A pool shock, booster or shock dosing a pool, also known as superchlorination or hyperchlorination, means adding a high concentration of chlorine to the water to break down any organic matter, get rid of bacteria and any other contaminants in the water to make it safe to use or to help restore the quality.
When should you shock-dose a pool?
- When you first set up and fill up with fresh water
- After heavy use
- After not being used for a long period of time
- After a loss of water clarity or quality
- After refilling with fresh water
How to shock dose a pool
A pool shock needs to be done with chlorine granules and not chlorine tablets, as these are slow-releasing and should only be used to maintain daily chlorine levels.
Step 1
Measure the correct quantity of chlorine granules for the water capacity of your pool.
- 50 grams (3 tablespoons) for a pool of 5,000 litres (1,100 gallons)
- 100 grams (7 tablespoons) for a pool of 10,000 litres (2,200 gallons)
- 150 grams (10 tablespoons) for a pool of 15,000 litres (3,300 gallons)
Step 2
Dissolve the Chlorine Granules in a jug of warm water and pour directly into your pool with the filter on so that it can disperse around the whole body of water.
Step 3
After shocking a pool, you need to wait a minimum of 24 hours. This is to give time for the chlorine to disinfect the water and to balance itself.
After 24H, test the chlorine level with the dip test strips and make sure levels are 1-3ppm. Add more Chlorine if necessary, but balance the Total Alkalinity and pH first.
