Pool Shock? Sounds electrictrifying! Unfortunately for your imagination but luckily for your long-term health there’s no lightning bolts involved. Please do not literally shock your pool with electricity.
Shocking your pool is a more exciting way of saying oxidation. After a chlorine particle attacks and kills bacteria or another organic material in your water, it creates a chloramine. That’s academic language for chlorine that’s lost its fighting spirit and can’t kill anymore bacteria.
This inactive particle merely floats about your water until it can be broken apart through oxidation. You must shock your pool water by adding enough chlorine to reach breakpoint oxidation.
There are four distinct kinds of pool shock you can buy at the online store. It’s crucial to learn the difference between them since they all function differently.
Calcium Hypochlorite
Calcium hypochlorite is the most popular option for chlorine pool shock. This is because it is the cheapest option. It contains about 65% available chlorine.
How do you go about adding calcium hypochlorite to the water? It’s important to know that his type of shock is slow dissolving. It will not completely dissolve before it hits the bottom of your pool. That means it’s absolutely essential that you pre-dissolve every single pound in a 5-gallon bucket of water before adding it to your pool. This will prevent bleaching.
After putting the dissolved calcium hypochlorite into your water, you will need to wait eight hours before swimming. That means it makes the most sense to add it before going to bed. Let your kids know just in case they plan to sneak out for a midnight dip. If some pool hoppers get all bleached, that’s on them.
Lithium Hypochlorite
Lithium hypochlorite contains no calcium. That means it is most typically used in pools that already have a high amount of calcium in the water. Check the calcium levels in your water before buying this option.
It contains about 35% available chlorine and is more expensive than calcium hypochlorite.
But unlike calcium hypochlorite, you don’t have to pre-dissolve lithium hypochlorite. This is a good option if you like to spend a little extra now to save a little time later. However you still need to wait eight hours before swimming. Night time is the best time to wait this out.
Di-Chlor (Granular Chlorine)
Di-Chlor AKA granular chlorine is composed of 60% chlorine. It also contains cyanuric acid, chlorine stabilizer, that prevents the chlorine in the shock from being burnt up by sunlight.
It’s more costly than calcium hypochlorite, but you can use it for regular chlorine dosages and shock treatments. A major benefit to this type of pool shock that you can pour it directly into your water.
Just like lithium hypochlorite you don’t have to pre-dissolve, but you will still have to wait eight hours before swimming again. Mix it in right before you go to sleep.
Potassium Peroxymonosulfate (nonchlorine shock)
While non-chlorine shock is normally used in bromine pools, but you can also use it in chlorine pools as well.
There are many advantages to Potassium Peroxymonosulfate. There’s no need to pre-dissolve, and it works its magic much faster than chlorine based shocks. It only takes 15 minutes before you’re able to swim again.
However, this type of speed isn’t cheap. Potassium peroxymonosulfate can be very expensive. It’s up to you whether that’s worth it.
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