use a clarifier every once in a while when needed.  ST18901 used it just as I would...when the water was a bit hazy and just wouldn't come clean with regular shocking and filtering.  I don't think that a clarifier takes minerals or calcium out of the water...it takes dead organics and clumps them together so that the filter can capture them.

I don't know about never adding a clarifier.  I've always heard to use them sparingly when needed and not as a weekly maintenance item.  Too much clarifier can cause foam.

SerjicalStrike

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2005, 08:00:31 am »
It will take minerals out of the water if the minerals have percipitated out of the water.  

When you first fill your spa, most of the minerals are in a solution form.  They cannot be filter when filling the spa except with a very fine cartridge, much like a softening cartridge.  The water will appear clear when you first fill the spa with a heavy amount of minerals.

When you add an oxidzer, such as mps, chlorine, ozone, etc..., then the minerals are oxidized out of solution.  This is why it might take a day or two to turn a fresh batch of water green, or also why a brown rust appears at the outlet of the ozone jet.  

When the mineralas are oxidized out of solution, then your pleated filter can pick them up, which is why a filter will turn brown a few days after filling the spa.  

At this point, you can use clarifier like Super Blue to stick all those minerals together and bring them to the surface.

We had a customer that had their water turn green and I suggested using Super Blue.  When they put it in, the normal foaming occured with what looked like sand on top of the foam.  

And tony is right about using the clarifier sparingly.  If you have to use it on a regular basis, there if probably another issue that needs to be dealt with.

HotTubMan

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2005, 03:13:58 pm »
I read an interesting article in Pool & Spa Marketing the other day. The article was entitled "TDS In Hot Tubs".

It gave a description on how clarifiers work.

Previously I was told a clarifier would make small particles "sticky" thereby allowing them to clump together so that the filter could grab onto them.

Here is an excerpt:

...small particles may pass through the filter and remain in the water. To make matters worse, these particles develop a negative charge and since the charges are alike, they repel one another and do not clump together, which would otherwise make them easier to filter out. A water clarifier contains a solution of positively charged particles that when added to the water, will seek out the negative particles and neutralize their charges.  The particles will then clump together resulting in larger particles that are easily filtered out.

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Soakin

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2005, 05:47:02 pm »
HTM, I don't see much difference between what you said you were told before, and what this excerpt states. ???

Given the title, does the article imply that clarifiers actually help reduce TDS?

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Re: what a difference clarifier makes
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2005, 05:47:02 pm »

 

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