How Long To Vacuum A Pool After Shocking?

Many aspects of pool maintenance can result in crystal clear pool water. Two aspects of pool maintenance that aid you in maintaining clean water are vacuuming and shock. You shock a pool mainly for the reasons of killing an excessive amount of bacteria present in the water which gives the pool a cloudy appearance. However, as part of this process you should also vacuum the pool.

Pool owners should vacuum the pool before adding a dosage of shock to clear up cloudy pool water. The reason is that the dirt and particles that have sunk to the bottom of the pool are contributing to the cloudy and dirty pool water. To give the shock treatment its highest possible level of effectiveness, you should vacuum the pool before shocking. Eliminate as much dirt and debris from the bottom of the pool as possible. Vacuum until there is no more visible dirt on the bottom of the pool. Also skim the top of the water as well for leaves, dirt or small bugs.

Shock treatment should be added directly to the surface of the water. Depending on how big your pool is, the amount of shock applied to the water will vary. One shock treatment can usually clean up to as much as 7,000 gallons. If your pool has, for example, 21,000 gallons, you will need at least three doses of shock treatment to clean that much water.

Chlorine shock comes in two different forms. Pool owners can choose between a slightly more expensive liquid shock or a granulated form that must be mixed and predissolved. The liquid shock is ready to be applied to the surface of the water and will not damage vinyl pool liners. The granulated form however must be mixed in a bucket first, then added to the water. Applying shock in the granulated form directly to your pool water can damage the liner.

Shock the pool with either the liquid or granulated chlorine shocks. Let the filter run for 24 hours before adding any other chemicals. You should see a noticeable difference the next day in the water clarity. If you had a lot of dirt on the bottom of the pool prior to shocking, some of the dirt likely was kicked up during vacuuming and has a habit of settling again at the bottom of the pool. After 24 hours has passed since the shock treatment, hook up your vacuum again, and clean the bottom once more to ensure the rest of the dirt and debris is picked up. Vacuum the pool at least once per week or as necessary. Vacuuming in manageable amounts is easier than letting a lot of dirt build up on the pool bottom and then trying to vacuum.