Liquid chlorine contains about 10-12.5% available chlorine and one gallon provides 12.5ppm for every 10,000 gallons of water. Make sure your pool's pH is between 7.27.6 and its alkalinity is between 80120 ppm. Additionally, UV rays from bright sunlight will decrease the amount of free chlorine in your pool. Answer: Green color means you have algae in your pool. To kill algae, you need to triple shock your swimming pool using calcium hypo. This means stabilized chlorine lasts more than four times as long as unstabilized chlorine when exposed to the sun. A 1000 gallon pool may just need 0.13 ounces or a little higher. Question: Using Non-chlorine shock in a 210 gallon spahow much and how often? Unstabilized chlorine is usually noted as lacking cyanuric acid, as this is the stabilizer of choice for swimming pool chlorine that is stabilized. It matters a lot. However, if you have severely cloudy pool water with the following signswon't clear easily after adding a lot of chlorine, high combined chlorine (CC) levels (chloramine), or very low free chlorine (FC) and cyanuric acid levelsyou might be having ammonia in your pool, and you need extra work to clear stubborn cloudy pool water caused by ammonia. If youre a new pool owner, all the different chemicals you have to use may be pretty confusing. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on September 02, 2017: Hi Robert, a swimming pool needs shocking regular all seasons including fall. Real chlorine is only available in gaseous form. Disinfection: why should you switch to a UV pool sanitizer? To find out what amount of free chlorine or any other chemical to add to a pool, I use this pool calculator (by Trouble Free Pool) to help me find the correct amount of chlorine to add. You can also use sodium hypochlorite with a 10% chlorine concentration, but not a regular household bleach that comes with low chlorine concentration of 8% and below. AllRightsReserved. In The Swim Cal-Hypo Unstabilized Pool Chlorine Granules - 50 lbs. Getting Your Swimming Pool Ready Part 1, Primo Porcelain Glazed Pizza Baking Stone Review, Suncast Mocha Brown Wicker Resin Trash Box Review, Suncast Deck Box Mocha Wicker Resin Review, Suncast Hose Reel Mocha Wicker Resin Review. Since shocking, my free chlorine is now testing between 1-3, ph level high so not sure if I should add another gallon of chlorine? The combined chlorine level should always be maintained below 0.5 ppmor at 0.0 ppm, if possible. If youre looking for other pool care tips, make sure to read my guide on swimming pool maintenance. Youll have to dilute your pool water to remedy the situation. Most test strips available on the market only measure free chlorine, but you also need to know values of total and/or combined chlorine (free and combined chlorine) before shocking your pool. This information will save you a lot of time battling against yourself and should make you confident that youll continue keeping your pool nice and clear! Make sure to read the instructions carefully and quickly sweep away any grains left at the bottom of the pool. Since then, his mission is to make pool and hot tub care easy for everyone. You can use Muriatic acid to lower both pH and Alkalinity in your pool. One of the best liquid chlorines in the market today is HASA Sani-clor Sodium Hypochlorite. However, if you know what you are doing to balance chlorine and Cyanuric acid it's just fine to use chlorinated tablets. For your convenience, your neighborhood Pinch A Penny offers FREE water testing. Chlorine is the most cost-effective way to sanitize your pool. On the steps where the Ascorbic acid was more direct color is pale green. Using stabilized chlorine will allow you to change the chlorine content less regularly. Pool shock does not contain any cyanuric acid which means that it is unstabilized. Wish us luck! If your pool has higher levels of cyanuric acid, such as 100 ppm, then the required amount of chlorine is going to skyrocket. Hello. Check out this chart below for common brands that make stabilized chlorine. Question: Can I shock my pool on the same day I add calcium hardness? There are many factors that may require you to switch from stabilized chlorine to unstabilized chlorine or visa versa. Many factors can affect your decision, such as budget, pool size, and climate. How to Shock Your Swimming Pool and When You Should Do It. With low existing cyanuric acid levels in a swimming pool, stabilized chlorine added to the water cannot be expected to last long, especially in sunlight. When chlorinating an outdoor pool, stabilized chlorine will last much longer than unstabilized chlorine. When chlorinating outdoor pools, stabilized chlorine is going to be best. Regular bleach is less stronger compared to sodium hypochlorite and is always around 8%you will need to use a lot of it, as compared to sodium hypo. It makes caring for your water easier and less time-consuming. For instance, 10 fluid ounces of 12.5% HASA Sani-Clor or Chloro Guard will provide enough liquid chlorine to raise FC on 10,000 gallons of pool water by 1 ppm. Green water is caused by algae and you need to get rid of the algae as soon as possible using plenty of liquid chlorine. Stabilized chlorine is useful for outdoor pools that get direct exposure to sunlight. It works best with indoor pools where you dont need to worry about the sun. AJH Trade Group also participate in other affiliate programs. While both stabilized chlorine and unstabilized chlorine are both used for chlorinating and disinfecting your pool, they differ in how they achieve that task. Can use for outdoor pools but they must already have stabilizer in the water. Answer: Before adding more chlorine, check and confirm that all chemicals in the pool especial pH, TA, Calcium Hardness, and any stabilizer are all balanced; without doing that free chlorine will not balance. Trichlor has a much higher level of chlorine in comparison to dichlor, but your choice of which exact product to use will ultimately rely on the specifics of your pool. Free chlorine holds the disinfectant properties, so if its not present due to an abundance of cyanuric acid, the pool will not be able to stay clean. Avoid Calcium hypochlorite because it will further raise your CH. If you are chlorinating an indoor pool, cyanuric acid wont be needed to protect the pool from the suns UV rays, so unstabilized chlorine would be best. Controlling the chlorine levels in saltwater pools is easier. owners and the use hereof does not imply their approval or endorsement of Always handle with care and take proper safety precautions, such as wearing gloves and goggles, before handling and when using. We have green growing on the walls only. In case of algae, triple-shock the pool by adding 3 pounds for every 10,000 gallons. Due to the lack of direct sunlight, the problem of chemical breakdown is averted. Keep an eye on the chlorine to make sure it stays at 3 parts per million (ppm), and add chlorine as necessary to maintain that level. With that being said, chlorine does become less effective when stabilizer is present. If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. For outdoor pools, stabilized chlorine is the best way to sanitize your pool. Pls explain. Download my free, printable pool maintenance checklist to help you accomplish regular pool care tasks for any type of swimming pool. Although this isn't always be necessary, to be on the safe side, it is advisable to shock after heavy rain that can alter your pool's pH and add contaminants. AJH Trade Group Australia Pool Equipment | Pool Lifestyle | Pool Heating | Pool Maintenance | Pool Problems. Thats about it! Also, cal hypo increases Calcium and pH levels in water and if you use it daily, your pH, CH, and FC level will be very high in the end. How long should you wait to swim after shocking your pool? 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Before shocking a pool during the fall, you have to do some cleaning using a net and vacuuming equipment to remove dirt. Question: If I add a little water to my pool, do I need to reshock it? Unstabilized chlorine is effective for use in indoor pools. With stabilized chlorine it would take about four days for the available chlorine to reach 0% compared to just 9 hours for unstabilized chlorine. In the past, when stabilized chlorine didnt exist, pool owners would need to add chlorine every single day. He writes in-depth articles about how to maintain pools for optimal enjoyment. 2022 PinchAPenny, LLC. Sodium hypochlorite liquid chlorine by HASA is 12.5% chlorine, calcium, and cyanuric acid free. heating systems, above-ground swimming pools and other swimming pool accessories. Your local Pinch A Penny store associates will refill your liquid chlorine jugs and can provide spill trays so you dont have to worry about a mess! When it comes to chlorinating your pool, knowing which type of chlorine (sometimes in the form of chlorine tablets) to use will lead to less time spent on chores and more time spent enjoying your swimming pool. All you have to do is choose the one that best suits your pools needs. On days when you use your pool heavily, youll want to keep an eye on the chlorine levels. If you absolutely must do it during daytime, use a chlorine stabilizer, such as cyanuric acid, to prolong the life the chlorine. Unstabilized chlorine is simply chemical chlorine. Just be sure to keep the level at or below 100 ppm. Unstabilized chlorine is recommended for indoor pools, but you will still need to check chemical content regularly. Why wouldnt merely increasing the level a bit accomplish the task? Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on June 25, 2020: If it goes green after shocking it, it's possible you have Copper metal in your pool or fillwater causing green stain when chlorine is added. But they're easy to fix. How Long to Wait to Swim After Shocking a Pool, How Much Shock Should You Add to Your Pool, How to Raise Free Chlorine Levels in a Pool. How much chlorine shock should I use? If you keep cyanuric acid in the range of 30ppm-60ppm, your chlorine will work as it needs to sanitize your poll effectively. So the correct amount for a 70K liter pool is 14 litters or 7 bags of chlorine. Over the course of 9 hours, unstabilized chlorine will go from 100% available chlorine to almost 0%. Question: I have a 3,500-gallon pool. Water is brownish/ green. Question: I am using Chlorox XtraBlue Chlorinated Tablets in my small 1200 gallons pool. As unstabilized chlorine is exposed to the sun, the available chlorine levels drop drastically in just a few hours. Pool Stabilizer and The Benefits of Using Stabilized Chlorine. swim gear, swimming pool pumps, motors & filters, automatic pool cleaners, pool *For calcium hypochlorite or powder chlorine, 1 pound is ideal for every 10,000-gallon pool. It depends on the type of shock you use. For indoor pools, you do not need to stabilize the chlorine. Bad green pool. supplies & chemicals, chlorine tablets & shock products, toys, floats & Cyanuric acid never breaks down, meaning it accumulates in the pool. Because pool shock contains no cyanuric acid, it does not stay in your pool longer than it should. With all this new knowledge, you know there isnt a one size fits all solution and that sometimes you may need to switch your chlorination method based on other variables, such as your CYA levels. Each chlorine compound is designed for a specific purpose. But the first step in choosing which one to use is understanding the differences between them. Answer: Free chlorine will not balance when stabiliser is high..you can use cyanuric chlorine chart to know the right ratio to use in your pool. Answer: One gallon of liquid chlorine should be added to a 10,000-gallon pool. When sunlight meets unstabilized chlorine, it breaks down the chlorine within hours and requires you to replace the chlorine more often. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from direct sunlight greatly reduces free chlorine levels, so shocking during the day will not be very effective. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Generally, 0.00013 ounce of chlorine per gallon will raise chlorine level by 1 ppm. If the temperature rises above the recommended levels, you should shock your pool. I just wanted some quick, down and dirty advice on how to treat a previously clear pool which turned cloudy after it had its weekly cleaning/treatment. Used for outdoor pool disinfecting. Understanding the differences between stabilized and unstabilized chlorine products can help make that determination easier. 3 weeks over 100. Barack has expertise in pool chemistry and pool maintenance. You can use this pool calculator to figure out the amount your pool will need: https://www.poolcalculator.com. How to Test Your Pool Water Without a Kit. I followed your ascorbic process to remove stains. It is unbound chlorine that is "free" to sanitize. Using low grade Algaecide like polymer may also be a cause. Both of these types of chlorine are considered unstabilized. When CC goes higher than 0.5 ppm, that is not OK for swimming since FC is too low and the water will not be disinfected. I've just been using some 3 in 1 poo, and spa test trips, which in most cases have been showing me that everything is okay, however now the Ph level and alkalinity are just very, very slightly high and I can't find any information on how to just tweak those levels just a tiny bit in such a small pool to bring it back down to normal. You may need liquid chlorine when your pool has algae or cloudy water. Chlorine levels reduce more quickly when many swimmers use a pool on a consistent basis. Answer: Most non-chlorine pool shocks out there are for weekly maintenance and should be added once a week. Unlike stabilized chlorine, unstabilized chlorine contains zero additives, meaning there is no added stabilizer to the chlorine. The ultraviolet rays will break down the chlorine, leaving your pool in need of more chlorine. Stabilized chlorine is not impacted by the suns UV rays as much as unstabilized chlorine and it will take days before the suns UV rays drastically lower the free chlorine levels. Liquid chlorine or sodium hypochlorite is always around 12.5% chlorine. Just remember that, because theres no stabilizer, it wont remain in your pool for very long. After treatment, you need to wait for eight hours before swimming, but check the manufacturer's instructions on the package to be safe. Stabilized chlorine is a type of chlorine for your pool that contains a stabilizer, such as cyanuric acid. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on August 05, 2017: Hi Ashly, the green stuff is algae. All you need to do is raise the saltwater chlorine generator (SWCG) to boost free chlorine prior to and after heavy usage. Please check your entries and try again. Since Sodium Hypo has low chlorine percentage, it's best for daily chlorinating as compared to cal hypo. One bag of In The Swim cal hypo is always 1 pound, therefore, you need three bags to triple shock a 10,000-gallon swimming pool and get rid of algae. Chlorine generators can be adjusted to increase the amount of chlorine in the pool, for instance, before heavy usage. Note: If you use unstabilized chlorine, you can always add cyanuric acid yourself. 12 and half lbs 24 hrs apart. There are two liquid chlorines that I use and recommend for you. Copper stains are common if you use well water or copper based Algaecide in your pool. Leaves and other debris will likely be washed or blown into your pool. Adding or balancing the chlorine content is an essential job for anyone who uses unstabilized chlorine. Managing a pools chemical content is more straightforward with stabilized chlorine because it loses less chlorine on a daily basis. Lastly, because it has no stabilizer and is strictly chlorine, other chemicals in your pool wont be impacted as they are with stabilized chlorine or even cal hypo. Why Use a Chlorine Diffuser for Your Pool? This will give you an idea of how much shock you need. Cal hypo contains about 40-80% available chlorine and is most commonly found in pool shock. This is because their continued use introduces other compounds in your pool water, including calcium, pH, and cyanuric acid, leading to increased levels of these chemicals in your water. Answer: Yes, but you need to make sure pH and Free Chlorine are stable before adding Calcium hardness. Filtration Time of Pool Pump, How To Calculate? What to Do About a Frozen Pool Pump | How to Unfreeze, How to Clean a Pool Full of Mud or Dirt (Quickly). The graph below shows chlorine degradation with stabilizer when exposed to the suns UV rays. There are so many different types of products and chemicals, it can sometimes get a little confusing, but choosing between stabilized and unstabilized chlorine shouldnt be an issue. If you have lots of people swimming on a daily basis, you should test free chlorine and shock as required every single day and at least weekly when the pool is not very busy. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. However, this technically isn't shocking. pool maintenance for pool owners. Liquid chlorine and granular shock have the same active chemical that sanitizes your pool, what changes is the strength and the way you use it. Stabilized chlorine is not a bad thing, but only when its needed. And does it really matter whether you use one or the other? So if its vulnerable to the sun, why would you use unstabilized chlorine? Our pool is 1 year old and we have had a Huge heat wave this summer. Well dive more into depth on what those situations might be and why you may need to consider a switch at some points. Chlorine is sold as either stabilized or unstabilized form. We're finishing up our easy and straightforward guide to help keep your pool water clean and balanced all season long. To use Sodium Hypochlorite liquid chlorine effectively, measure the right amount for your pool and pour it evenly around. It is not good for daily use for those who have hard fill water or high calcium hardness in their pools, as this will raise calcium hardness beyond the recommended levels for a standard swimming pool. You will need the stabilizer to protect the chlorine from degrading in the sun. Question: What happens when you shock a pool while the stabilizer is high? Here's a quick guide on how long to wait. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on September 04, 2018: Yes, leave the pump and filter running while shocking the pool. This maintenance requires daily measurements of chemicals. Depending on the sort of pool you have, including whether its an indoor pool or not, the type of chlorine you choose should lead to a more efficient disinfecting routine. To raise FC, add enough liquid chlorine to bring your FC level to 12ppm, test FC level after every 3-6 hours and raise it back to 12ppm when it drops. Adding dichlor to a pool with higher cyanuric acids (CYA) will cause the CYA levels to get too high, therefore it is nor great for everyday chlorination. In some cases, FC may drop, but it should not go down passed 2.5 ppm, a level at which CC is 0.5 ppm and is still OK for swimming. Shocking alone will only kill germs and algae; it won't get rid of them. Unstabilized chlorine is most commonly found as: Common brands that produce unstabilized chlorine include: Liquid chlorine, also known as sodium hypochlorite, is found in, you guessed it, liquid form. Most pools are kept at a comfortable level of 86-88 F. I have an above ground pool that is 18 ft diameter by 48 deep. Always add shock to the waternot the other way around. Answer: Use liquid chlorine also know as sodium hypochlorite. Unstabilized chlorine is used for weekly shocking. Before shocking, cleaning, or adding any chemicals after heavy rains, make sure the water level is reduced to the normal volume. It's also one of the strongest shock treatments, coming with 68% calcium hypochlorite and is recommended for use in your pool only to kill algae when there is a breakoutand not for regular or daily chlorination of your pool to maintain free chlorine levels. You also wont have to add as much chlorine as often as you would with unstabilized chlorine. In the end, all types of chlorine will disinfect your pool. Therefore, they are not recommended for daily sanitization, especially when fighting high-pH issues in your swimming pool. you could use either stabilized or unstabilized chlorine, and your pool would still be clean, sanitized, and swimmable? Question: What do you do if you have ammonia in the pool? Having cyanuric acid levels that are too high is one of the biggest problems a pool owner can face. Unstabilized chlorine provides a quick, high concentration, killing bacteria and other nasty things in the water. It is best for daily sanitizing because it lasts longer. Now that we know the difference between stabilized and unstabilized, lets look at the differences between liquid and powdered (or granular) shock. If unstabilized chlorine doesnt have cyanuric acid in it, that means you guessed it! When exposed to the suns UV rays for 9 hours, there is still over 75% available chlorine. Cyanuric acid stabilizes chlorine, making it last longer in the pool. Also, check your levels weekly, as some shock products may affect pH. Something went wrong. With swimming pools, both unstabilized and stabilizedchlorineare usedinterchangeably. Here is how to. The higher the cyanuric acid level in your water, the less effective your free chlorine will be, and the more chlorine you will use in your pool. We have a 10,000 gallon pool and were told to shock it weekly. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on June 03, 2017: Hi Gerri, this article was published purposely for individuals who are green in shocking a swimming pool. We're almost done making an eBook for pool owners like you that want an easy and straightforward guide to keep their pool water balanced and clear with as little work as possible. PO Box 6025 Clearwater, Fl 33758. Make it a routine to shock your pool more often in the summer, when the weather is hot. Shock chlorine, also known as rapid chlorine, restores optimal disinfection of your pool in a minimal amount of time. Lots of lite blue staining. (See the "How to Shock a Swimming Pool" section below to know the exact amount of liquid chlorine you need for your pool.). Suncoast Gold Liquid Chlorinating Shock is the freshest and strongest available today, and has been since 1975! Just test the pool water and add as needed. Kem-Tek liquid chlorine is effective, works fasteras it mixes quickly with waterand is also free of calcium and cyanuric acid. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on July 24, 2019: You got it wrong James. Only use sodium hypochlorite for pool sanitization and calcium hypochlorite for fighting pool algae. This free printable cheat sheet helps keep your inground, above ground, or Intex pool clean and clear without messing with confusing water chemistry. All you have to do is enter your chemical and pH readings. A quick disclaimer: The word chlorine is often used inappropriately, but has become the generic term for the worlds most common sanitizer. They sound pretty much the same, so how different could they be? The article is also divided into different sections and there is a clear guide on how to shock your pool at the bottom section. Further Reading: Liquid Chlorine Vs Tablets Whats Better for Your Pool? Green pool means you have green algae; I hope you got the link to a complete guide on how to get rid of algae in this article. However, in the process, your pH may go down below the recommended level of 7.2: In that case, you will need to aerate your pool to raise the level of pH back to the normal range between 7.2 and 7.8 depending on where you keep your pH. We bought the brand hth super. Barack James (author) from Green City in the Sun on July 09, 2018: If the water is not cloudy, you will need around 0.00013 ounces of chlorine to raise your free chlorine by 1ppm. Their sanitizer also treats algae and bacteria which would indicate a sodium hypo. Question: How many bags of shock treatment for a 70000 litre pool must one use? Make sure the pool water is at its normal level. Dichlor contains more stabilizer (cyanuric acid) than trichlor and is typically found in granular form and dissolves quickly. And each year, he continues to help more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting. It needs to be pre-dissolved before it is used, since it is in powder form. This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. Answer: I always recommend using liquid chlorine(sodium hypochlorite) to shock your pool every evening because it does not raise Cyanuric acid like tablet chlorine. https://dengarden.com/swimming-pools/clearing-up-a https://dengarden.com/swimming-pools/How-to-Clear- https://www.troublefreepool.com/content/114-poolma https://dengarden.com/swimming-pools/Lowering-Tota Find out the volume of your pool. The type of pool shock to use in your pool will depend on what you need to achieve, which may include clearing cloudy water, killing germs/bacteria, or fighting pool algae. Calcium hypo has over 60% chlorine and that is why it's best weekly shock or killing algae. If cyanuric acid levels get too high, chlorines effectiveness will be diminished. We may earn a small commission. It is advised to be used as a remedial treatment: iopool offers very high quality, stabilized shock chlorine (99.7% active ingredient) in its range of cleaning products, made in California.Please note that with each EcO START Pack, you receive 5lbs of Shimmer N Shock fast chlorine. As you can see, the degradation of the chlorine when there is stabilizer present in the water is much slower over the course of 9 hours as compared to unstabilized chlorine.