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.
The general recommendation is to use 1 pound of cal hypo shock for every 10,000 gallons of pool water, and 10 ounces of sodium hypo with around 12.5% chlorine to sanitize your pool. Make sure the pool water is at its normal level. Make sure your pool's pH is between 7.2–7.6 and its alkalinity is between 80–120 ppm.
For example, HTH Super Shock! asks for one pound per 13,500 gallons. So for a 21-thousand gallon pool, you'd want to round up to two pounds of shock. Always round up to make sure your pool gets enough chlorine.
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.
BUT, if you have to shock your pool during the day in broad daylight, you can still swim after adding shock. It's recommended that you wait one hour after adding shock with the filter running, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool.
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.
One pound of shock treats up to 10,000 gallons of pool water. Also, keep the pool filter and pump running for at least 10 hours during and after you shock.
75 ounces per 3,000 gallons every week. Initially you will need stabilizer to protect the chlorine from the sun. This is added at a rate of one pound per 3,000 gallons of water.
Add liquid shock by pouring into skimmer with filter running (Liquid Shock is purchased separately, or is supplied with new pool package) at a rate of 1 gallon per 5000 gallons of pool water. Granular shock can be substituted for liquid shock, follow directions on label.
Brown pool water is often caused by metals (iron) becoming oxidized in the pool water. If you shocked your pool water and it turned brown you probably have metals. Oxidized iron usually turns a brown or rusty color in the water.
It is best to wait before going into the pool because liquid chlorine levels will be high after shocking, but it will be safe to swim after only 24 hours. Each chlorine compound is designed for a specific purpose. Using these two types in conjunction with one another will keep your pool clean, clear and sparkling!
Are chlorine and shock the same thing? SKIMMER NOTES: No. Chlorine and shock are not the same thing. Shock has a more intense chemical strength than the traditional chlorine sanitizers, and it also differs in how you should apply it to your swimming pool.
How Often Should I Shock My Pool? Shocking your pool regularly will help to keep the water clean and free of contaminants. You should aim to shock your pool about once a week, with the additional shock after heavy use. Some tell-tale signs that your pool needs to be shocked are cloudy, foamy, green, or odourous water.
Chlorine tabs (placed in a chlorinator, floater, or skimmer basket) maintain a chlorine residual in the water. You do need to use both tabs and shock. Without tabs, the chlorine shock will dissipate quickly out of the water; without shock, the chlorine level will not get high enough to fully sanitize the water.
Add the bleach to the pool during the late afternoon or early evening. Pour it in along the edge of the pool as you walk around the perimeter -- never pour it into the skimmer. Circulate the water for several hours after adding the bleach, to be sure it gets completely mixed.
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.
Before you start pouring shock in the pool, the first step is to brush the sides and floor of your pool to loosen all the algae. Doing this breaks the skin and allows the pool shock to more easily kill the algae. Once you've done this, it is important to make sure you have the proper pH level in your water.
Although vacuuming should be combined with pool shocking, it's better to vacuum the pool before you shock the water. A good scrubbing and vacuuming of the pool walls and floor will ensure that dirt and debris that can affect the water chemistry is removed before the chlorine is added.
Run the filtration system
While shocking your pool will help kill any germs any algae, it won't actually get rid of them; for that, you need your filter. So be sure to run your pool filter for at least 24 hours.
Super chlorinate (shock) the pool ideally with liquid chlorine to shock level to 20ppm of Free Chlorine using either Liquid Chlorine (1.5L per 10,000L) or Chlorine Granules (310g per 10,000L).
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.
Similarities Between Liquid Chlorine & Powdered Shock
Similarly, both forms have a higher concentration of available chlorine than those used in daily chlorination. They also both kill nearly all living microorganisms, bacteria and contaminants with ease.
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!