Can You Use Clorox As A Shock.

[Carl.F]

Is it possible to use Clorox as a liquid shock? If so, how much and how to distribute? We are talking about a 20x40 inground. So I guess that is approx 33,000 gallons.

I have been told by 2 different co-workers that they periodically use clorox to shock their pools.

Thanx,

Carl

[chem geek]

Yes you can use Clorox Regular unscented bleach (6% sodium hypochlorite; 5.7% Available Chlorine) to shock or for regular chlorine dosing. Add it slowly over a return flow with the pump running at the deep end and if a vinyl pool, lightly brush the side and bottom after you've added it to ensure thorough mixing. However, you may not need to shock at all. If you constantly maintain proper chlorine levels, you usually do not need to shock the pool.

[hotspringer]

This seems a good thread to piggy-back my question about bleach.

I have naturally hot spring water going to several concrete pools. The natural turn-over rate is slow because the water is hot, 118F. Three gallons per minute maintains a thousand gallon soaker at 103.

I've used cheap bleach for many years to 'cure the green', but have never used or owned a test kit and really don't know where I stand.

The water is tested as having the following: all mg/L

chloride 53.0

calcium 1.79

sodium 73.7

sulfate 21.4

hardness 4.48

Ph 9.1

tds 282.1

Is there a commercial chemical that would be more effecient or effective at what is effectively a periodic shock treatment?

I've never been in a pool store. How are cost compared to wholesale grocery stores for bleach?

Any help is much appreciated.

[chem geek]

6% unscented bleach (or in some cases chlorinating liquid) is the least expensive approach to sanitation or to periodic shock treatment. Non-Chlorine shock (MPS) is far more expensive (by several times).

Are you sure about the numbers? The Calcium Hardness and Total Hardness levels are awfully low. They are more likely to be 179 and 448 ppm, respectively, though the TDS number is inconsistent with the others no matter how I look at the numbers.

So it sounds like you don't use a sanitizer and just shock every now and then. That's taking a risk since having no sanitizer in the pool at all can result in fairly rapid bacterial growth, especially at higher temperatures.