If one is going to shock at high levels using a hypochlorite source of chlorine (bleach, chlorinating liquid, Cal-Hypo, lithium hypochlorite), then one should lower the pH first before doing so. Adding chlorine raises the pH.
What should the pH be in a pool before shock treatment?
Before you add shock treatment, you need to test your pool water and balance its levels. The pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6, with total alkalinity being between 80 and 120 ppm. Pool water testing is easy to do using test strips or liquid test kits.
How to raise pH in a pool in 5 steps?
How to raise pH in 5 steps. 1 Step 1. Test your chemistry levels. TAYLOR TECHNOLOGIES INC K-2006 TEST KIT COMP CHLORINE FAS-DPD buy on amazon. If you think your pH levels are off, ... 2 Step 2. Calculate the amount of water in your pool. 3 Step 3. Measure your chemicals. 4 Step 4. Add your chemicals. 5 Step 5. Test the pool water again.
Should I add shock to my saltwater pool?
There is no reason to add shock to your pool if you test your FC level consistently. Depending on your CYA level, your FC may be too high. A saltwater pool is a chlorine pool. FC levels above 10ppm cause PH tests to read falsely high. Thanks DMan, lol...
How long to wait after adding pH to pump before swimming?
You can do that at any time, as long as you wait about 1/2 hour after any other chemical addition, with the pump running. Mix it in a bucket of water and s-l-o-w-l-y pour it in front of the running return. How long after adding PH down (since my ph tested 8.2)should I test the water and how long until it's safe to swim in?
How long after shock can I add pH up?
It is recommended to wait at least 20 minutes to an hour after adding water balancing chemicals.
Can you shock pool to raise pH?
When you shock a pool, you test and adjust the pH level for a reason. With that said, if you shock a pool outside of the 7.2 to 7.4 pH range, not only will you waste a significant amount of the chlorine used, you will also end up with cloudy water.
Do I Adjust pH or shock first?
That said, Absolutely pH first. And once it's good, don't bother testing pH again until the shock process is complete and FC has dropped below 10. High chlorine reacts with the reagent and shifts the color, so it won't be accurate.
Does shock lower pH in pool?
Adding shock breaks up the combined chlorine and creates an increase in free chlorine. This increase can spike your pool's pH level. Pool shock is available in both chlorinated or non-chlorinated versions. If your pool already has a high pH level, using chlorinated shock will only make things worse.
Will Shock work if pH is low?
Remember that a Low pH level is crucial to successfully shocking a pool. At a pH level of 8.0, over half of your shock is ineffective and wasted. At a pH level of 7.2 however, over 90% of your shock will become active algae and bacteria killers.
Does liquid shock raise pH?
Using Liquid shock or liquid bleach regularly will increase your pH so make sure you keep an eye on your pH and alkalinity levels.
How do I raise the pH level in my pool?
To raise the pH levels in your pool, try adding sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) until your pool's pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.8.
Do you balance pH before shocking pool?
Before you add shock treatment, you need to test your pool water and balance its levels. The pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6, with total alkalinity being between 80 and 120 ppm. Pool water testing is easy to do using test strips or liquid test kits.
What causes low pH in pool?
The most common cause of a consistently low pH level in pools is using chlorine tablets or stabilized forms of chlorine. These have a pH level of around 3. Acidic rainfall, heavy leaf debris, and dirt/mulch in the pool can also lower the pH level.
How do I fix low pH in my pool?
A rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of water will raise alkalinity by about 10 ppm. If your pool's pH tested below 7.2, add 3-4 pounds of baking soda. If you're new to adding pool chemicals, start by adding only one-half or three-fourths of the recommended amount.
How long does it take for pH to rise in pool?
about two to four hoursAfter adding pH increaser or decreaser you'll want to wait about two to four hours, although some chemical manufacturers suggest a full turnover cycle, before retesting. The smaller the increments you need to adjust for pH, the less time you'll need to wait for the results to become stable.
What happens if you put too much shock in a pool?
Adding too much shock or overshocking your pool will kill off algae. The negative of adding too much shock is it will upset the chemical balance of your pool. It's likely to do that regardless of if you overshocked the pool or not. The pH will either go up or down depending on which product you used.
How to raise the pH in a pool?
This is a very important step before you take any action to increase the pH of pool water. You should always use the best pool water test kit for pool to check & ensure the pH level. If your pool water pH is below 7.2 then you must take an action to raise the pH of pool water.
How to Raise pH Level in Pool Water?
You can increase the pH of your pool water in simple 5 steps. Let’s go through this process step by step.
What Causes Low pH in Pool?
Low pH can create many negative effects like corrosion of pool ladders, liners & other pool components. Swimmers are also feeling the effects like irritation on the skin and burning eyes etc due to low pool water pH.
What is the most common disinfectant for pool water?
pH balance is the most important parameter for the proper working of disinfectant chemicals. The most popular & widely used disinfectant for pool water is chlorine.
What is the best way to raise pH in a pool?
Prefer Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate) if you want to raise pH in the pool without raising alkalinity. Note: Soda ash (sodium carbonate) increases the pH and slightly increase the alkalinity while, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) increase more alkalinity and slightly increase the pH. Remember this thumb rule, 5.3 ounces of soda ash is required ...
Why is my pH low in my pool?
The major cause for low pH in the pool is improper use of chemicals, overuse of pool & heavy rainfall.
Why is pool water pH important?
The optimum level of pool water pH is also created a friendly environment for swimmers and makes them happy. They can swim safely in the pool without facing any health issues.
How to test pH in pool?
Some pH test kits require you to fill a small tube with pool water and add drops which change color based on the pH.
How to test pool water pH?
Test the pool water's pH level with test strips. Get pH testing strips at your local pool store, big-box store, or order them online. Follow the product’s instructions, which are typically dipping the strip into the water and checking its color against the range listed on the product.
What are the tests for pool water?
Test strips also test for chlorine, alkalinity and calcium hardness. Keeping all chemicals in proper ranges can keep your pool water clean, sanitary, and safe.
Why is chlorine eaten so fast?
Chlorine will be eaten so fast you'll never have free chlorine but it is because the base chemical balance is not stable. Number one cause: skim and vacuum using gravity or straight to waste. Scrub the liner with a brush, row the pool of round to a tornado, vacuum over edge again, skim anything solid out.
How to figure out how many gallons of water in a pool?
If you already know how many gallons (liters) your pool holds, use that number. If you need to figure out the number of gallons (liters), you’ll multiply the volume by a multiplier based on the shape of the pool. Use a measuring tape.
What to do if pH isn't where you want it to be?
If the pH isn’t where you want it to be, check it in a day or two and add more soda ash in the quantities you already figured .
Why is my pool pH low?
Low pH levels in a pool can be caused by rainwater and other foreign particles getting into the water. Corrosion of metal accessories, burning of the nose and eyes, and itchy skin are signs of low pH levels in a pool. Regular testing and chemical treatment help maintain pH levels.
When to use shock treatment in pool?
You’ll also want to apply shock treatment when opening the pool, and closing it down for the season. On opening, after you’ve balanced it’s pH level, shocking will sanitize and oxidize the pool, restoring its clear water. On closing, pool shock is used as a disinfectant to prepare the pool for the winter months.
How to test pool water for shock?
Step 1. Test & Balance Your Water. Before you add shock treatment, you need to test your pool water and balance its levels. The pH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6, with total alkalinity being between 80 and 120 ppm. Pool water testing is easy to do using test strips or liquid test kits.
What happens when you shock a pool?
By shocking your pool, you replenish your chlorine level and oxidize chloramines (combined chlorine), which are a gaseous irritant that are hazardous for human consumption.
What does shocking mean in a pool?
Pool shocking doesn’t mean sending 5000 volts of electricity through the water (although that would be pretty cool to see). However, what it does refer to is the rebalancing of pool chlorine levels, keeping the pool water safe to swim in.
Why do you shock a pool at night?
Pool shocking is usually done at night, when the sun no longer shines on the water. This is because UV rays destroy chlorine at near warp speed. Twilight hours give the shock an extended amount of time to effectively kill everything in its path.
Why does my pool smell like chlorine?
Chloramines irritate your eyes, nasal passage, lungs, and skin. If the pool has a very strong chlorine smell to it, you know it’s time to shock.
How to find out your combined chlorine level?
To find out your combined chlorine level, test your water and subtract your free chlorine level from the total chlorine level.
Does borax raise pH?
You want to use borax to raise the pH, not baking soda. While it will increase the pH some, it also raises the TA. The TA should be set and allowed to remain stable. 20 Mule Team Borax should be used to increase the pH when you want to keep the TA where it is. "shock" is not a product, its a process.
Does sodium hypochlorite raise salt levels?
Sodium Hypochlorite: Bleach. Regular use will raise your Salt Level. Usually help to compensate salt loss to backwashes and splashes. (High pH. Somewhat reduced effect when it is used up.)
Is there a reason to shock a pool?
Welcome to TFP...you should read pool school. There is no reason to add shock to your pool if you test your FC level consistently. Depending on your CYA level, your FC may be too high. A saltwater pool is a chlorine pool. FC levels above 10ppm cause PH tests to read falsely high.
Can you shock a pool with liquid chlorine?
Disregard high PH readings. We recommend shocking with liquid chlorine - granular products add additional things that you may not want in your pool. Non-chlorine shock is really meant for use in spas, or indoor pools.
Does chlorine drop with pH?
When there is Cyanuric Acid (CYA) aka stabilizer or conditioner in the water, then the chlorine effectiveness does not drop as much at higher pH (this is shown technically in this post ). The industry rule about higher pH lowering chlorine effectiveness applies more to when there is no CYA in the water.
What is the main ingredient in shock?
Different Brand of Shock (The main ingredient should be calcium hypochlorite)
Why is my pool green?
Sometimes you will find that your pool is green and not where you want to take a dip. There is a simple reason, the chemicals have gotten out of balance and this lets algae begin to grow in your pool. With a simple problem, there is generally a simple solution. In this case, the solution is to merely shock the pool.
What is a pool water clarifier?
There are products on the market that are called Pool Water Clarifiers. These will help to bind to chemicals, gunk and debris in the water. The net result is that you now have bigger particles that are easier for your filter to handle, giving you a crystal clear pool.
Can you clean a pool filter if it hasn't been cleaned?
If it hasn’t been cleaned in a while it may not be able to keep your pool clear. Depending on the model that you are using the answer might be to backwash it or clean the filters. If it has been some time since your filter got any maintenance, you might have to replace either the filter or the filter media.
