What to do if put too much shock in pool?
Feb 18, 2021 · 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.
How long after shocking a pool can you swim?
Oct 02, 2021 · How often do you need to shock your pool? #1. Shock your pool when the free Chlorine levels are off or when you smell Chlorine. Regular testing will help you know... #2. Shock your pool when you open it. This will help kill algae that have developed while it was closed. Balance your... #3. Shock ...
Can you put too much shock in your pool?
How Often Should I Shock My Pool? Chlorine has a low pH level, and in order to maintain your pool water's clarity and balance, shocking weekly will allow you to quickly raise the chlorine level, which will rid the pool of contaminants, without lowering …
How long does it take to shock a pool?
After using a chlorine-based shock, you should wait at least 8 hours before going back into the pool. Non-chlorine shock is a nice alternative and can be used as a supplement to your normal pool chemicals. With most non-chlorine shocks, you can swim again 15 minutes after shocking the water. Always make sure that the filter system is running while shocking the pool. Some …
What is Shock?
There is a difference between the actual chemical which is called Pool Shock and the action which is called shocking.
Why do we shock a pool?
Well, it’s like hitting a giant reset button. Pool shock destroys the algae and bacteria living in your pool and removes combined Chlorine molecules called chloramines.
How long does chlorine shock last in a pool?
So, when using chlorinated shock, always shock at night. This will also allow the pool to circulate the shock for a good 8+ hours, giving it plenty of time to fully clean the pool.
What is pool shock?
The idea behind pool shocking is to quickly raise the free chlorine level in the pool, killing off bacteria, algae growth, chloramines, and other pathogens in the water. This can be done using either chlorinated or non-chlorine pool shock. Chlorinated pool shock is the most common. It gives the pool a massive dose of chlorine, ...
What is non chlorine shock?
It gives the pool a massive dose of chlorine, killing everything in its path. Non-chlorine pool shock is an oxidizer that attacks organic contaminants in the water. By focusing strictly on those, it “frees up” the free chlorine in the pool so it can be more effective in sanitizing the water.
Why is shocking important?
Unfortunately for pool owners, you can’t just fill up a pool with water and expect it to always be clean. Due to outside influences, the state of pool water is constantly changing, becoming increasingly grimy with each passing second. It’s for this reason why an array of chemicals are added to pool water.
What temperature should a pool be?
A comfortable temperature is between 86 and 88°F. If under heavy usage, the pool temperature should be lowered to 78 to 84°F. Water temperature can also soar if your pool is in the sun all day, and you have a pool finish like stone, which naturally draws in heat. 5. You Just Opened or Closed Your Pool.
Is chlorine safe to use in a pool?
With the addition of a sanitizer such as chlorine, the water stays clean and safe for people to swim in. Even though pools have a constant sanitizing agent in the water, over time it breaks down and slowly becomes less effective. At this point you need to add more of it if you want the pool to remain clean.
Do you shock a pool when you open it?
You Just Opened or Closed Your Pool. Shocking upon opening or closing a pool is a must. When you open a pool for the season, you first need to balance the water properly. Once that’s done, you’ll shock the pool to sanitize and oxidize it, simultaneously restoring clarity to the water.
WHY SHOCK?
First, it helps to understand what a shock treatment is and why we need to do it.
WHEN TO SHOCK?
If you are chlorinating a pool, it’s quite easy to measure when a shock treatment is needed. Your test kit should include tests for both free and total chlorine. The free chlorine is what is available for killing the bacteria. The total chlorine is the combination of free chlorine plus what has already been “spent” for dissolving organics.
WHAT KIND OF SHOCK?
There are two main categories of shock treatment: chlorine and non-chlorine. The former is simply raising the chlorine to a very high level – typically around 10 ppm. This provides enough oxidation to dissolve the organics AND rid the pool of bacteria that may have been busy multiplying during the imbalance.
DID YOU KNOW?
You should leave the cover off the pool during a shock treatment. This is because nitrogen gas is expelled as a by-product, and you want to let it escape.
What is the shock level for a pool?
HELPFUL POOL SHOCK TIPS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER: Shock if free chlorine level of your pool measures zero or combined chlorine level rises above 0.5. Always add shock to water NOT water to shock. Always use the entire bag, never store half-full bags of shock.
How to get chlorine out of pool?
Always brush your pool after shocking, with the pump running, to help quickly distribute the chlorine. Always rinse out your shock bags in the pool and allow to dry before throwing away. Always add shock up wind - so that the wind does not blow the powder back in your face.
Does chlorine raise the pH in a pool?
Chlorine has a low pH level, and in order to maintain your pool water's clarity and balance, shocking weekly will allow you to quickly raise the chlorine level, which will rid the pool of contaminants, without lowering the water’s pH levels.
When to add shock to pool water?
In addition to your regular maintenance, common circumstances in which it’s a good idea to add shock to your pool water include: When opening your pool in the spring – When a pool is first opened, the chlorine level normally needs an immediate boost, and shock is the quickest and easiest way to accomplish this.
How long should you wait to go back into a pool after using a chlorine shock?
Chlorine shock can be used to give your chlorine level a boost when it is very low. After using a chlorine-based shock, you should wait at least 8 hours before going back into the pool.
What happens when you shock your pool?
Shock “burns” or oxidizes these contaminants and replenishes the chlorine level in your pool. Pool shock actually restores your chlorine’s “fighting power” and makes it safe to swim again.
What to do if algae starts to grow in pool?
Algae Growth – If any visible algae starts to develop, you’ll need to shock the pool. Green algae is the most common, but it can also appear as yellow, brown, black or even pink. For visible algae growth, an algaecide should also be used. Both shock and algaecide are included in our Green Algae Package. After you have a lot of people in the pool – ...
Why is it important to shock a pool?
Extreme weather conditions – It’s important to shock your pool after heavy rain, windstorms, and during periods of extreme heat. If your pool gets a lot of direct sunlight, the chlorine in the water will dissipate faster and shock can be used as a quick way to boost the chlorine level.
When to use chlorine shock?
A chlorine shock may be used if the chlorine level is low, or a non-chlorine shock may be used if your chlorine level is already stable. Non-chlorine shock is included in our Winterizing Closing Kit for Chlorinated or Saltwater Pools.
How long after shock can you swim?
With most non-chlorine shocks, you can swim again 15 minutes after shocking the water. Always make sure that the filter system is running while shocking the pool. Some pool owners choose to shock their pools once every 1-2 weeks as normal maintenance.
How to shock a pool?
How to Shock the Pool 1 Clean the Pool. Leaves and debris on the floor and surface will waste your chlorine’s killing power, as it attacks these organic materials, rather than the A-B-C problem that we are trying to correct. 2 Lower the pH. Chlorine is very sluggish at high pH levels. At a pH of 8.0, less than half of the chlorine you add to the water will convert to hypochlorous acid, the killing form of chlorine. Lower the pH to 7.2 before shocking. 3 Read the Label. We have 8 different types of pool shock, all with slightly different dosages. For some pool shock, dilution in a bucket is necessary to dissolve the granules, to prevent damage to pool surfaces. 4 Add the Shock. Distribute the granular chlorine throughout the pool surface, with the pool pump running. Be careful not to spill any on your clothing or the pool deck, and don’t broadcast it into the wind! 5 Brush the Pool. This helps to distribute the chemical, and removes the layer of dust and film on your pool surfaces, which may allow some contaminants to escape treatment. A good brushing, vacuuming and backwashing should follow an algae shock treatment.
How much chlorine should I use to remove chloramines?
To effectively remove chloramines, many sources say that you need 10x the amount of combined chlorine, but for complete removal I may double that amount, to compensate for stabilizer (cyanuric acid) levels, or after active pool use, or when treating algae.
What is the level of chlorine in a pool?
For a level at 0.3 ppm CAC, add enough chlorine to reach a level of 30 ppm in the pool. Chloramines, also known as Combined Chlorine, occur when a chlorine molecule combines with ammonia or nitrogen in the pool water. The attachment makes the molecule sluggish, and it becomes ineffective as a sanitizer.
How to remove algae from pool?
Using mechanical methods is usually necessary – brushing the walls and floor, vacuuming and backwashing, to remove algae cells from the pool, and flush them out of the system . 2). Kill Bacteria.
What is free available chlorine?
Free Available Chlorine (FAC) is an attractive target for ammonia and nitrogen that gets into the pool water. When combined, FAC becomes ineffective as a sanitizer and causes eye irritation, or red eyes.
What can enter a pool from a swimmer?
Bacteria, fungus, protozoa and viruses and even parasites can enter the pool water from swimmer waste or from organic contaminants. Chlorine pool shocks in the correct amount kill these organisms by attacking the cell wall, which exposes vital cell constituents and terminates cell function.
What is a pathogen in a pool?
A pathogen is a disease-causing substance. Bacteria, Viruses and Parasites can live in pool and spa water. Your normal sanitation and filtration likely removes most pathogens, but if you want to be sure – a good pool shock would be in order.
What is a Pool Shock?
So, what is pool shock, exactly? "Shocking” refers to the process of adding chlorine or non-chlorine pool chemicals to the water in order to raise the "free chlorine” level. The goal is to raise this level to a point where contaminants such as algae, chloramines and bacteria are destroyed.
Types of Chlorine
As you learn how to shock a pool, it's vital to understand the difference between the types of chlorine .
How to Shock the Pool
When you’re shocking a pool, the goal is to raise the free chlorine level of the pool water to roughly 10 times the combined chlorine level. Reaching this mark is the breakpoint chlorination.
Types of Pool Shock
There are several types of products you can use to shock the pool. Typically, you will not use regular chlorine tablets as pool shock chlorine.
Shocking Saltwater Pools
Saltwater pools need to be shocked, too. Saltwater pools use regular table salt to create chlorine, by passing the slightly salty water over two electrically charged plates. How often you need to shock a saltwater pool is no different from when to shock other chlorine pools.
How Often to Shock Your Pool
How will you know when to shock a pool? Don’t wait for a bad smell or eye irritation before you shock your pool. It's recommended that you should do a pool shock once a week. The more you use the pool, the more often you need to shock it.
Why Do I Need To Shock My Pool?
For most new pool owners shocking a pool is new and not well understood. Pool shock is a type of chlorine that is used to keep pool water clear and free of algae.
What Is Pool Shocking?
Pool shock is a type of chlorine that is used to keep pool water clear and free of algae. Chlorine comes in different types including liquid or tablets, but it’s important to know how much you need for your swimming pool before purchasing any.
What Type of Pool Shock Should I Use?
There are many types or varieties of pool shock that are available for purchase. These can include liquid or tablet form, but it’s important to know how much of the chemical you need for your swimming pool before making a purchase!
Should I Brush My Pool Before Shocking It?
When thinking about shocking your pool, it is important to start by brushing your pool first. A brush can help loosen debris that would otherwise stick and clog up the circulation system if put in contact with chlorine.
Should I Backwash the Filter After Shocking My Pool?
After completing the shock you may want to backwash your filter. Backwashing the pool filter is important as it cleans and removes debris from the system, ensuring that water can circulate through properly while maintaining cleanliness of the swimming pool.
What Happens if You Swim in a Shocked Pool?
Many people try to enter their pool too soon after shocking it, unaware that it is still toxic. Shock creates a chlorine residual as well as some cyanuric acid which can irritate your skin and make you feel nauseous if ingested or touched.
Can I use Pool Shock in a Spa?
Yes! You can use poison to help sanitize your spa water and keep it clean as well, just make sure to use a shock-specific product. Choosing to use shock in your spa is a great way to ensure that the surface of your spa is sanitized and that bacteria cannot form on its surfaces.
How To Run Pool Pump After Shocking
If you just shocked the swimming pool and it’s been about 4 hours before swimming then you should run your swimming pool pump for at least an hour again on a lower speed setting to circulate some fresh water through the swimming pool filter as well as make sure all of the chemicals from the swimming pool shock treatment have dissipated.
How Often To Run Pool Pump When Shocking A Pool
In most cases, running a swimming pool filter pump every day is not necessary even when shocking a pool.
How Long Does It Take For Pool Shock To Work?
It can take swimming pool shock 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on the swimming pool and other factors such as how often the swimming pool is used.
Benefits Of Shocking Swimming Pool
Swimming pool water will be sanitized, this is the main benefit of shocking a swimming pool.
Tips For Shocking Swimming Pool Before Using
There aren’t any set “tips” for the best way to shock a swimming pool but there are a few swimming pool shock treatment facts that you should know.
Final Thoughts
The swimming pool shock treatment will dissipate in swimming pool water in 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on swimming pool use.
