Is there a way to neutralize aluminum hydroxide in pool water?

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?




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!


 3