In order to have clean and safe water, you need to shock your pool. If you have a robot pool cleaner or other pool maintenance tools, shocking the water aids in getting rid of bacteria, algae, and other contaminants. So here is a handy guide to shocking your pool step-by-step.
What Is The Importance Of Shocking A Pool?
During the years, organic debris, bacteria and algae builds up in your pool and results in cloudy or unsafe water conditions. Pool shock is an addition of a hyper-chlorinated dose of chlorine to decompose contaminants and clarify the water.
How to Shock Your Pool, Step by Step
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Before you begin, gather the materials you’ll need:
Chock for pool (calcium hypochlorite, sodium dichlor or shock without chlorine)
Pool test kit or strips
Protective gloves and goggles
Pre-cleaning pool vacuum and skimmer
Brush for scrubbing pool walls
Step 2: Test Your Pool Water
Test pH, chlorine, and alkalinity levels using a pool test kit. Before shocking, the pH should ideally be within a range of 7.2–7.6 for optimal effectiveness.
Step 3: Clean Your Pool
Use a pool vacuum or skimmer to remove any debris. This makes sure that the shock treatment doesn’t get eaten by leaves or dirt and is at its max efficiency.
Step 4: Determine the Correct Dose of Shock
Check out the product instructions for the appropriate shocking amount for your pool size. A rule of thumb is 1 pound of shock for every 10,000 gallons of water.
Step 5: Prepare the Shock Treatment
If using calcium hypochlorite shock, make sure to dissolve it in a bucket of water before adding it to the pool. Additionally some other types such as sodium dichlor are added directly.
Step 6: Put the Shock in Your Pool
Pour the solution all around the perimeter of the pool — preferably at night, to avoid degradation by the sun. Do not just dump shock directly into the skimmer.
Step 7: Run the Pool Pump
So once shocked, run the pool booster pump, or filtration system for a minimum of 8 hours to evenly disperse the chemicals.
Never leave the vacuum hose in the water and go away.
Use a wall climbing pool cleaner or swimming pool robot cleaner to cleanings any settled debris and algae.
Step 9: Retest the Water
After 24 hours, test chlorine levels. If chlorine is more than 3 ppm, then wait to swim. If algae remain, consider using an algae vacuum for pools or a swim pool robot such as Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra, Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro, or Beatbot AquaSense 2 for some deep cleaning assistance.
Step 10: Regular Maintenance
Shock your pool every 1-2 weeks, particularly following heavy use or rainfall. Maytronics robotic pool cleaners assist in maintaining water quality in between shock treatments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does A Pool Robot Pick Up Algae?
Yes, a pool vacuum robot can be used to clean up dead algae after adding shock to the pool.
If You Are Then, How to Drain an Inground Pool Without a Pump?
You can siphon using a garden hose, but for efficiently draining the water, a pool booster pump works best.
How to Acid Wash a Pool?
Acid wash: A deep cleaning treatment that eliminates hard stains and algae. A professional should be doing it so damage is not done.
Final Thoughts
Shocking your pool is an essential step for keeping your swimming area clean and healthy. With either of these methods and tools such as a robot pool cleaner, you can maintain your pool water crystal clear. Use of products like Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra and maytronics pool cleaner, regular maintenance ensures the pool cleaning and sanitation becomes an easy task.
By: Chris Bates
