(Newswire.net — April 29, 2019) — There are plenty of factors that can lead to an algae outbreak in your pool, including high temperatures and a sunny day. Without any warning, algae spores can dull the appearance of your sparkling pool into a green mess. Fortunately, you can get rid of the algae by shocking your pool. But you’ve probably already asked yourself how much chlorine to shock in a pool with algae?
How Much Liquid Chlorine to Shock in a Pool with Algae
Although 30 ppm may seem excessive, this is the minimum recommended amount to penetrate the nucleus of the algae cell and break its DNA structure, ultimately killing algae and making it impossible for them to replicate.
Preparation for Shocking
Before starting the shocking process, clean the pool thoroughly. Get rid of leaves and debris floating on top or in the bottom of the pool as they will interfere with the shocking process. If you fail to clean your pool, the chlorine will attack this organic matter instead of the algae. Use a leaf gulper or leaf rake to clean as much debris as you can before shocking the pool.
Chlorine products are efficient at lower pH levels. Adjust the pH to 7.2 by adding an acid. But before adjusting the pH check the alkalinity levels first to ensure that it’s in the range of 80-120 ppm.
Assess the level of the algae as that will determine the amount of shock you’ll need. A pool that’s been neglected for months will require more shocking than a summer bloom that you’ve caught early.
To eliminate algae, experts recommend that you super-chlorinate your pool to 30 ppm. Adding less than this amount can create more combined chlorine and only make the problem worse. Although 30 ppm may seem excessive, this is the minimum recommended amount to penetrate the nucleus of the algae cell and break its DNA structure, ultimately killing algae and making it impossible for them to replicate.
However, bear in mind that chlorine sanitizers come in varying strengths so you’ll need different dosages to yield specific breakpoint dosage results. Most pool shock packages will list directions to add one bag of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water. This may be sufficient for normal conditions, but you’ll need to add more shock for severe algae attacks. If you have a vinyl pool, dilute the chlorine in a bucket before pouring it into the pool.
Shock the pool by adding liquid chlorine to the pool until the water loses its green color and turns blue-ish or blue-gray. Knowing when to shock your pool will also help give you optimal results.
Cleaning Up
After several days, you can vacuum up the shock dust. Alternatively, brush it daily and run the pool cleaner if you don’t have a way to vacuum the pool manually. Use a good quality brush and a pool filter cleaner. You may need to replace the filter cartridge for better results.
Bottom Line
Algae keeps growing, so you need to be consistent and continual until it’s completely gone. It will also hide in the most obscure places such as in the plumbing or under the ladder, which means you have to be vigilant in your efforts. The earlier you stop the algae, the cheaper and easier it will be to get rid of them. Knowing how much chlorine to shock in a pool with algae will help you to ensure you deal with the problem effectively.