For the most part, pool shock and chlorine are the same — or, to be more specific, pool shock and free chlorine are the same. Pool shock is simply a high dose of free chlorine to ensure all of the pollutants in your pool are killed off. Both chlorine and pool shock kill bacteria and algae.
What is the best rated pool shock?
The 5 Best Pool Shocks:
- In The Swim Chlorine Pool Shock — Best Overall. Our top pick for the best overall pool shock is the In The Swim Chlorine Pool Shock. ...
- Clorox Pool&Spa Shock Plus — Best Value. Clorox puts out an entire line of pool maintenance products. ...
- Doheny’s Super Pool Shock. ...
- Aqua-Chem Pool Shocks. ...
- Ultima Total Control Pool Shock. ...
What is the best way to shock a pool?
Step-by-Step: How to Shock a Swimming Pool
- Test the Water. The first step in shocking the pool is to test the water and calculate the current ratio. ...
- Calculate the Amount of Shock to Use. The next step is to calculate the optimal amount of shock to prepare. ...
- Make Sure the Pump Is Working. ...
- Dump Shock In the Pool. ...
- Test the Water Again to Check for Optimal Chlorine Levels. ...
When and how often to use pool shock?
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. Can you shock your pool too much? You cannot overshock a swimming pool or add too much.
When can you swim after shocking pool?
It will depend on the size of your pool and the quantity of the chlorine. It is suggested to wait for at least four hours after adding liquid chlorine in the pool. Also, you can wait until the level reaches 5 ppm or even lower. Now you know how long after shocking a pool can you swim.
Can I use shock instead of chlorine?
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.
Is pool shock basically chlorine?
Basically, pool shock is an exciting term for oxidation. It's technically a type of chlorine, but don't let that fool you. Despite its categorization, it enacts a more specific function than simply sanitizing your pool water—though it does that, too.
What is better shock or chlorine?
Liquid chlorine is less costly, unstabilized and comes in liquid form. Granular shock is stabilized and comes in a solid form that dissolves in your pool. Chlorine is the most cost-effective way to sanitize your pool. It has been the product of choice for almost 100 years.
Can you use shock and chlorine together?
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.
What happens if you put too much shock in a pool?
What happens if too much shock is added? You cannot overshock a swimming pool or add too much. Adding too much shock or overshocking your pool will kill off algae. The negative of adding too much shock is it will upset the chemical balance of your pool.
Does shocking pool raise chlorine?
"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.
How often should I shock my pool?
about once a weekHow 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.
How long does pool shock last?
So if you buy liquid shock, be aware that it only lasts one to two months at the most before it starts to lose effectiveness. While many swimming pool chemicals stay good for years if stored correctly, some pool-maintenance supplies expire more quickly.
How much liquid chlorine is equal to a bag of shock?
To shock my pool, how much liquid chlorine is equivalent to a 1 lb. bag of shock? My pool is 15,000 gallons and I have used 4-6 lbs of powdered shock in the past. Very roughly, 1 gal of fresh 10% is about 1lb of cal hypo shock.
Should pump be on when shocking pool?
Add the shock at night 'It's particularly important to do this at night, so the sun doesn't burn off the chlorine,' he says. You should then run the pool pump for a few hours (to circulate the shock), then switch it off and leave the pool overnight.
Do you run filter when shocking pool?
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.
How much chlorine do you need to shock a pool?
12.5% Liquid Chlorine Pool Shock – Normal Dosage: 1 gallon of shock per 10,000 gallons of water. Shock Dosage: 2 gallons of shock per 10,000 gallons of water.
What is pool shock made of?
Sodium hypochlorite is typically used in liquid pool shock treatments. It has a concentrated formula with an average sodium hypochlorite percentage of 12.5, allowing it to treat up to 20,000 gallons of water per gallon of pool shock treatment.
Can I crush chlorine tablets to shock my pool?
If you've ever wondered how granular chlorine or powder chlorine is made, here's the big reveal. They're crushed up tablets. So if you ever need to quickly chlorinate your pool and are pressed for time, you can crush a few tablets into a fine powder and spread it across your pool.
What can I use instead of pool shock?
Bleach. Also known as sodium hypochlorite, simple household bleach (which contains 5.25 percent of sodium hypochlorite, the active ingredient in bleach) can get stains out of grout that the baking soda couldn't. Bonus Tip: Bleach can also be used to shock a pool.
How much chlorine do you need to shock a pool?
12.5% Liquid Chlorine Pool Shock – Normal Dosage: 1 gallon of shock per 10,000 gallons of water. Shock Dosage: 2 gallons of shock per 10,000 gallons of water.
How much free chlorine is needed for a pool shock?
Pools shocks aim to get the free chlorine levels up to over 5 ppm for a few hours. Doing this ensures up to 10 times more free chlorine in the pool than combined chlorine, which destroys contaminants like chloramines, bacteria, and algae.
What is the difference between shock and chorine?
Another key difference is that chorine is more of a residual cleaner, meaning that it will be added to the pool water slowly for continuous maintenance. Shock, on the other hand, is quick-releasing as it is intended to offer rapid sanitization.
What Does Shock Do?
The primary purpose of pool shock is to raise the levels of free chlorine in the swimming pool. It does this by introducing higher chlorine levels to the pool than what you get with regular chlorine sanitizer.
What is the difference between shocks and regular sanitizer?
The main difference between the two is the dosage, as shocks will have a much higher concentration of chlorine than regular chlorine sanitizers since they need to raise the levels in the pool water fast.
What is the best way to keep pool water clean?
Regular chlorine sanitizers are for keeping the pool water clean and sanitized. They come in tablet, liquid, granular, or powder form, and they are added in small doses to keep the chlorine levels at the recommended 1 to 3 ppm-level.
What are the two chemicals that every pool owner needs?
Pool chlorine and shock are two chemicals that every pool owner will need at some point. Although they have the same active ingredients, they serve different purposes in swimming pools.
Does chlorine clean pool water?
Chlorine cleans and sanitizes the pool water continuously, provided there is enough of it in there. Also, it has oxidation properties that will help keep the pool water clear.
What chemicals are used to sanitize a pool?
Granular chlorine, liquid chlorine, chlorine tablets and granular shock all have similar active chemicals that sanitize your pool.
Can you shock a pool with chlorine?
Unfortunately, you can’t shock your pool using your regular 3-inch chlorine tablets. Common chlorine sanitizing products are great for maintaining chlorine levels, but not necessarily eliminating new waste, bacteria and algae. A good shock product should raise the free chlorine above 5 parts per million for several hours to destroy bacteria ...
Is chlorine the same as shock?
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 to shock a pool?
Shocking a pool is relatively simple. Remove any debris, leaves, and any other dirt from the pool. After this, check the pool’s pH level and adjust it accordingly. When the sun is no longer striking directly on the pool’s surface, proceed to add shock.
What Are Shock Treatments?
Shock treatments utilize chlorine. Shock is a very high dose of chlorine. It is called a shock treatment because it increases the pool’s chlorine levels at a rapid rate. Also, pool shocks usually make use of a powdered form of chlorine.
What is a backwash hose?
Backwash Hose When it comes to pool maintenance, you can expect that a pool filter plays a vital role in removing all the contaminants from going back to the pool. Because of this, you need to... Continue Reading.
Why do you need to cover a pool?
Pool Cover Material To maintain a safe and clean swimming pool, you need to cover them to reduce the cleaning time by removing dirt and debris. Also, people cover their pools to conserve water...
Does shock help with pool water?
Aside from cleaning a pool, shock reduces the cloudiness of the water. It can also remove stains and mold and raise chlorine levels quickly when they are too low.
Can you shock a pool after a long time?
For instance, you would want to shock your pool if you swam in it for almost an entire day. If you had a party and multiple people used the pool, you probably would shock your pool then.
Can you add shock and chlorine to a pool?
Yes, you can add both shock and chlorine to a pool. However, you should not add them at the same time. The best thing to do is to shock your pool first. Then, once the chlorine levels go down to a certain threshold, you can add more chlorine. A Must-Read: How to Select the Best Pool Pump.
How to mix chlorine in pool?
Chlorine, on the other hand, should usually be pre-mixed in a bucket, diluted with water, and then poured evenly around your pool. This helps to protect you from potential splash-back, allow the chlorine to dissolve, and spread the chlorine more uniformly throughout your pool.
What is the difference between chlorine and bleach?
A Clean Pool: Chlorine vs. Bleach. Typical pool chlorine is actually a chemical compound made up of 65% calcium hypochlorite with the remaining 35% made up of calcium and other inert ingredients. Household bleach, on the other hand, is usually only 6% chlorine and a different type at that. Bleach is composed of sodium hypochlorite, water, ...
How much does bleach cost?
Bleach costs roughly $1-3 per gallon (a gallon is 8.35 pounds) in any grocery store, which comes out to $0.35 per pound (on the higher end). A large, 8-pound tub of chlorine granules or powder can cost around $55, which comes out to around $6.50 per pound. Meanwhile, one gallon of liquid pool chlorine will set you back about $30.
What is the best way to sanitize a pool?
Chlorine has long been the most common chemical used to sanitize pools. It’s potent, readily available, and trusted as a conventional cleaner for pools. While chlorine may be the go-to option for pools, however, bleach is the weapon of choice in the battle against germs inside the home.
How much chlorine is in a liter of water?
Studies have shown that if you dissolve 1 gram of chlorine in a liter of water, you’ll get an FAC level of 0.47 grams per liter. If you do the same with bleach, however, you’re FAC level is closer to 0.04.
What is the chemical that disinfects a pool?
This little ion is a bit finicky, however, and will only transform into hypochlorous acid if the pH in your pool water is just right. Hypochlorous acid is the end goal here. This is the chemical responsible for disinfecting your pool through the process of oxidation, in which electrons are taken away from molecules.
Is chlorine better than bleach?
It turns out, however, that pool chlorine is substantially more powerful than household bleach for several reasons.
