It is always recommended to mix and dilute your shock with a small amount of water in a bucket before you add it to your pool. Ensure your pool pump and filter are running at full speed to help mix the shock more effectively. Keep it running for 8 - 12 hours after you’ve shocked it, to ensure it’s properly distributed throughout your system.

During the swimming season, you should shock your pool once a week. However, you should also shock your pool after heavy use, rainstorms, or algae blooms. A good way to see if you need to shock your pool is to use a pool testing kit to test your available chlorine.

For regular maintenance, you can use regular shock. If you see algae starting to grow, then you will want to use a chlorine shock or super shock. If the algae bloom has already grown, try using super shock, or if it’s severe, then try mega shock.

The amount of shock to use depends on how large your pool is, why you’re shocking your pool, and what type of shock you’re using. The bag your shock comes in will always have a recommended amount, but here is a rough estimate to base your measurements on:

• For closing, use 1 lb shock per 10,000 gallons of water; however, you can increase this ro 2 - 3 bags if you have algae
• Ro boose your chlorine levels, use ½ lb for every 10,000 gallons of water
• If your water is cloudy, use 1 lb for every 10,000 gallons of water
• For treating algae, use 2 - 3 lbs. for every 10,000 gallons of water, depending on how severe the algae is

Store your pool shock in its original container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and moisture. Ensure it’s out of the reach of children and pets, stored in a tightly closed container to prevent water damage and other reactions.

You will want to ensure that your pH is within the proper range, between 7.2 and 7.6, to maximize the effectiveness of your pool shock.

Like any chemical, shock can be dangerous and should always be handled with care. Always follow the instructions on the packaging carefully. When working with shock, wear goggles, gloves, and a protective mask. Do your best to avoid inhaling from the containers and never mix different types of pool shock. Always store your pool shock in a cool, dry area, away from other chemicals, to prevent unwanted reactions.

The difference between shock, super strong, and mega shock lies in their active ingredients, the amount of each ingredient, and the available chlorine content.

Sodium Dichlor shock is composed of 99% sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate as the active ingredient, and has an available chlorine content of 55.5%. It doesn’t burn off as quickly, and should only be used consistently if you have a high calcium content in your pool.

The active ingredient in Super Shock is calcium hypochlorite. It’s composed of 68% calcium hypochlorite and has a 65% available chlorine content. Super shock should be used when you have cloudy water or you notice algae growing in your pool.

Mega Shock is the strongest type of shock with 73% calcium hypochlorite as the active ingredient and an available chlorine content of 70%. This should be used when you have a significant algae bloom and want to address it with the strongest available shock.