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SPECIALTY CHEMICALS

There are a variety of specialty chemical products available today to

treat a wide range of water problems. The following provides a general

description of some of these specialty products. Ask one of our pool

professionals to recommend a brand specific specialty chemical treatment

product best suited for your water problem, chemical treatment program

and pool finish. Please remember some products may NOT be

compatible with the sanitizer program you are using. PLEASE refer to

your treatment program below for a list of specialty or troubleshooting products you can use.

Chelating or sequestering agents

These chemicals are used to prevent staining or scaling by binding metals or minerals in pool

water together so they will not precipitate (fall out of solution). Often called stain or scale

remover or inhibitor these products work best to prevent discoloration PRIOR to the use of any

chemicals. Use the brand specific chemical recommended in your chemical treatment

program.

Clarifiers

Clarifiers help filter out suspended particles that cannot be oxidized. Clarifiers attract and

coagulate or bind small particles together making them large enough to be trapped by the filter.

Clarifiers come in a variety of concentrations. Be sure to read and follow label instructions on

the clarifier recommended by your pool professional.

Enzyme Products

Provide a natural method for combating organic matter in your pool water. Pools with

heavy use or large amounts of organic material (sun-tan oils, cosmetics, body oils &

wastes, leaves, worms) will benefit greatly from a weekly addition of an enzyme product.

These products can reduce foaming and scum-lines, increase water clarity and decrease

backwashing frequency.

Flocculants or Filter aids

Floc is used to treat extremely cloudy water by binding suspended particles and settling to the

pool floor. This treatment involves loss of water as the settled material should be vacuumed to

waste (by-passing the filter system). In lesser amounts a flocculant can sometimes be used as

a filter aid to trap finer particles- see label directions for application instructions.