How to Use a Shock Treatment Safely
- Handle the Product in a Ventilated Area. Ultimately, chlorine is a harmful gas. Handling it in concentrated quantities...
- Clean the Pool Beforehand. Before administering a shock treatment, any floating items, such as leaves, should be removed...
- Rebalance the Pool Before Swimming. Shock treatments provide an instant boost but can take...
What is the Best Shock Treatment for pools?
Nov 26, 2021 · How to Use a Shock Treatment Safely Handle the Product in a Ventilated Area. Ultimately, chlorine is a harmful gas. Handling it in concentrated quantities... Clean the Pool Beforehand. Before administering a shock treatment, any floating items, such as leaves, should be removed... Rebalance the Pool ...
What is the best swimming pool shock?
Aug 09, 2020 · Do not swim for at least 8 hours in your pool after adding shock. Give the shock chemical time to dissolve, mix into the water and perform its chemical reactions. Add the shock to the pool in the evening so you can swim in the pool the next morning. Which Shock Treatment to Use? The most widely used shock treatment is calcium hypochlorite.
What is the best type of pool shock?
How to Shock a Pool. Step 1. Test the Water. Using a water test kit or test strips, ensure that all aspects of water chemistry are within the proper range. Use non-chlorine shock if your Total Available Chlorine level is between 2.0–4.0 ppm, and use a chlorine-based shock if levels are below 2.0 ppm. Step 2. Circulate the Water and Add Pool Shock
When to shock a pool?
Enough pool shock to fix your chlorine ratio A mixing bucket Personal protective gear (Glasses, gloves, and full cover clothing) Brush or pool vacuum for final touch-ups Step 1: Test the Water The first step in shocking the pool is to test the water and calculate the current ratio.
How long does it take for pool shock to work?
Keep your pump and filter running. Give the shock a good 12 to 24 hours to work it's magic. If the algae hasn't cleared up after 24-48 hours, clean and brush the pool and add another shock treatment.Aug 7, 2020
How much shock do I put in my pool?
In this case, you should double shock your swimming pool water. To double shock, you will need to add 2 pounds for every 10,000 gallons of water. For instance, if you pool is 20,000 gallons, you will add 4 pounds of shock.Apr 16, 2015
Should you dissolve shock before putting in pool?
Pre-dissolve the chemical in a bucket of water before you shock your pool. This will allow the shock to disperse more evenly in the water, protecting your liner, pool walls, and floor.Aug 9, 2020
When should I put shock in my pool?
The ideal time to shock your pool is in the evening after all swimming is complete. In the evening because the sun will not be boiling the chlorine out of your pool, and after everyone is done swimming because shocking is going to bring the chlorine level up to a level that may be irritating to skin and eyes.
What happens if you swim in a shocked pool?
If you enter the pool immediately following a chlorine pool shock treatment, you are risking as little as skin and eye irritation and as much as fatality. Shocking your swimming pool is necessary, but take caution when doing so.Oct 21, 2021
Is pool shock the same as chlorine?
Chlorine is a sanitizer, and (unless you use Baquacil products) is necessary for maintaining a clear and healthy pool. Shock is chlorine, in a high dose, meant to shock your pool and raise the chlorine level quickly.
How soon after shocking pool can I swim?
24 hoursAfter Shocking Your Pool It is safe to swim once your chlorine levels are around 5 ppm or after 24 hours. It is always best to test first!
How long should I run my pool pump after shocking?
A pool filter should be run for a minimum of 6 hours after shocking a swimming pool. This is to allow the filter to clean the water and give the shock enough time to fully mix with the pool water. Running the filter after shocking for 24 hours to 7 days is necessary if the pool has a large amount of algae.
Can you add chlorine and shock at the same time?
It Should Not Be Done Together This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless. Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.Jan 22, 2020
Should you shock your pool after it rains?
Shocking your pool isn't necessary, although, it's not a bad idea either. If you get an extremely heavy rain fall, you could shock your pool for good measure. This will help fight off any contaminants that the rain may have brought to your pool.Jan 23, 2017
Do I have to shock my pool every week?
It's often recommended to shock your pool once a week. If you don't do it every week, you should at least do it every other week. This is necessary to maintain your pool's water chemistry. If you have a lot of people over in your pool or have a party, you may want to shock your pool more frequently.
What is shock in a pool?
What is Shock? As the name suggests, shock usually refers to chemical products designed to create an instant and substantial impact in any swimming pool or hot tub. In almost all cases, shock relates to a concentrated chlorine supplement, but it can also refer to chlorine-free alternatives that fulfil a similar task.
How does shock treatment work?
Shock treatments work quickly to dramatically raise the water’s chlorine level, allowing it to clean the pool effectively. Once you’re back on top of your pool’s cleanliness, you can enable chlorine levels to return to their normal level.
What is shock chlorine?
A shock chlorine supplement differs substantially from the regular chlorine chemicals that you will use in day-to-day pool maintenance, so you must ensure you are buying the right product. Shock products are commonly labelled as such, but the most common version is a chemical known as Sodium Hypochlorite.
What is the best way to maintain a swimming pool?
Alongside using sanitisers such as chlorine, a crucial part of swimming pool maintenance is the use of shock treatments . These treatments can be beneficial for providing quick and effective balancing for your pool, especially during heavy use. However, the nature of these chemicals means that you must know how to use them safely and effectively.
How to get a pool clean?
If your pool gets to this stage, the most effective way of getting it clean is by using a shock treatment. When a lot of algae develops in the pool, you’ll need more chlorine than usual to combat the unwelcome visitors. Shock treatments work quickly to dramatically raise the water’s chlorine level, allowing it to clean the pool effectively.
What is the role of chemicals in a pool?
Chemicals play a considerable role in keeping your swimming pool clean, healthy and safe. A routine will help to keep your pool’s chemical balance in check, but there will likely come a time when more robust measures are required. Alongside using sanitisers such as chlorine, a crucial part of swimming pool maintenance is the use of shock treatments.
How does chlorine work?
Chlorine works by attaching itself to algae and other dirt. This process kills the algae, but also creates something known as ‘combined chlorine’ which can build up over time. Raising the chlorine level through shocking is a way to remove combined chlorine from the pool, further helping to keep your pool clean.
How long after adding shock to pool can you swim?
Do not swim for at least 8 hours in your pool after adding shock. Give the shock chemical time to dissolve, mix into the water and perform its chemical reactions. Add the shock to the pool in the evening so you can swim in the pool the next morning.
What to do before adding chemicals to pool?
Before you handle any chemicals make sure that you are using protective clothing and gloves. I recommend a mask and eye protection as well. Try not to add chemicals to your pool when there is a breeze as you might end up wearing the chemicals.
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.
What is pool shock?
Pool shock is a “super dose” of granular pool chlorine that oxidizes chloramines (combined chlorine) and kills bacteria in the water. Shocking depletes combined chlorine and increases free chlorine . If your chlorine levels are low, a chlorinated shock is required.
What is non chlorine shock?
Non-Chlorine Shock: Also known as Potassium Monopersulfate (MPS), this is a chlorine-free shock that oxidizes contaminants, but won’t rid the pool of bacteria. Compared to chlorinated shock, you can use MPS shock at any time of day and be swimming in the pool 15 minutes later.
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 is my pool water cloudy?
Clearing up cloudy water: Pools can get cloudy from insufficient chlorine, or an abundance of chlorine. The sweet spot for chlorine levels is between 1 and 3 ppm. Cloudy water is usually the result of an imbalance in pool water chemistry, and shocking the pool is an easy way to restore clarity to your pool’s water.
How many gallons of shock to superchlorinate pool?
As discussed earlier, the bigger the pool, the more bags of shock that will be required to superchlorinate the water. If this sounds like your pool (anything 30,000 gallons and up), repeat this process as necessary.
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.
How to get shock out of pool?
Step 1. Test the Water. Using a water test kit or test strips, ensure that the pH level is in the proper range. Step 2. Circulate the Water. Turn on your pump and filter system to circulate the water. Now, pour the shock/water mixture around the inside perimeter of your pool.
What is pool shock?
Now, let’s discuss the three types of pool shock. Cal-Hypo - Calcium Hypochlorite pool shock is a powerful and effective form of chlorine. It quickly kills algae and contaminants and is ideal for pools with a normal-to-low pH level. This is because Cal-Hypo contains a high pH level (10.8) and contains calcium, which can contribute to ...
What is free chlorine?
Free Chlorine - Free Available Chlorine (FC or FAC) is the effective chlorine available to sanitize the pool water. It quickly kills contaminants and disinfects the water.
What happens if your chlorine level is 0.3?
Remove Chloramines: If your Total Available Chlorine level is 0.3 ppm or higher above your Free Available Chlorine level, it's time to shock the pool. This will break down the inactive Combined Chlorine in the water. Fecal Incident: If there's been a fecal accident or other unsanitary incident, close the pool for swimming.
Why shock a pool?
Shocking a pool is part of regular maintenance during the warmer months. It is also done throughout the entire year, just less often during cooler months. Pool owners and pool service professionals shock a pool to “super-chlorinate” the water. Shocking a swimming pool will destroy bacteria, algae and organic waste that regular chlorination may have ...
When opening a pool, should you shock it?
Opening & Closing: When opening your pool, it's recommended that you shock it after balancing the other chemicals. This will oxidize the particles, kill bacteria, and clarify the water. When it's time to close your pool, shocking will help fight off contaminants over the long winter months.
Does di chlorosis raise pH?
Di-Chlor - Dichloro-S-Triazinetrione pool shock is a fast dissolving solution and will not raise the pH level. Di-Chlor also will not cloud the pool water. Just keep in mind that this type of chlorine pool shock contains CYA, which will increase the residual CYA level over time.
What is pool shock?
A pool shock is a project of inputting chlorine or non-chlorine chemicals to your swimming pool to raise your level of free chlorine. When your free chlorine levels are too low, bacteria, algae, and chloramines begin to crowd your swimming pool and make it unsanitary. By shocking your pool consistently, you can create the right amount ...
Why do you shock a pool?
After you have balanced the other chemicals, you can shock the pool so that you can eliminate any bacteria, make the water clear, and oxidize any particles. Lastly, if you have many people use the pool at once for a party, the water can get contaminated quicker. It is also essential to shock it after these events too.
How long should you let a pool shock pass before swimming?
This chemical, also known as cal hypo, is one of the more affordable and practical strategies to shock your pool. You can usually find this at the store in a granular condition. When you are using this type of pool shock, it must get dissolved before adding to the pool. You should always be used after dusk to let at least eight hours pass before you can swim again.
Why does chlorine in a pool fluctuate?
Pool chlorine is designed to eliminate any existing bacteria in the pool so that it is healthy for people to swim. But it also attaches itself to ammonia in the pool, which creates terrible chemicals called chloramines.
What is the chemical that attaches to a pool?
But it also attaches itself to ammonia in the pool, which creates terrible chemicals called chloramines. The ammonia is a product of the sweat, urine, fertilizers, sunscreen lotions, bird droppings, and other exterior radicals that find their way into the pool. If you want a clean pool, you must break the chlorine bond (chloramine) and shock it.
What happens when a pool is flooded?
While the storm is occurring, your swimming pool will get contaminated by rainwater, debris, and dust. Algae outbreaks are also a key signal for pool shocking. When the algae begin to pop up, you should utilize a shock type with extra chlorination or other cal hypo alternatives. You should also make sure to shock your pool when you are opening ...
How long does a pool shock pump last?
Once you input the pool shock into the water, you can be patient and allow the pump to keep running for at least six hours.
