How to Make Shocks for Your In-Ground Pool

Shocking your pool is the process of providing a large amount of chlorine at once to the pool water to immediately kill any algae or other bacteria. If your pool water has gone green after a few days of inactivity, shocking may be necessary to bring the water back to healthy swimming levels. If you are in a pinch and do not have any commercial pool shock on hand, you can make your own. By using household bleach, you can raise chlorine levels.

Pool water testing kit
Pool vacuum
Chlorine bleach

Instructions

- 1
  Test the water. Before you shock the pool, use a pool water testing kit. Ensure the alkalinity, pH balance and chlorine levels are in check. The healthy levels will depend on the size of your pool. Chlorine levels should be between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million, but 2.0 is optimum. If your water tests clean, you should not shock the pool.
- 2
  Vacuum the pool. Remove as much debris and algae as you can via the vacuum and pool skimmer.
- 3
  Pour a gallon of chlorine bleach into a plastic five-gallon bucket. Fill the remainder of the bucker with pool water to dilute the bleach. Mix the bleach and water together. One gallon of chlorine bleach will raise the chlorine levels of a 30,000 gallon pool by two parts per million. Adjust as necessary for your pool size and chlorine needs.
- 4
  Walk around the perimeter of the pool and pour the mixture in. Pour slowly to evenly distribute the chlorine bleach.
- 5
  Run the filter for 24 hours. After 24 hours, retest the pool water. Shock again as needed.

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