Best Pool Shock – Buyer’s Guide and Reviews

If you’re a pool owner, you know that maintaining your pool’s cleanliness and clarity is crucial for a safe and enjoyable swimming experience. One of the most important steps in pool maintenance is using pool shock, a powerful oxidizing agent that helps eliminate bacteria, algae, and other contaminants in your pool water. But with so many pool shock options available on the market, how do you know which one to choose?

In this blog post, we’ll explore the best pool shock options and what to consider when selecting the right one for your pool. We’ll cover factors such as strength, type, and cost-effectiveness, as well as provide tips for using pool shock safely and effectively. So, whether you’re a seasoned pool owner or just starting out, read on to learn everything you need to know about the best pool shock for your pool.

1. Aqua Chem Shock Xtra Blue – Best Shock for Pool

Aqua Chem Shock Xtra Blue for Swimming Pools sells a five-pack of one pound bags for a very low price. This shock will kill both bacteria and algae in your pool’s water. Aqua Chem Shock Xtra Blue also helps to create sparkling water. It can be used in any pool type. The product reduces the odor of chlorine and lessens irritation caused to the eyes. Aqua Chem Shock will not increase the pH level of your pool water.

This shock allows you to get back in the pool faster than other options available. Aqua Chem Shock Xtra Blue quickly eliminates bacteria and algae and includes extra ingredients that help clear cloudy water.

This is a cheap buy for five pounds of shock. If you are going to be needing this much over the course of a season, it is a good option. The extra chemicals that make your pool water sparkle and the ability to reduce the odor of chlorine and help lessen eye irritation are great benefits of this product as well.

Best Way to Shock a Pool

2. In The Swim – Best Pool Shock Treatment

The In The Swim Pool Shock contains over two-thirds calcium hypochlorite, and 24 one pound bags are being sold together. The price is at only a few dollars a pound for this powerful and effective shock treatment. A single bag is used for every 10,000 gallons of water a week.

In The Swim Pool Shock provides a quick boost of chlorine when you need it. This is a great product to begin the swim year off with and to boost chlorine levels quickly. Make sure that you mix this product in a bucket of water to dissolve it before pouring it in the water.

3. Doheny’s Super Shock – Best Cal-Hypo Pool Shock

Doheny’s Super Pool Shock contains the active ingredient calcium hypochlorite that helps clear out the most contaminated pools. This is also a deal that includes 24 one pound bags together at one great low price. It is very comparable to the In The Swim Pool Shock with roughly the same percentage of the active ingredient.

The shelf life of this product is said to be between two and three years which can make it a valuable purchase. If you are buying enough for a single year and you go over a bit, the product won’t be wasted. These one pound bags are enough for 10,000 gallons of water and can be used weekly.

This is another great pool shock product at a great price. It is cheap, effective, and can last up to three years.

4. Clorox Pool & Spa Shock Xtra Blue Review: Best Pool Shock for Algae Killing

The Clorox Pool & Spa Xtra Blue is a powerful shock that has a few extras included. Instead of being in bags, this product comes in a bottle that is easy to pour. This makes using it far easier than having to rip open pound bags and try to pour them into a bucket.

This product contains crystals that kill blue algae. It also prevents and kills black, green, and mustard algae from getting in your pool. This 12 pounds of pool shock will also help make your pool’s water look clearer.

How to use Clorox Pool and Spa Shock

5. In The Swim Chlorine-Free – Best Weekly Maintenance Pool Shock

The In The Swim Chlorine-Free Pool Shock has the active ingredient Potassium Mono persulfate that make up almost half of the product. This is a sale of 24 one pound bags at a very low price.

This chlorine-free shock eliminates the growth of algae and other harmful bacteria in your pool. It works great in a pool that is sanitized with bromine. This product burns away dead chlorine cells providing a higher free chlorine reading. This is a great shock to use for maintenance shocking of your pool.

This is a great non-chlorine option that improves the health of the water in your pool. These 24 one pound bags will work great in a pool that is sanitized with bromine. Its price is just slightly higher than the other options.

Best Pool Shock – Buyer’s Guide

With all the different options for shocking your pool, it is hard to know what direction to turn. Hopefully, the buyer’s guide that I provided helped to give you more knowledge about what you need in your pool. If the buyer’s guide was successful, you should have no problem picking out the product that will benefit you and your pool the most without damaging it.

Different Types of Pool Shock

Three different kinds of pool shock chemicals are available. They are calcium hypochlorite, sodium di-chlor, and potassium mono persulfate. There are two ways that you can buy them as well. You can buy these in a liquid form or a granular form, referred to as powdered shock.

1. Calcium Hypochlorite

This is the most popular type of shock that’s used and the strongest shock that is available. It dissolves quickly, and the sun’s UV rays burn it off without increasing the cyanuric acid level of the pool.

If you buy Calcium Hypochlorite at a regular store, it will be weaker in comparison to the same thing bought from a swimming pool supplier. Other stores have restrictions on the type and potency of the chemicals that they carry.

2. Sodium Di-Chlor

Sodium di-chlor dissolves more slowly and is a granular chlorine. It lasts longer in water than Calcium Hypochlorite does. This type of shock includes a stabilizer that increases the cyanuric acid level in the water of the swimming pool.

It can be used as either a shock treatment or a maintenance chlorine. Sodium Di-Chlor will raise the pH level when it is added to a swimming pool. This shock should be used in the evening, and you can resume swimming once the chlorine level has returned to normal (after 15-30 minutes).

3. Potassium Mono Persulfate

Potassium Mono persulfate is a shock that is based on oxygen which contains no chlorine. This type of shock is usually used to oxidize the water in your pool and remove any contaminants. It helps the chlorine work better.

Which is the Best Pool Shock to Use

The type of shock that you use depends on the chemistry of the water and the reason for doing the shocking:

• If you have water that is green, you should use the Calcium Hypochlorite.
• If you are doing weekly maintenance and the water looks clean, any of the three types will work.
• You should use the non-chlorine shock every other week or before you have a lot of swimmers in the pool.
• The non-chlorine shock should also be used if bromine is the primary sanitizer of your pool.

1. For Vinyl Pools

Vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is made by joining chlorine and ethylene. It is then made into rolls of a thin, flexible material that is used to line both in-ground and above ground pools.

Even though vinyl is made from chlorine, having your water over-chlorinated for too long of a period will draw resins from the vinyl. This will cause it to lose its plasticity. Vinyl liners getting bleached is another problem caused when powdered chlorine shock is added to a pool and sinks to the bottom before it has a chance to dissolve.

You can pour this directly into the pool and swim soon after that. It provides full sanitization in a fourth of the time chlorine takes. If you are using Calcium Hypochlorite, make sure that you completely dissolve it before adding it to the pool. The same thing goes for potassium mono persulfate. This will take longer to dissolve so be careful. If this isn’t done correctly, it will ruin the vinyl of your pool.

2. For Fiberglass Pools

A fiberglass pool uses a molded shell of fiberglass that is coated with a gel coat. It is less affected by chlorine because of its durable surface. To better care for the gel coat on the fiberglass shell, make sure that you dissolve your shock in a bucket that’s full of water before adding it to your pool. You can also use all three types of shock in this type of pool. The faster the shock dissolves, the better it is for your pool.

3. For Concrete Pools

A concrete shell that’s covered with a layer of waterproof plaster is used for concrete pools. Sometimes that plaster is mixed with quartz or other fillers to add strength, color, and texture to the shell. You can use just about any shock in a concrete pool. The plaster that doesn’t contain any fillers tend to develop etching and pitting from pool shock. This is especially valid for the first year.

When’s The Best Time to Shock My Pool?

If you shock your pool at the right time, it can make quite a difference to your pool. Shocking your swimming pool in the middle of the day during direct sunlight will cause your pool shock to burn out of the pool more quickly. The best time to add shock to your swimming pool is as the sun is going down after direct sunlight has passed over the pool.

How Much Shock Should I Buy?

You can save cash by purchasing pool shock in bulk, but make sure that you do not have too much left over. The shelf life of pool shock is only around one year, and if your shock goes past that date, the potency will slowly decline, leaving you with a swimming pool with weak chlorine levels. You should buy new pool shock every year.

To calculate how much shock you will need for an entire season, you will need to know a few things. First, you will need to know the size of your pool. The second thing to look at is the condition of the water in your pool. If it has been green ever since it closed or turns green often, you will need to use more shock. You will also need more shock if you use a safety mesh cover instead of a regular pool cover.

You will also need to think about how often you swim in the pool. The more often a pool is used, the more often you will need to add shock. People leave bacteria behind when they swim that the chlorine is used to kill off. The lower the chlorine level is in your pool, the more often you will need to shock it.

Many factors go into knowing how much shock to purchase for the pool season but make sure that you do not buy too much. This extra will lose its potency after a year and not work the way it is supposed to.

Should I Use Powdered Shock or Liquid Shock?

When using liquid pool shock, there is next to no chance that you will damage the pool or the liner. With powdered pool shock, there is a chance to do some damage if you’re not careful when adding it. A cement swimming pool will not be damaged by powdered shock, but there is a chance of leaving large quantities in different areas. You will have to use a swimming pool brush to try to move it around and dissolve it if that happens.

It is best to pre-mix shock to ensure that the powder gets broken up in the water and no deposits of shock are left anywhere on the pool floor. Liquid shock is a safer option while powdered shock will not cause any damage if added to a pool correctly.

Can I Use Something Other Than Shock?

The most commonly used product for keeping a swimming pool free of bacteria is chlorine. There are many benefits of using chlorine in your pool, but it does negatively affect some people. There are other options if you are sensitive to chlorine. Such natural product as Pool Perfect + PHOSfree (that work using natural enzymes) will help to keep your pool water clean. They will keep your pool blue as well as free of bacteria. It is more expensive but is a great choice if your skin becomes irritated from chlorinated pool water.

Baquacil is another alternative to chlorine for keeping bacteria out of your pool. This product is a bit more expensive though.

You should never mix pool shock and Baquacil. If you choose to try Baquacil, you should use it for the rest of the season.

What Should I Look For in the Ingredients of Pool Shock?

You should always look at the label and see what a shock is made out of. You will want a product that contains a high percentage of active chlorine. That is the most important ingredient to look for. If you are buying pool shock online, there should be a page telling you exactly what the shock is made out of.

I think that is just about all the information I can give you about choosing the right pool shock. Hopefully, this guide helped clear up some questions you had.