Avoid swimming in the pool after Super Chlorination. High levels of chlorine are toxic and the water should be tested prior to re-entering the pool following a shock treatment. No one should enter the pool until the chlorine level has returned to or lower then 3ppm (Parts Per Million).
The high levels of chlorine used when Superchlorinating pools can make them dangerous to swim in, so always make the pool or spa off limits while you Superchlorinate it. Superchlorination will only last about a day after adding the chemicals. To be sure, you should always test the pool after Superchlorination.
After 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!
If there has been a large number of swimmers in the pool or the pool water is cloudy, you can put the Aqua Rite™ chlorinator into "Super Chlorinate" mode where it will automaticially generate the maximum amount of chlorine for 24 hours.
You should wait one hour per pound of shock product added, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool. As a reminder, you want your pH to be between 7.2 and 7.8ppm and your free available chlorine to be 1-4ppm for safe swimming.
You can swim with chlorine tablets in the pool if the chlorine tablets are in a container. Getting in touch with those tablets can cause rashes, irritation and eye problems. However, to be in a safe zone it will be better if you wait for 3 to 5 hours till the chlorine levels touch 4 to 6 ppm.
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.
Broom the entirety of the pool. Run pool filtration for 24 hours (You will need turn your chlorinator off or down depending on make and model). Turn chlorinator back on to a suitable setting. Avoid swimming in the pool after Super Chlorination.
Chlorine pools should superchlorinate weekly to ensure proper sanitation of the water and prevent bacteria and algae growth. Superchlorination is recommended after heavy bather loads and/or heavy rain fall.
When you super-chlorinate your hot tub or pool (used interchangeably with 'super shock'), it needs to be done with chlorine or bromine. It, too, raises the chlorine levels. The difference is that when you super shock a pool, the amount of chlorine you add is nine times that of a shock treatment.
Wait until the chlorine level in the water drops down to 1-4 parts per million (ppm) before allowing swimmers back into the pool. If the water still looks a little cloudy after the shock treatment, you may want to use a water clarifier before allowing swimmers back into the pool.
This is why many pool experts recommend that you turn down, or shut off, your saltwater chlorine generator (SWG) while you're shocking your pool. Otherwise, you're running the risk of damaging the salt cell. And that could lead to it not generating enough chlorine after the shocking process finishes.
Pools can immediately turn green after shocking when they have metals like copper in the water. These metals oxidise when exposed to high levels of chlorine which makes the pool water turn green. Adding a metal control product such as Zodiac Metal Remover will help to restore the pool water.
Can you put too much shock in a pool? SKIMMER NOTES: It's unlikely but it could happen. It would take a lot of shock to really make the water unsafe for swimming. The best way to make sure you're safe to swim is to test your pool water and make sure free chlorine levels are between 1-4ppm for healthy swimming.
If there have been a large number of swimmers in the pool, if you have had heavy rain or if the pool water is cloudy, you can put the chlorinator into “Super Chlorinate” mode where it will automatically generate the maximum amount of chlorine for the next 24 hour period.
The most important factor though is the size of the pool. You'll need about 52-104 oz of liquid chlorine per 10,000 gallons of water. This amount should get the chlorine level to between 5 and 10 ppm.
After you shock the pool — As soon as your chlorine levels reach 5 ppm or lower, it's officially safe to swim. Depending on the type of shock used, as well as the amount used, it can take anywhere from 24 hours or even up to a couple of days.
This level is ideal for swimmers because it isn't so high that it burns the eyes or skin yet helps keep the pool clean. This pH range works well with floating chlorine dispensers.
So if you've ever wondered if it's OK to put chlorine tablets in the skimmer, the answer is yes. As your pool pump runs, water floats in through your skimmer line, past the pump, into the filter, through the heater, and back into the pool.
As a general rule, we see stabilized chlorine tablets (also called trichlor tablets) last anywhere from two to three days. Slow dissolve cal-hypo tabs may last four to five days.
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.
While green algae are endemic in salt water pools, they are the easiest to kill. Green algae tend to grow during summers when the temperatures can get high. They float freely in the pool, making the water green. You might even see them growing on the bottom of the pool, on the walls, or in the crevices.
The best time of day to shock your pool is in the evening. This is because the sun's rays can affect the effectiveness of the chlorine by dissolving it too quickly, before it has a chance to rid the pool of contaminants and clean the water.
Cloudy water may still be safe to swim in, but if the chemicals are not balanced, then swimmers can experience red eyes, irritated skin, and rashes. If the cause is environmental factors, it can usually be cleared up with a clarifier and regular cleaning.