There’s hardly anyone who can resist a clear, bluish swimming pool. But meeting ends to get there isn’t as easy as it looks. And all of these actions are centred around how to shock a pool efficiently.
Look, you won’t want to let your pool be attacked by algae, bacteria or any other harmful elements, right? To get rid of it, you actually need to shock the pool regularly.
If you’re new to this job, be certain that it’s not a hard nut to crack. It’s super easy to shock a pool. Just stay with us till the end to know the ins and outs of shocking a pool.
Let’s see what we have kept for you!
Things you will need
First up, you’re going to need a few things to start.
- A 5-gallon bucket
- 1 pound Pool shock
- A pair of Rubber gloves
- 1 Protective eyewear
- 1 Stirring stick
- A dust protective mask
It’s not hard to manage these, is it? Then, let’s go to the next!
How to shock a pool: The steps
Now, it’s time to know the steps you will go through.
Step-0: Guard up yourself!
Before you start, practice ‘safety first’. So, put on rubber gloves, face masks and protective eyewear.
Step-1: Switch on your pool
Turn on your swimming pool. Shocking would be better in a running pool.
Step-2: Fill the bucket
Fill the 5-gallon bucket with fresh water.
Step-3: Unpack the shock
Add 1 pound of Shock into the bucket of water. You need one pound of shock for 10k gallons of water. It’s actually for an average sized pool.
Step-5: Use the stirring stick
Stir the shock with the stick. Make sure you do it gently to prevent splashing.
Step-5: Pour the mix into pool water
Okay, you have the shock pre-dissolved in the bucket. That means, you are ready for the main course!
Now, slowly pour it around the edges of the pool. I repeat, do it slowly to stave splashing.
Step-6: Leave the pool alone!
Leave it alone for the next 8-9 hours.
We are done with shocking the pool. See how easy the process is!
You are a bit confused about the shocking product, I guess. So, you need to know what shock you’ll use, right? Chill, let’s grow the idea together!
Choose the perfect ‘pool shock’ for you
There are various types of shocks in the market. You can pick one after knowing what’s what. So, let’s have a look.
1.Calcium hypochlorite or cal-hypo
It’s the most famous and the strongest one and surprisingly, it’s also the cheapest one. So it naturally takes the first place!
Cal-hypo is so powerful that it kills the micro-contaminants and pathogenic bacteria which are very dangerous for pool water. This shock also dissolves into the water quickly.
But never use it during the day because it has enmity with sunlight.
2. Lithium hypochlorite
If there’s enough level of calcium in your water, you can use this one. There’s zero amount of calcium in it.
It also dissolves into the water easily, so, no need to pre-dissolve or dilute it.
3. Sodium dichlor
It’s easy to get as well as easy to use. Thus, it is used by a good number of pool owners.
But, it takes a bit more time to dissolve into water. You must dilute it before pouring into the pool.
4. Non-chlorine shock
Do you have a busy schedule? For this, you can’t wait 8 hours before swimming? If it’s yes, this product is absolutely for you!
Actually, if you have to swim within 15-20 minutes and don’t have time to leave the pool for a long time, it’s the best option. You can directly add it to the pool water and safely swim after 15-20 minutes.
The product’s name is indicating that it’s not a chlorine-based chemical but an oxygen-based one. Since it doesn’t contain chlorine, it’s not an algaecide.
So, yeah, people generally pool their shock with these products. Now, choose yours!
When do you need to shock your pool?
Now see, how often you have to shock the pool.
1. once in a week
People generally shock their swimming pools when overgrown algae are visible. But if you clean it regularly, you won’t pay more hard work in the long run.
2. After a heavy pool party
It’s great to enjoy a pool party. But we turn the fresh, blue water into dirty during a pool party. Many undesirable elements may get into the water. To get back your beautiful swimming pool, you have to shock it.
3. After a big storm
Your pool collects a lot of debris at this time which will easily contaminate the pool water. So, it’s important to shock the pool after a big storm.
4. On an opening day
When you’re all ready to jump in for the new season, you should shock your pool to enjoy the pleasure of swimming into fresh water.
5. When free chlorine levels dropdown
Firstly, Let’s know the 3 types of chlorine. These are-
# Free chlorine (FC): Free chlorine perfectly does the job. It actively disinfects the water. But assure of FC’s level into water. This chemical perfectly works up to 1-3 ppm.
# Combined chlorine (CC): It’s an unwanted one. Actually combined chlorine is old or been used. Thus, it lost the power of disinfecting water. Be sure that it’s level under 0.2 ppm.
# Total chlorine (TC): Simply, TC=FC+CC.
You can easily measure the above-mentioned values with a pool water testing kit.
So, these are the moments when you should shock your pool.
See why shocking a pool is important
Pool Owners consider it as a headache. You need to keep clean the water for avoiding these troubles.
1. To keep your pool algae free
Sometimes, the water turns into a deep green or even black color because of the huge number of algae. You don’t want this type of pool, do you?
2. To prevent water pollution
Your pool may be polluted by perspiration, urine, make-up and etc. To swim into fresh and pollution-free water, it’s important to shock the pool once a week.
3. To keep chlorine’s level perfect
It’s important to keep the chlorin’s level on point (we’ve discussed the measurement before). Pool shock will help to keep the level perfect.
What’s it all about is, shocking the pool is the most important task for a pool owner. So, you never should neglect that.
5 Precautions you should keep in mind
Whatever you do, safety first! Let you know about the precautions and stay away from an accident.
1. Put on protective gear
We have mentioned the goggles and rubber gloves before, never neglect that. Because you need to shock your pool, not yourself!
The strong chemicals can bleach your clothes. For this, you can wear a coat as if it doesn’t splash on your body.
2. Use the chlorine carefully
As we know, chlorine gas can affect our respiratory system. It can cause lung irritation. So, it’s better to wear a mask while using this chemical.
If you don’t want a mask, try not to breathe directly from the containers.
3. Mix the ingredients properly
Here is a very special warning that, don’t ever add water to the shock. Add the shock to water.
4. Stir the stick slowly during mixing
Be very careful about it. During the mixing, stir the stick slowly to seal the chances of accidents.
5. Select a perfect day to shock
Don’t choose a windy day to shock your pool. The gale will let the chemicals splash on you. You will not like it.
So, these are safety-warnings. Always keep your eyes open and follow the above-mentioned instructions. You will have a safe journey, my friend!
Frequently asked questions
Q-1: Day or night? When is the perfect time to shock?
Ans: Basically, the shocking process will take your 30-40 minutes only. But, you have to let your pool run for 7-8 hours.
So, the perfect time is at night or at dusk. The chemicals will be mixing up with the water for the whole night and you can use the pool at dawn. Got it?
Q-2: Can I add the shock directly to pool water?
Ans: If it’s instructed to do, only then you can do this. In general cases, you should not add it directly to the water.
Q-3: Is there anything to do after shocking the pool?
Ans: Yes! You must make sure that the chlorine level is at 3 ppm or less. You also can brush your pool after the shock. It will help to distribute the chlorine properly.
Q-4: May I decontaminate toys with the shock?
Ans: Well, that’s a good idea! You can throw toys into the pool during the shock to decontaminate these also.
These are the most common questions that may peep into your mind. Clear now?
Conclusion
Congratulations! Now, you know how to shock a pool.
Shocking a pool is the matter of a bit jittery. But, we are sure that our recommendations will help you out. You actually don’t have to work hard in the long run, if you do it regularly. So, never put it off for the other weekend.
For the last time, keep the precautions in your head and be careful about the dos and don’ts.
Go for it, friend! Good luck!