Shocking

[Nitro]

There seems to be some confusion about the process of "Shocking", so I'll try to clarify. This only applies to Chlorine, not Bromine.

Shocking is nothing more than CATCHING UP when you fall behind adding Chlorine. If you add enough chlorine (which IS Shocking) during/after soaks you should never have to catch up (Shock) when not in use. In other words, Shocking means nothing. You could even say you shock every time you add Chlorine.

If you don't use enough Chlorine (fall behind), your Chlorine Demand will rise, requiring more Chlorine. This is when you hear you need to "Shock". What you're really doing, is Catching Up. There takes a set amount of Chlorine to sanitize/oxidize the tub after each use. e.g. Pay me now, or pay me later. That means you'll have to add that set amount of Chlorine either now or later, but you will have to add it. Better to add it now, than to wait until later.

My advice, forget about the term "Shock". It is nothing more than the addition of Chlorine, which is what you do everyday. Instead learn about Chlorine Demand (CD), in my link below. If you know your CD, you know if you've fallen behind and need to Catch Up. You'll also know HOW MUCH you're behind, and HOW MUCH Chlorine you need to add.

Lastly, if you find you're having trouble keeping up (i.e. during high bather loads), you can use MPS to help out. MPS will help oxidize waste, and break up Combined Chlorine (spent Chlorine). But make no mistake, if you use enough Chlorine, you don't even need MPS. e.g. You can keep a perfectly sanitized tub with just Chlorine, never needing to "Shock".

[rckymtntim]

Thanks for the info. I was told to put in extra dichlor once a week. I always keep a close eye on on my chlorine levels. my CD is about 70% approx., 30% chlorine used in a day without a soak. So is my CD 30% or 70%?Rarely does the reading go below 3ppm. My water has been crystal clear all the time. Next fill I will be switching to your bleach method.

Again thanks for all your advice.

[Nitro]

Chlorine Demand is the percentage of Chlorine you use in one day. Your's would be 30%, and is good. Keep up the good work.

[Maxemily]

So, there will never be CC to address?

If there is CC how would it be corrected?

[RMS]

There seems to be some confusion about the process of "Shocking", so I'll try to clarify. This only applies to Chlorine, not Bromine.

Shocking is nothing more than CATCHING UP when you fall behind adding Chlorine. If you add enough chlorine (which IS Shocking) during/after soaks you should never have to catch up (Shock) when not in use. In other words, Shocking means nothing. You could even say you shock every time you add Chlorine.

If you don't use enough Chlorine (fall behind), your Chlorine Demand will rise, requiring more Chlorine. This is when you hear you need to "Shock". What you're really doing, is Catching Up. There takes a set amount of Chlorine to sanitize/oxidize the tub after each use. e.g. Pay me now, or pay me later. That means you'll have to add that set amount of Chlorine either now or later, but you will have to add it. Better to add it now, than to wait until later.

My advice, forget about the term "Shock". It is nothing more than the addition of Chlorine, which is what you do everyday. Instead learn about Chlorine Demand (CD), in my link below. If you know your CD, you know if you've fallen behind and need to Catch Up. You'll also know HOW MUCH you're behind, and HOW MUCH Chlorine you need to add.

Lastly, if you find you're having trouble keeping up (i.e. during high bather loads), you can use MPS to help out. MPS will help oxidize waste, and break up Combined Chlorine (spent Chlorine). But make no mistake, if you use enough Chlorine, you don't even need MPS. e.g. You can keep a perfectly sanitized tub with just Chlorine, never needing to "Shock".

Thanks for much for the "No Need To Shock" info. I think shocking is, most of the time, a waste of money and time. If you keep your chlorine to the proper level, and everything else, ph, alk. hardness, then there's really no reason to shock. It's way overdone and the only one that benefits from shocking are the chemical companies.

http://www.clean-pool-and-spa.com/swimming...l-chlorine.html

[Nitro]

So, there will never be CC to address?

Not if you use enough Chlorine during/after soaks, and keep your CD down.

If there is CC how would it be corrected?

If there is CC, that means you've fallen behind, and need to Catch Up. i.e. "Shock" However, it's best not to let that happen, and add enough Chlorine to begin with.

[tony]

Shocking is the process of eliminating combined chlorine. It is accomplished by either adding enough chlorine to reach "breakpoint chlorination" or by adding non chlorine shock. As Nitro mentioned, if you keep up with a good chlorine regiment, you may not have to shock and this is the best situation. If CC does form, then shocking is the only way to eliminate it and if you shock with chlorine, you need to add enough to reach breakpoint (10 times CC level). Failure to do this may give you cloudy water and/or a "chlorine" smell to the water. A weekly "maintenance shock" with either chlorine or non chlorine shock is a good insurance policy if you don't want to always check for CC...otherwise shock as needed when CC is present. The sooner you shock, the less product needed.

[Fungi]

Shocking is the process of eliminating combined chlorine. It is accomplished by either adding enough chlorine to reach "breakpoint chlorination" or by adding non chlorine shock. As Nitro mentioned, if you keep up with a good chlorine regiment, you may not have to shock and this is the best situation. If CC does form, then shocking is the only way to eliminate it and if you shock with chlorine, you need to add enough to reach breakpoint (10 times CC level). Failure to do this may give you cloudy water and/or a "chlorine" smell to the water. A weekly "maintenance shock" with either chlorine or non chlorine shock is a good insurance policy if you don't want to always check for CC...otherwise shock as needed when CC is present. The sooner you shock, the less product needed.

Hi Tony,

Let me explain my set up briefly.

450 gallon Jacuzzi with ozonator with restrictor removed by tech when original clogged. I'm using Chlorox method, but got into it late so the CYA is a little high. I have learned a lot from reading here, for example I now have no trouble getting my TA down without effecting PH! Have used test strips forever but wanted to have better control. Got this ColorQ PRO 7-PLUS Professional Hand-Held Water Analyzer and really like it.

Here is the problem. When I measure CC it's from 0.93 to 2.05. I have shocked with chlorine and non chlorine methods with no relief. It's almost like the CC measurement is random. For example I shocked to 12ppm with Chlorox and the following night CC measured 1.4. The makers of the tester have sent me new reagents but the problem is the same. It must be something I'm doing wrong. Waddya think?

http://www.lamotte.com/pages/pool/colorqs.html

Edit: Wait... my CYA is like 100 so the Chlorine is not as effective. Does this mean I need to shock to even higher levels like 20ppm?

[Fungi]

Thought about just getting one of the Taylor K-2006 tester just to know wth is going on here. $60.00 is a little much to quell my curiosity though. Plus it has a very limited range compared to the one I have. Thoughts?

[Nitro]

Edit: Wait... my CYA is like 100 so the Chlorine is not as effective. Does this mean I need to shock to even higher levels like 20ppm?

BINGO! I bet that's your problem. You can try the Super Shock I posted in the other thread, but I recommend doing a water change, and starting over.

[Nitro]

Thought about just getting one of the Taylor K-2006 tester just to know wth is going on here. $60.00 is a little much to quell my curiosity though. Plus it has a very limited range compared to the one I have. Thoughts?

I'm not sure the one you have, but you can't go wrong with the Taylor K-2006. It's what I use.

[tony]

Shocking is the process of eliminating combined chlorine. It is accomplished by either adding enough chlorine to reach "breakpoint chlorination" or by adding non chlorine shock. As Nitro mentioned, if you keep up with a good chlorine regiment, you may not have to shock and this is the best situation. If CC does form, then shocking is the only way to eliminate it and if you shock with chlorine, you need to add enough to reach breakpoint (10 times CC level). Failure to do this may give you cloudy water and/or a "chlorine" smell to the water. A weekly "maintenance shock" with either chlorine or non chlorine shock is a good insurance policy if you don't want to always check for CC...otherwise shock as needed when CC is present. The sooner you shock, the less product needed.

Hi Tony,

Let me explain my set up briefly.

450 gallon Jacuzzi with ozonator with restrictor removed by tech when original clogged. I'm using Chlorox method, but got into it late so the CYA is a little high. I have learned a lot from reading here, for example I now have no trouble getting my TA down without effecting PH! Have used test strips forever but wanted to have better control. Got this ColorQ PRO 7-PLUS Professional Hand-Held Water Analyzer and really like it.

Here is the problem. When I measure CC it's from 0.93 to 2.05. I have shocked with chlorine and non chlorine methods with no relief. It's almost like the CC measurement is random. For example I shocked to 12ppm with Chlorox and the following night CC measured 1.4. The makers of the tester have sent me new reagents but the problem is the same. It must be something I'm doing wrong. Waddya think?

http://www.lamotte.com/pages/pool/colorqs.html

Edit: Wait... my CYA is like 100 so the Chlorine is not as effective. Does this mean I need to shock to even higher levels like 20ppm?

High CYA could quite possibly affect your CC measurement. 0.93 to 2.05 is very minimal. I would not worry too much about it. I like to use a maintenance dose of non chlorine shock on a weekly basis. I use 2 tablespoons of the non buffered type. The nice thing about MPS is if you add too little, it will oxidize what it can. If you add too much, it waits for something to do its work on. You can't screw it up. When you shock with chlorine, you must hit the required level to have it work. Then you must wait for the level to drop to use the spa. The advantage, though, is superchlorination of the spa.

[Nitro]

High CYA could quite possibly affect your CC measurement. 0.93 to 2.05 is very minimal. I would not worry too much about it. I like to use a maintenance dose of non chlorine shock on a weekly basis. I use 2 tablespoons of the non buffered type. The nice thing about MPS is if you add too little, it will oxidize what it can. If you add too much, it waits for something to do its work on. You can't screw it up. When you shock with chlorine, you must hit the required level to have it work. Then you must wait for the level to drop to use the spa. The advantage, though, is superchlorination of the spa.

It's not the high CYA effecting CC directly. It's because high CYA is reducing the effectiveness of the Chlorine. Therefore, CC is buillding up.

Although Fungi could continue on this fill, he would have to use 3 times as much Chlorine to get the same effectiveness as if CYA were 30 ppm. Why bother? I say refill and start over. I think he will be much happier.

I do agree MPS is an excellent addition to use when CC (or CD) build up, or to prevent it from happening. I use MPS before/during hot tub partys to help out the Chlorine. However, if it's just two people using the tub, I don't bother with it.

[Fungi]

Thanks Tony and Nitro,

This really does help me. Although I don't want to I will do a refill. I will let you guys know if this solves my CC measurement issues. The tub hasta be a little more easy on the skin with a lower cya too! Thanks again and sorry to be such a pain...

[Nitro]

Thanks Tony and Nitro,

This really does help me. Although I don't want to I will do a refill. I will let you guys know if this solves my CC measurement issues. The tub hasta be a little more easy on the skin with a lower cya too! Thanks again and sorry to be such a pain...

If you wait to refill, just remember to shock to 20-30 ppm, and add more FC during/after soaking than you have been.