OK:
Here we go on the new board. Sodium Hypochlorite solution is generally all the same, varying only in concentration. Doesn't matter if it's called "Super Shock", "Regular Unscented Bleach", etc.

1 gallon of whatever it's called will add its concentration to 10,000 gallons of water.

So 1 gallon of regular unscented bleach, 5.25% concentration, adds 5.25ppm of Free Chlorine to 10,000 gallons. 1 gallon of 10% solution adds 10ppm, etc. So you can figure that if 1 gallon of 10.5% shock solution costs 3x as much as a gallon of regular bleach it's a bad deal. If it costs 1.5x as much, it's a good deal.

I've gotten shock as high as 26% in 5 gallon carboys. This is really good when you open your pool and need to get you FC up and keep it up to fight off the winter's and spring's contamination and algae.

BUT-----The higher concentrations break down--the higher it is, the faster it breaks down. Heat and light make it worse. Keeping it cool or cold and dark really helps.

Bleach is chlorine, liquid chlorine, liquid shock (if it's sodium hypochlorite) is all the same thing. But watch out for pool store clerks. They'll try to tell you laundry bleach will ruin your pool. It's not true. Just stick to unscented, non-gelling bleach --either "regular" or "Ultra" and you'll be fine.

We try to get people here to recognize that labels don't mean nuttin'. It's all about ingredients.

Go to a pool store and "Alkalinity Increaser" can cost $3/lb. A 4lb bottle will cost $10-$12 dollars. This infuriates me because the ONLY ingredient is Sodium Bicarbonate--Baking soda. I've bought baking soda, you know, Arm&Hammer, at CostCo for $3.50 for a 12lb bag--at the pool store that 12lbs costs you $30 to $36!! And it's the same darn stuff!

If you've fallen into this trap, I say you've been "Pool Stored!"