Natural contaminants on your body will lower the pH and make it harder for the chlorine to work. Adding too much shock, especially if the pH is already low, will make it harder to get your water in the proper range. When you add chemicals to your hot tub water, the goal is to keep it clean and clear.
Organic matter such as grass, insects and dust are common organic matter that can lower the pH. Shocking your hot tub will lower the pH regardless of what type of shock you use.
In order to lower both the pH and alkalinity of your hot tub water, you will need to add acid. Common choices are liquid muriatic acid or dry sodium bisulfate. When the acid is introduced to the water, it increases the hydrogen concentration and lowers the pH.
The main purpose of spa shock is to break-down organic waste contaminants which cause bad odors and cloudy or foamy hot tub water. It does this by oxidizing the water, which is the process of rapidly removing the outer electrons from contaminants in the water that the spa shock comes in contact with.
For many of the reasons outlined in point 2, Non Chlorine Shock can help improve water clarity fast. If you have milky or cloudy hot tub water but your chlorine levels, PH and alkalinity are ok then Non Chlorine Shock will oxidise the products causing this and help restore your water to crystal clear.
The bottom line is that over-shocking is possible, but being responsible with your chemicals and timing will help you to avoid it as often as possible!
To lower the pH level of your hot tub water, you can take four cups of vinegar and pour it in the water. Remember to circulate the water in the tub before you pour in the vinegar. You can either use the vinegar you have at home or use apple cider vinegar. Turn off the jets and test the water after a few hours.
If you wish to lower the pH without also reducing the Total Alkalinity, simply pour the dose of muriatic acid about the pool. “ This would all be wonderful if it was only accurate. Still, just like the mythological “Chlorine Lock,” folkloric tales within the swimming pool industry do persist.
Hot tubs are often at a pH level of 7.2 – 7.8. Adding chlorine will increase this number slightly, but because the chemical also reacts to form hypochlorous acid, which reduces acids and makes your hot water less acidic, there's no change unless large amounts of chlorine are added.
Hot tubs in particular generate a lot of bubbles and tend to have higher temperatures. This combination creates a gas called carbon dioxide very quickly. Carbon dioxide builds up and makes the pH go up. This is why hot tub owners, on a regular basis, need to add something to lower their pH and alkalinity.
How long do I need to wait after shocking my hot tub? There isn't a set period you need to wait before using your hot tub after a shock treatment, however, it is essential to test the water to ensure the chlorine levels are safe. Recommendations vary with ranges between 20 minutes and 24 hours.
Using liquid chlorine raises the pH of the water.
Liquid chlorine does not raise pH. When added to water, liquid chlorine (which has a pH of 13) makes HOCl (hypochlorous acid – the killing form of chlorine) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide), which raises pH.
High chlorine levels decrease the pH of your pool's water, making it more acidic. The more acidic the water, the higher the likelihood of corrosion. This corrosion can affect metal piping, equipment, and the surface of your pool (tiles, liners, concrete, etc.).
In most tap water, well water is alkaline. Test the pH of your water with a pH tester to determine the hardness. Then, add vinegar to water (Not the other way round). Ideally, you can add 2 to 9 tbsp of vinegar to one gallon of water.
Ordinary household vinegar could in theory be used to lower the pH of your pool. The pH of vinegar is about 2.5, which is quite acidic when compared to your pool water. Household vinegar is very weak though (when compared to a strong acid like muriatic acid), so you would need quite a bit to lower pH.
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate is naturally alkaline, with a pH of 8. When you add baking soda to your pool water, you will raise both the pH and the alkalinity, improving stability and clarity.
Things You'll Need
As many homeowners know, the ideal pH for a hot tub or pool should be between 7.2 and 7.8. If the water is too acidic, it's going to quickly to wear out the heater element. Baking soda can raise the alkalinity of the water and bring your pH back up to an appropriate level.
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.
Dead skin and other elements like hair may end up dropping in the hot tub, leaving the tub in a mess. It is essential to shock the hot tub frequently – at least once every week. It is important to use Chlorine shocks as well as non-Chlorine shocks.
Adding chlorine besides the shock can increase the chlorine content in the water which can make the entire shocking process useless. Hence, it is better if you don't use the shock and chlorine at the same time. The best time to add chlorine to the pool water is after you have shocked 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. Shocking a pool should be done at dusk. The sun will burn off unstabilized chlorine.
Allow the chemical to dissolve
Allow the filtration system to circulate the chemical; it should dissolve completely within about 15 minutes as long as your filtration system is working well.
If theres too much chlorine it will vaporise and form gas that floats just above the surface of the water. If this vapor is inhaled it can inflame airways and exacerbate certain breathing conditions. Read more What Temperature Should My Spa Pool be at and Why?