Wednesday, April 10, 2024
HomePopularHow To Use Pool Shock

How To Use Pool Shock

- Advertisment -

Applying The Shock Treatment To Your Pool

How to Use Pool Shock

With your filtration pump running, begin pouring the treatment into your pool. Its best to begin sprinkling or pouring the shock slowly around your pools outer perimeter.

As you do, try to avoid inhaling any fumes or particles that may get captured by the wind. Ideally, youll want to do this in the evening and continue allowing the pump to run overnight.

Wikihow recommends first pre-mixing the pool shock into a 5 gallon bucket filled with water.;Then you can add the pre-mixed water to the pool.

We have seen good results from this method but read the directions on the particular shock you purchase and follow them.;

It may not take long to see results, but that doesnt necessarily mean that its safe to swim yet.

Just give the solution plenty of time to do its job. Besides, itll be at least 24 hours before its safe to swim again anyways.

Choose The Optimal Time Of Day And Turn Your Pool Pump On

When you shock your pool, you always need to have your pool pump running. You will also need to leave it on for at least eight hours following treatment, so you need to be sure your pool pump is on and functioning properly. As far as when to shock your pool, most experts recommend nighttime or dusk. This gives the pool the full eight hours it needs for circulation, and allows the pool to be usable again during prime time the next day.

How Much Liquid Chlorine Needed For 20000

The general and ideal measure of the pool water balance against chlorine is always expected to be between the range of 1 to 3 Parts Per Million .;

It implies that whether for a 20000-gallon pool, for 15000-gallon pool, or a 10000-gallon pool, you will be required to have chlorine of about 0.00013 ounces per gallon of pool water.;

You will also need to calculate the amount of chlorine required to chlorinate your swimming pool super since different pools have various kinds of sizes.

Since most of the products you will purchase at the store will be mostly best suited for the swimming pool with the 10,000 gallons of pool water capacity, it simply means for a 20000-gallon pool; you will buy a double of the products.;

Doing this is just the wisest and most rational decision to make. You will not need to rack your brain and disturb yourself about calculations on the amount of liquid chlorine to use for this kind of large pool.

Just in case you are feeling or getting confused, follow the instructions on the product on how much liquid chlorine to add to raise the treatment level to your taste, especially to the volume of pool water available to you. It would be best if you did this after calculating the size of the pool, as this will help determine the number of gallons it contains.

Also Check: How Much Is Salt Water Pool

Test For Breakpoint Chlorination Or Chlorine Demand

Breakpoint chlorination in a persons pool water is when chlorine reacts and forms chloramines. These chloramines come in three forms: monochloramine, which is the maximum point of combined chlorines at which eyes will burn; dichloramine, causes foul odors and a chlorine smell; and trichloramine, which is the point where algae begins to really grow and thrive. Chlorine demand, however, it a completely different problem.

Chlorine demand has to do with the amount of chlorine which reacts in the water to convert to inert or less active forms. Essentially, this means that when you add chlorine, it is not reacting the way it needs to, and you end up having not enough full strength chlorine to do the job.

Using pool water test kits can help you learn how much chlorine and shock to adjust to, and will correct both of these problems.

Why Do I Need To Shock My Pool

How To Use Pool Shock

Pools are shocked to keep the water healthy and clean by removing algae and bacteria after heavy bather use or contamination events. In addition, pool shocking is used to eliminate harmful combined chlorine in the water.;;

Also known as chloramines, combined chlorine can cause pool odor, red eyes, irritated skin, and health issues. Combined chlorine is a disinfection by-product that forms when chlorine reacts with contaminants, like lotions, sweat, and urine in the pool water.;

You may want to shock your pool in certain situations, such as:;

  • After a new pool construction is completed and there is a fresh fill from any source of water.
  • Opening your pool for the season after it has been closed for the winter.
  • After heavy bather loading from pool parties.;
  • When pool or spa water temperatures are consistently high from sun exposure or heating the water regularly.
  • After heavy rainfalls that can add organic loading to the water.
  • Also Check: Can Lice Live In Chlorine Pools

    How To Shock A Pool: Quick Tips

    • Always use gloves and protective eye wear.
    • Add 1 pound of shock a 5 gallon bucket of water about 3/4 full.
    • Always add shock to water not water to shock.
    • Wear clothes you dont care about they might get bleached.
    • Warm water dissolves shock faster than cold.
    • DO NOT add shock directly to your skimmer!
    • Use a wooden stick and slowly stir in the shock making sure it dissolves completely, or as much as possible.
    • Slowly pour the bucket of pre-dissolved shock around your pool. You may have some undissolved shock at the bottom of your bucket. In this case, just dip your bucket in some pool water give it a slow swish around and pour it back into the pool to help dissolve some of that shock.
    • DO NOT mix all the bags together in one bucket.
    • Always shock at dusk or night time.;The chlorine works better when its not being burned off by the sun.
    • Shock should also be added every week to ensure a clean and algae-free pool.

    Once your pool is restored to order, ensure the water in your pool or hot tub stays balanced, consider a pHin smart monitor. This little device constantly monitors your water and automatically sends you the exact chemicals you need to keep the water in your pool and hot tub healthy.

    What Does It Mean To Shock A Pool

    Shocking water has three purposes:

  • first to convert the used combined chlorine molecules to gas;
  • second to kill harmful contaminants like viruses and bacteria;
  • and lastly to kill algae.;
  • As your pool uses chlorine molecules to fight off contaminants, the used up molecules are converted to something called chloramines.

    When there are chloramines in the water that means that the water isnt being disinfected appropriately and it needs to be shocked.

    You will see chloramines reflected in water tests as combined chlorine where the goal is to have <.2ppm combined chlorine.

    This is measured by subtracting combined chlorine from total chlorine to give you an effective measurement of the free chlorine available to fight off germs.;

    You May Like: Best Sealer For Stamped Concrete Pool Deck

    Can Calcium Hypochlorite Be Used As A Disinfectant Or For Cleaning

    You can use calcium hypochlorite as a way to clean drinking water, but you will have to be careful how you use the product. If you are using the typical pool shock variety, you will only need a very small amount applied to a large fifty-five-gallon drum of water.

    However, if you purchase a specific drinking water clarifier, you can follow those directions exactly.

    Pool Maintenance Help In New York

    How To SHOCK a Swimming POOL | Swim University

    At Ace Swim & Leisure, we pride ourselves on everything pool-related. Come visit us at any of our pool supply stores located throughout New York. We can help you with your pool maintenance and give you some insight on how to maintain your pools water. While youre here, you may even find a range of pool accessories to make your pool more enjoyable! For more information on how to maintain your pool, check out our blog.

    Recommended Reading: Can Lice Live In Chlorine Pools

    Add Shock Around The Pool

    Once your bucket is filled with shock water, you can then walk around the perimeter of your pool and evenly distribute the shock. You will do this each time until you have put the proper amount of shock into the pool. Remember that the solutions to your pool chemistry and water issues will only happen if you use the proper amount of calcium hypochlorite.

    The Pool Shocking Process

    Remember, chlorinated pool shock must be done at or after dusk and you must wait at least 8 hours before safely using your pool again.

  • Put on your rubber gloves and protective eyewear to avoid any adverse chemical effects on your skin or in your eyes from the chlorine.
  • Fill the 5-gallon bucket with water
  • Dissolve 1 pound of pool shock in the bucket per 10,000 gallons of pool water.
  • Once the granules have dissolved, take the 5-gallon bucket around the perimeter of your pool and pour the shock directly into the pool while the pool is running.
  • Let your pool run overnight and test the water again in the morning.
  • If you have any questions or issues shocking your pool, feel free to stop by our storefront and let us help you out.

    Recommended Reading: Filling Pool With Well Water With Iron

    How Often Should I Shock My Pool

    How often you should shock your pool depends on how often the pool is used and how much exposure your pool is getting to sunlight. For general maintenance and upkeep, everyday to weekly shocking is ideal depending on the reading of free chlorine that should always be 3 ppm.

    If you have lots of people swimming on a daily basis, you should test free chlorine and shock as required every single day and at least weekly when the pool is not very busy.

    How To Use Non

    How to Use Pool Shock

    With so many advantages that non-chlorine shock offers, youre likely wondering how to use it. Heres some good news: Its quick and easy!

    Ill walk you through the steps here so that you can get back to enjoying your pool.

  • Protect your skin. If non-chlorine shock touches your body, it wont have as much of the painful side effects that chlorine shock does. Nevertheless, you should wear goggles, gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, and pants.
  • Figure out the measurements. Typically, youll need to use one pound of non-chlorine shock for every 10,000 gallons of pool water.
  • Prepare the solution. Although you can technically pour the non-chlorine shock directly into your pool, its best to scoop up some of your pool water in a bucket and mix in the powder shock first.
  • Apply the solution to your pool. Circle the perimeter of your pool and pour the non-chlorine shock into the water. Focus on the areas with jets, as theyll help circulate the solution through the water faster.
  • If youre unsure about the ratio of shock you put in your water, run a test after 15 minutes to ensure the pH, total alkalinity, and total dissolved solids content are where you want them to be.

    After 15 minutes, your pool is safe to use and enjoy.

    Thats about it for non-chlorine shock. Have questions? Drop me a line.

    You May Like: Does Target Have Pool Supplies

    How To Shock An Above Ground Pool Easy Method

    If you have an above ground pool, you know how quickly that water can turn from pristine to algae pit. Shocking back to something swimmable is necessary not only for aesthetic appeal, but also our health.

    Its not too terribly complicated or expensive, but it does require the right chemicals in the right proportions administered at the right time.

    Earlier, we mentioned the importance of maintaining a healthy pool. This is particularly true because stagnant pool water can become a breeding ground for insects, bacteria and certain harmful species of algae.

    This, of course, is in addition to the chemicals and bodily fluids or materials that we naturally bring with us into the pool.

    Unfortunately, our filters wont do the complete job of keeping this mess out. Hence, the need for shock treatment.

    Repeat Shocks Weekly Or Bi

    Depending on use, shock treatments should be repeated weekly or bi-weekly for proper maintenance. Many pool owners dont realize that pools which are used frequently need to be treated this often, but it has a lot to do with the chemical bonds between the hydrogen in the water, chlorine, and chlorines waste product, nitrogen. The video at the end of this article explains the problems with combined chlorine versus free available chlorine in detail, and why shocking more often or taking the shock treatment to the next level may be necessary.

    Recommended Reading: How To Lower Cya In Pool

    How Do I Find The Right Shock For My Pool

    There are four major types of pool shock, but my top recommendation is to use calcium hypochlorite, which is the most popular and for good reason: its effective, and its the most affordable shock on the market. Unfortunately, its usually pretty labor intensivesince its slower to break down, you generally have to pre-dissolve each pound in a five-pound bucket of water first. My solution? Skip that process entirely by using calcium hypochlorite that you can add directly to your pool, without pre-dissolvingand thank your lucky stars it exists!

    Test Before Returning To Swim

    How to Shock Your Swimming Pool

    Prior to everyone jumping back into the pool, you want to make sure you check the chlorine level. The available chlorine and free chlorine are important to check. You wont want people to jump in the pool and find out that the pool water is a bit too strong for them to enjoy.

    A general rule of thumb to follow is that you should not swim for the first twelve hours after a pool was shocked. You may want to wait a bit longer for younger kids that are more prone to swallowing water when they swim.

    Don’t Miss: How To Remove Cyanuric Acid From Pool Water

    When The Free Chlorine Level Goes Below 3 Ppm

    The quantity of free chlorine in the water should be 3 ppm, which is also what the total chlorine level should be around. The combined chlorine level should always be maintained below 0.5 ppmor at 0.0 ppm, if possible.

    • Free chlorine is the chlorine content that is unused, or “free” to do its job: cleaning and disinfecting your pool.
    • Combined chlorine, or chloramine, is the result of the chlorine’s sanitizing action. Chloramine is formed from the combination of free chlorine and sweat, body oils, and urine, creating the infamous “pool smell” that people often attribute to chlorine. High levels of combined chlorine means there is less free chlorine to kill bacteria, parasites, and algae.
    • Total chlorine is the sum of the free chlorine and combined chlorine contents.

    Most test strips available on the market only measure free chlorine, but you also need to know values of total and/or combined chlorine before shocking your pool.

    I use the Lamotte ColorQ Pro 11digital pool water test kit. I like this equipment since it is accurate, easy to use, and measures other pool chemicals and properties such as pH, bromine, cyanuric acid, and calcium hardness.

    Important: Improper maintenance of pool chemistryespecially pH and cyanuric acid levelschanges the efficacy of chlorine, so make sure you use accurate equipment and frequently check your pool water’s chemistry.

    If you find that the free chlorine level is lower than 3 ppm, it is time to shock your pool.

    Chlorine Or Bromine Chemical Levels

    Outdoor pools require a reading of 3-5ppm. If a swimming pools chlorine or bromine levels are not maintained and tested regularly this can entail insufficient sanitisation, leading to bacteria and algae growth.

    A solution to this particular issue is to shock dose the pool. We recommend considering the use of chlorine tablets or a chemical dispenser. Chemical dispensers will help to ensure a constant supply of chlorine.

    Also Check: Wasps Invading Pool

    Doesnt Impact Chlorine Content

    Non-chlorine shock is just what it sounds likeyou wont find chlorine on its ingredient list. Furthermore, if you supplement your pool care with bromine, you wont have to worry about non-chlorine impacting the waters bromine levels.

    The reason that its so crucial for non-chlorine shock not to alter the chlorine content if it had chlorine in it, that chlorine could mix with the chlorine already in your pool, creating chloramines.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chloramines are dangerous because they attach to body waste from swimmers. At best, you might feel a little eye or skin irritation. At worst, it could affect your respiratory tract. The chloramines can even turn into gas, harming the air around indoor pools.

    How Often Should You Shock Dose You Swimming Pool

    Clorox Pool&Spa Shock XtraBlue Pool Shock, for Swimming ...

    Shock dosing should be part of any pool owners usual cleaning routine. It is highly recommended to shock dose your pool when:

    • -;First filling up your pool.
    • – Sighting any signs of algae or slime.
    • – After any period of heavy use.
    • – After any loss of water clarity or quality.
    • – After a heavy rainfall.
    • – At the end and beginning of each season.

    If the pool is heavily used its highly recommended to shock dose your pool every week. If you do not regularly use your pool than shock dosing at least once every two weeks will maintain a healthy water environment.

    Pool owners should ensure they have a maintenance schedule, this will help to regulate the cleanliness and correct chemical levels of their pool. Regularly testing your pool may also reduce the amount of shock dosing necessary to maintain a clean, healthy pool.

    Don’t Miss: Vitamin C Tablets For Pool Stains

    How Do I Shock My Pool

    There is a lot of uncertainty about swimming pool shocking methods and products when there really doesnt need to be. Shocking your pool is an effective and simple process used to clean green pools quickly. To avoid wasting your time, I will first answer, as plainly as I can, the question: How do I shock my pool?

  • Remove dirt and debris out of your pool.
  • Add chlorine to raise the free chlorine level to 10 30ppm.
  • Maintain that free chlorine level for as long as you need to until your pool water looks clear.
  • Do an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test to verify that the algae in your pool is dead.
  • You might have noticed that I did not include any kind of pool shock products in the process, thats because pool shock is just chlorine in higher dosages. You can shock your pool using normal chlorine alone.

    Depending on the size of your pool, you will need to adjust how much chlorine you should add to the water in order to raise the free chlorine to shock level.

    Just because your pool looks clean, doesnt mean that the algae is gone. This is why we conduct an Overnight Chlorine Loss Test. If your pool fails this test, it means there is still sufficient algae present for the water to turn green when your chlorine levels return to normal.

    Let me take you through the pool shock process step by step, and explain how to conduct the overnight chlorine loss test.

    RELATED ARTICLES
    - Advertisment -

    Most Popular

    - Advertisment -