A shocking question

[psteward]

This may be way basic for you all - but..
Assuming the pool chems are stabilized and the pool is running well.
Why do we need to shock and how often do we need to do it?

[aylad]

You need to shock to burn off combined chlorine--chlorine that has been "used up" by sanitizing gunk in your water. So when you have CC over .5, or 0 CC but visible algae, or cloudy water, shocking is the first step to getting it cleared up. If the pool chems stay where they need to be, all the time, you'll rarely have to shock.

That being said, I also shock after a large bather load or after a bad rainstorm.

Janet

[PatL34]

Welcome to the forum.

You don't need to shock unless:

1. Heavy bather load

2. Weather conditions have upset the chemistry.

3. Unexpected algae bloom.

With a SWCG there is no need to shock at all.

I think that this is a suggestion from pool stores to help them sell more chemicals, but once your pool chemistry is in balance, there is no need to follow their advice.

[sevver]

How much ppm do you have to raise the chlorine to in order to shock? Now that I am on bleach I have been wondering about shocking with bleach. I seems that you would only have to add more but I may be wrong.

[let_her_flicker]

Shocking is done by taking their chlorine to the upper most limit based on the amount of stabilizer (CYA) in your pool to kill anything waiting to take hold. Why does that happen? A heavy bather load can stress your chlorine to the bottom limit of sanitation or even lower. When that happens, the nasty stuff is not all killed by the chlorine.

I only shock after a heavy bather load by my daughter's friends. I will also shock when we get thunderstorms for a few days in a row. Wind and rain can also introduce nasty stuff into your pool water. I would also shock my pool if a little child using those supposedly water-proof diapers were in my pool or young kids I noticed staying in the pool almost the whole time and never asking to use the bathroom. When testing my water with the FAS-DPD, if I notice any Combined Chlorine, I shock that night.

Mandatory shocking is required if you find a dead animal in your pool or evidence of fecal material or on rare instances, someone can throw up in your pool.

Shocking will keep your water safe for bathers. Again, some like to do maintenance shocking (because they don't experience a heavy bather load) and others shock when they know they need to based on use.

I hope this helps.

[sevver]

I need a test kit for testing the chlorine levels. The one at walmart does not do it. Are there others that will? I don't want to have to wait until the end of summer to get one of Ben's. They sound great and all, but I do have a bit of impatience in me, and I am not good at waiting for things for unreasonable amounts of time.

[Sherra]

How much ppm do you have to raise the chlorine to in order to shock? Now that I am on bleach I have been wondering about shocking with bleach. I seems that you would only have to add more but I may be wrong.

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=365
This thread should answer that question.

[sevver]

Ok, my CYA is around 50, thanks that helps. I will have to do a dilution test in order to test for levels that high though, I need a better test kit. lol