How to Shock a Swimming Pool?
What is pool shock?
Chloramines form when the chlorine in your pool mixes with the nitrogen in sweat, oils, and bodily fluids. This is a natural chemical process where chloramines are essentially a byproduct of chlorine sanitising your pool water.
In addition to giving your pool a strong smell, too many chloramines can also irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory system. By shocking your pool, you’re adding enough chlorine (or other chemicals) to clean the water and destroy the buildup of chloramines. This process is also known as superchlorination.
Pool Shocking Tips
- Balance pH to 7.2 – 7.4 before shocking for the most powerful effect.
- Shock your pool after the sun goes down to reduce the effects of UV degradation.
- Add pool shock separately, as it can destroy or disrupt other treatment chemicals.
- Never allow pool shock to mix with any other pool chemical, even the same type.
- Never store opened bags of shock, which can spill. Use the entire bag at one time.
- Never allow pool shock to become hot, moist or contaminated with dirt or debris.
- Never pour pool shock into the skimmer, pre-dissolve for use in vinyl liner pools.
- Brush the pool after shock, and filter the water for at least 8 hours afterwards.
- If the chlorine level is zero within 8 hours of shock, shock your pool again harder.
When and why should I shock my pool?
- To reduce the build-up of micro-contaminants and organic matter
- To destroy both harmless and pathogenic bacteria in the water
- To remove combined chlorine molecules, aka chloramines
- To kill algae blooms or to treat cloudy pool water
Shocking your pool in 6 steps:
1. Check the pH level and adjust, if needed, to a low-range pH of 7.1-7.3.
2. Clean the pool to remove leaves and debris, remove pool cleaner.
3. Determine how much shock is needed to fix the situation.
4. Add shock directly to the pool, vinyl pools should pre-dissolve chlorine shock.
5. Add shock when the sun is not shining directly on the pool.
6. Run filter and brush pool to help distribute and circulate the shock.
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