How Often Should You Shock A Salt Water Pool

Saltwater pools apply regular table table salt to create chlorine, past passing the slightly salty water over two electrically charged plates, called the Common salt Cell. Salt systems are as well called salt chlorinators or chlorine generators.

Afterwards the chlorine has fought the good fight, disinfecting the water, it returns over again to salt, and the process can begin all over again. But what virtually shocking a saltwater pool? Tin can you use the salt prison cell to stupor, or should you lot apply puddle shock? And what type of pool shock is best for a salt pool?

When to Shock a Saltwater Pool

In regards to how often to daze a saltwater pool, information technology's no different from other chlorine pools. There are 3 valid reasons for shocking a pool, to Remove Chloramines, Remove Algae and to Remove Contaminants.

To Remove Chloramines. Test your pool water with a DPD exam kit, like the Taylor Deluxe, or use Test Strips that examination for both Gratis and Total Chlorine. If the Total Chlorine test is noticeably darker than the Free Chlorine test, shock the pool heavily, to remove the combined chlorine molecules (Chloramines; Total Chlorine – Free Chlorine = Combine Chlorine). When the chloramine level is 0.3 ppm or higher (only a bit darker on the Total Chlorine test), it'due south fourth dimension to stupor the puddle – to remove the buildup of combined chlorine.
To Remove Algae. Chlorine is a great algaecide, and is the best mode to rapidly remove algae – whether you lot have modest spots in out of the style places, or a very green puddle. For isolated spots of algae, scrub them difficult with a steel bristled brush, and sprinkle chlorine granules over pinnacle of the expanse (plaster pools only). You can also scrub blue/greenish and black algae heads with a Trichlor chlorine tablet. For an all-over algae flower and green h2o, rest the chemistry and shock the pool heavily, to impale algae, and restore a blue-ish color to the puddle.
To Remove Contaminants. If your pool has suffered contamination from a "Fecal Blow", Vomit or Claret. Or, if large amounts of soil or dirt has washed into the pool. Or, if you lot have just hosted a large pool party, with heavy pool use – you lot will want to shock the puddle heavily to remove any disease causing pathogens, and organic matter that could fuel algae growth or stain the pool. Heavy Oil or Soap contamination is best treated start with an Enzyme to bring information technology under command, followed a few days later by shocking.

super-pool-shock-intheswim Granular pool daze can likewise be used in a saltwater puddle to remove surface stains caused by organic materials (leaves, worms, dirt). Information technology likewise is very useful to heighten chlorine quickly, if the level has dropped dangerously low, or when pool equipment (pump, filter, common salt system) is not working properly, and is unable to create chlorine.

How to Shock a Saltwater Pool

Just like whatever other chlorine pool, shocking a saltwater pool is no different.

Balance the Chemistry: Before you add daze to the pool, information technology's important to examination and adjust (if needed), your pH, Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness levels. If pH is high, chlorine is very slow to react, and less potent. If Calcium levels are also high, crystalline deposits could class. If Metals like copper and fe are loftier, shocking the pool can cause a temporary (sometimes permanent) staining. Be sure to test your level of cyanuric acid (stabilizer), and if over 20ppm, add together 50% more shock. If over 40 ppm, double the dose.
Calculate the Dosage: Adding the correct amount of shock is of import if you lot are trying to kill total-scale algae blooms or remove chloramines from the puddle. If you do not add plenty, to reach "breakpoint chlorination", approximately 30 ppm – the result volition not be complete. If using granular pool daze (Cal Hypo), use 3 lbs per 10000 gallons, for a consummate daze that will impale anything in the pool. If using vi% liquid chlorine bleach, add 5 gallons per 10000 gallons.
Add together the Stupor: With the filter system running, and the pH on the low side, 7.ii-7.4, add the chlorine (granular or liquid) slowly to the puddle, dispersing information technology around the puddle border, or broadcasting the pool stupor over the surface. Vinyl pools, Painted Pools and Fiberglass pools should pre-dissolve Cal Hypo shock by pouring 1-two lbs at a time, into a five gallon saucepan filled with water. Stir it with a stick until dissolved, and so pour it around the pool edge, being conscientious to not let undissolved granules at the bottom of the saucepan to skid into the pool.

You can turn downward the Salt Prison cell production at this point to a low level, as the daze will probably last a few days. Examination the chlorine level the post-obit morning, and information technology should even so be sky-high. If not, that means that something has consumed all of the chlorine, and another shocking of the pool is in society.

Can I use My Salt Prison cell to Daze the Pool?

just add salt to the pool Many Salt Chlorinators have a Super Chlorinate or Shock button – even so, using your common salt cell to shock the puddle places a heavy demand on the Salt Cell, shortening information technology's lifespan.

In add-on, most table salt systems placed in "Shock Mode" will merely raise the FC level past a few clicks – up to five-7 ppm. Information technology also does it very slowly, which will not have the desired outcome of killing algae, removing chloramines or pathogens.

Unless your Salt Arrangement is extremely oversized for the pool size, such as a 50000 gallon table salt arrangement on a 15000 gallon pool – the Stupor feature is best used for Superchlorinating purposes, and not for Shocking the pool. Superchlorinate later rainstorms or heavy pool employ, simply for algae, chloramines or contamination, you will need to use packaged pool shock.

In summary, shocking a saltwater pool is no different than shocking whatever other chlorine pool. Despite what the sales brochures or salesman said, a salt chlorinator does non replace the need for chemicals, including occasional use of chlorine products.