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Pool water sat unfiltered for 12 months with heavy leaf debris. Once manual removal was completed a variety of chemicals were introduced. In particular alum powder. This alum powder has decomposed into sulfuric acid H2SO4 and aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3. Aluminum hydroxide is a colloid that remains in suspension, producing a cloudy effect.

Is there a way to neutralize this effect so that the suspended particles drop and water clarity is regained?

user2513203
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    Dissolution would probably mean it is not pool water anymore. // Mechanical filtration // water replacement – Poutnik Sep 16 '22 at 10:04
  • @Poutnik something about the way the problem is formulated suggests this is homework and has a tidy answer involving chemistry. Could be wrong though. – Buck Thorn Sep 16 '22 at 12:01
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    @BuckThorn It is a followup question to this, Not sure about being a HW, seems like a desperate pool keeper throwing in water whatever was sitting on the shelf. – Poutnik Sep 16 '22 at 12:45

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Use a good pool filter to remove the suspended $\ce{Al(OH)3}$. As you state, they're fine particles, and should glom onto (technical word for "adsorb to") the diatomaceous earth... eventually.

Aluminum hydroxide is quite stable, and dries out to aluminum oxide, $\ce{Al2O3}$, which is very stable. $\ce{Al2O3}$ (sapphire and ruby, i.e., corundum) lasts millions of years, and any chemical that could break down $\ce{Al(OH)3}$ or $\ce{Al2O3}$ is not something in which you want to swim!

DrMoishe Pippik
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