| y"> | | | | All three shocks are available in convenient 1 lb. |
| Anytime a pool is getting heavy use chlorine levels | | | | pouches or in pails up to 50 lbs. Cal hypo is the |
| will drop as free chlorine combines with | | | | cheapest and most popular, lithium the most |
| contaminants and forms chloramines. Chloramines | | | | expensive and least used. Dichlor is mid priced and |
| cause that heavy "chlorine" smell any swimmer | | | | widely available. All three types require the pool to |
| knows and loves. Though attributed to too much | | | | be closed until chlorine levels drop below 3 ppm. |
| chlorine it's actually the best indicator that chlorine | | | | Non Chlorine shock |
| is way too low! The pool needs a big dose of | | | | A relatively new development, non-chlorine shock |
| chlorine right away or bad things will happen. This | | | | has proved to be a popular choice with many pool |
| is where pool shock comes to the rescue. | | | | owners primarily because the pool can stay open |
| Designed to add lots of chlorine in just minutes | | | | for use even after shock is added. Pretty cool, |
| shock products are often the same stuff you use | | | | huh? |
| day to day but in a different form. There are | | | | Sort of. Non-chlorine shock, as one might expect, |
| two kinds of shocks; chlorine based and | | | | contains no chlorine. If chlorine is what a pool |
| non-chlorine. Each is useful but in different | | | | needs how does this stuff do any good? The |
| situations. | | | | active ingredient in non-chlorine shock is potassium |
| Chlorine shock | | | | monopersulfate or PMP. It has little if any oxidizing |
| Chlorine shock comes in three forms; calcium | | | | potential but it does do something pretty neat. |
| hypchlorite (Cal Hypo), sodium dichlor ()Dichlor) or | | | | PMP actually frees chlorine bound up in chloramine |
| lithium hypochlorite(Lithium). Cal hypo and dichlor | | | | compounds and makes it available to sanitize |
| were discussed in Part One of this series as | | | | again. And the pool can stay open while this |
| regular sanitizers. Lithium hypochlorite is only used | | | | miraculous process takes place. There is a catch. |
| as a shocking agent. In each of these products | | | | Often after prolonged summer use pool water |
| the chlorine molecule is carried or bound to a | | | | has little or no chlorine or chloramines. Sunlight and |
| different substance; lithium, sodium or calcium. | | | | bather load has used up almost everything. Adding |
| Lithium and sodium dissolve nicely in pool water, | | | | non-chlorine shock at this point will do nothing |
| calcium doesn't so lithium and dichlor can be added | | | | because the PMP has nothing to work with. Make |
| directly to a pool while calcium should be dissolved | | | | sure to take a total chlorine reading before using |
| in a bucket of water before adding. If not | | | | non-chlorine shock. If total chlorine is low use a |
| pre-dissolved Cal Hypo will settle to the bottom | | | | shock containing chlorine. |
| and bleach lots of nice little white spots on a vinyl | | | | Using Shock Properly |
| liner. | | | | -Regardless of the type used it's best to add |
| A shocking agent is meant to be a quick fix. The | | | | shock when people are done using the pool for |
| chlorine level is raised to a level as high as 10 ppm | | | | the day. The overnight hours are best because |
| (parts per million), too high for swimming. Since | | | | unstabilized chlorine will last longer. Remember to |
| unstabilized chlorine is quickly burned out by | | | | run that filter. |
| sunlight, cal hypo and lithium are nice shock agents | | | | -Always try to verify that shocking your pool has |
| as they are both unstabilized. Dichlor, however, is | | | | pushed chlorine levels to at least 5 ppm. Lower |
| stabilized and will hang around for up to six hours. | | | | concentrations won't do a proper job and could |
| Dichlor is fine but don't plan on using the pool for a | | | | lead to trouble. |
| while. | | | | -It's good practice to pre-dissolve shock before |
| Dichlor and Cal Hypo both pack a powerful punch | | | | adding to the pool even if it's lithium or dichlor. |
| with 56 and 65 percent available chlorine | | | | Always add shock to water NOT water to shock. |
| respectively. Lithium usually provides 35 percent | | | | -Remember, non-chlorine shock WILL NOT WORK |
| and is a relatively weak sister requiring a heavier | | | | if chlorine levels are too low. |
| dose for the same results. | | | | |