Is sanitizer the same as shock?

SKIMMER NOTES: No. Chlorine and shock are not the same thing.

Shock has a more intense chemical strength than the traditional chlorine sanitizers, and it also differs in how you should apply it to your swimming pool. Short answer: No. Chlorine sanitizers and shock are similar but different in strength.

What is the difference between sanitizer and shock?

Do I need to use both? Chlorine is a sanitizer, and (unless you use Baquacil products) is necessary for maintaining a clear and healthy pool. Shock is chlorine, in a high dose, meant to shock your pool and raise the chlorine level quickly.

What does sanitizer do in a pool?

Sanitizers are used to kill bacteria and inhibit the growth of viruses, algae and other organic contaminants that enter your pool water by way of wind, rain, dust and swimmers. The most common pool water sanitizer is chlorine.

Is sanitizer and chlorine the same thing?

The most common type of pool sanitizer is chlorine. Chlorine has been used to sanitize pools for over a century. It is the most effective ways to purify and disinfect your pool water.

Is Spa shock a sanitizer?

As Spa Shock is MPS based and does not contain additional sanitizer, it is safe to use the spa a short time after adding it to the water.

Which is better: Soap or hand sanitizer? - Alex Rosenthal and Pall Thordarson

Is shocking a hot tub the same as adding chlorine?

Most spa chemical test strips will measure total chlorine. The shocking agent, typically a non-chlorine oxidizer, breaks down the chloramines so that they can help in the sanitizing process. Basically, it becomes chlorine again. There are two types of shocking agents — chlorine and non-chlorine.

Is spa shock and chlorine the same?

Is Spa Shock the same as Chlorine? Sodium dichlor shock is a form of chlorine and can act as both sanitiser and shock treatment. If you're using a chlorine-free shock product like MPS (potassium peroxy-monosulphate), then this will not have any chlorine in it.

Can liquid chlorine be used as shock?

Just because your water is clear, does not mean it is safe to swim in! This is why a high-quality pool testing set from LaMotte or Taylor is an essential part of every pool operator's kit! Shocking a pool with liquid chlorine or a granular pool shock kills or inactivates pathogens and algae.

Can you use shock as chlorine?

There are two types of shock you can use: chlorinated and non-chlorinated. The most commonly used chlorinated shock is a granular version of calcium hypochlorite, which is a 2-in-1 oxidizing and sanitizing chlorine.

Is pool chlorine a sanitizer?

Chlorines. The most common swimming pool sanitizers used to treat swimming pool water release chlorine (hypochlorous acid). Chlorine is very effective in killing or inactivating pathogens and algae in pool water. It also oxidizes other materials that enter the pool from swimmers or the environment.

How often should I add sanitizer to my pool?

In general, if your water is getting cloudy before the treatment and clearing up afterward, then you need to shorten the cycle and/or increase your daily dose of an oxidizing sanitizer. The smaller your pool, the more often you will need to shock. An 800 gallon spa may require daily shock treatments.

What can I use instead of pool shock?

Common unscented household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) works well to shock a pool.

Is shock better than liquid chlorine?

Liquid chlorine is generally less costly than granular shock and comes in refillable containers, where granular shock does not. Liquid chlorine does not need to dissolve in your water as it is already in liquid form. In addition, liquid chlorine is non-scaling and leaves no residue.

What does shock do for your hot tub?

The main reason to shock your hot tub is to clean and clear the water. But it will also: Kill bacteria – Chlorine-based shock treatments sanitise hot tub water and keep it safe for bathers.

Can I use bleach to shock my pool?

Calculate the amount of bleach you need based on the fact that 1 gallon will raise the free chlorine level of 30,000 gallons of water by 2 ppm. If you need to mildly shock a 30,000-gallon pool by raising the free chlorine concentration to 5 ppm, you need 2.5 gallons of bleach. To raise it to 10 ppm, you need 5 gallons.

What happens if you put too much shock in a pool?

Although, if you overdo the shock treatment, you risk getting green hair from chlorine due to the excess chlorine oxidizing the copper in the water. You can execute a shock treatment with a few different types of pool shock, just be mindful of how much you're using.

How long does it take for pool to clear after shock?

Heavy shocking with granular chlorine will generally require 24-48 hours before the chlorine level has dropped to safe swimming levels (below 5 ppm). Lithium and Non-Chlorine shock labels typically allow immediate swimming, but check the package label, to be sure.

Can you use bleach instead of chlorine in a pool?

Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on the formulation. The label on every bleach bottle should tell you the ratio of sodium hypochlorite (and available chlorine) in the bottle to everything else. A higher percentage is generally better, as you'll need to use less bleach to treat your pool.

Why is my pool still cloudy after shocking it?

But if the cloudy water persists long after you've shocked the pool, you're likely having an issue with water balance, circulation, or filtration. Heavy use of a calcium based pool shock (cal-hypo) may increase Calcium Hardness over a period of time, increasing your odds of cloudy water.

What happens if you put too much shock in a hot tub?

You only need a small amount of chlorine to successfully sanitize your spa, so it's possible to overdo it if you're not careful. Too much chlorine can damage your hot tub and irritate your skin, eyes and lungs. Thankfully, reducing the chlorine levels in your hot tub is very easy to do.

Should I shock my hot tub after every use?

Regular hot tub shocking is inevitable to keep your water clean and safe for use. Dead skin and other elements like hair may end up dropping in the hot tub, leaving the tub in a mess. It is essential to shock the hot tub frequently – at least once every week.

Can you use bleach to shock a hot tub?

You never want to use bleach in place or regular chlorine or bromine sanitizing, but you can use bleach to occasionally shock your hot tub water and use diluted bleach to clean the shell of an empty hot tub. Just avoid using liquid chlorine designed for swimming pools.

How long after shock Can you swim?

You should wait one hour per pound of shock product added, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool. As a reminder, you want your pH to be between 7.2 and 7.8ppm and your free available chlorine to be 1-4ppm for safe swimming.