Sanitizing a pool involves several different steps. Most people know that chlorine is vital to the cleanliness and safety of a swimming pool, and shock treatment is less familiar but just as important.
Can I add shock and chlorine at the same time? 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.
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This article will explain what chlorine is used for and also what shock treatments are. Aside from this, the article will discuss why these should not be done together and how to shock a pool.
What Is Chlorine Used For?
Chlorine is a sanitizing agent used to clean pool water and clean algae. It also prevents the water from clouding up, so you need it to maintain a clear pool.
It is probably one of the most important things you will ever need in your swimming pool. If you do not treat your pool with chlorine, it will not be safe to swim in.
What Are Shock Treatments?
Shock treatments utilize chlorine. Shock is a very high dose of chlorine, and it is called a shock treatment because it rapidly increases the pool’s chlorine levels. Also, pool shocks usually make use of a powdered form of chlorine.
This sanitation treatment is ideal for widespread contamination or after using a pool for a long time.
For instance, you would want to shock your pool if you swam in it almost every day. If you had a party and multiple people used the pool, you probably would shock your pool then.
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.
Adding Shock And Chlorine Together
While shock treatments do indeed also use chlorine, you should not add them at the same time. There is a specific process for each that you have to follow.
It is best to do these two things separately, so they do not interfere with one another. Something might go wrong, and the chemical treatments could cancel each other out. If this happens, you would have wasted all that effort for nothing.
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.
The pool’s filter should be turned on to ensure shock is evenly distributed. If chlorine levels are still low, you can add additional chlorine or algaecide to the pool.
Conclusion
You should not add shock and chlorine to a pool simultaneously, which may make the chlorine useless. The best thing to do is to shock your pool first.
