Adding the proper levels of shock to your swimming pool is crucial for maintaining clean and clear water. However, it’s possible to accidentally overdo it and add too much shock. Overshocking can cause a few issues that are important to understand.
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How Much Shock is Too Much?
Most pool experts recommend shocking your pool water about once a week during peak swim season. The ideal shock dosage is 1-3 lbs per 10,000 gallons of water. Going above 3 lbs per 10,000 gallons would be considered overshocking. Here are some examples of overshocking levels:
- Adding 10 lbs of shock for a 10,000 gallon pool (3x the normal dosage)
- Adding 5 lbs of shock for a 5,000 gallon pool (2x the normal dosage)
- Adding 2 lbs of shock for a 2,500 gallon pool (2x the normal dosage)
As you can see, it doesn’t take much to overshock. Even doubling the normal recommended dosage starts entering the danger zone.
What Issues Can Overshocking Cause?
There are a few potential issues that can occur if you add too much pool shock:
Irritated Eyes and Skin
One of the most common problems is irritation to your eyes, skin, and bathing suit materials. Pool shock contains powerful chemicals like calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite that can be extremely drying and irritating when concentrations build up from overshocking.
Signs of irritation include:
- Red, stinging, or dry eyes
- Itchy skin
- Bleached or faded swimsuits
- Skin rashes
The high chemical levels essentially dry out wet surfaces like your eyes and suits. The irritation is temporary but quite uncomfortable.
Pool Corrosion
The strong shock chemicals can start corroding metal components in your pool if concentration levels get too high. Here are some items susceptible to corrosion from overshocking:
- Metal railings, ladders, drains, light fixtures
- Pool pump and filter
- Pool heater
- Automatic pool cleaner
You may see rust spots or damage over time as the metals erode from the chemical exposure. This corrosion can be costly to repair.
Cloudy Water
Believe it or not, overshocking your pool can sometimes cause cloudy water. Here’s why:
The excess chemicals destroy bacteria very quickly. When significant amounts of bacteria die off, their remains float in the water. This creates a slight cloudiness and almost a milky color in extreme cases.
Additionally, if you add shock improperly or too quickly, it does not dissolve fully before sinking to the pool floor. This undissolved solid shock can make the water appear cloudy until it eventually dissolves.
Luckily, the cloudiness from overshocking is temporary. After the dead bacteria and undissolved chemicals clear, the water should return to normal within a day or two.
Damage to the Pool Surface
The pool plaster or liner material can incur damage when chemical levels get too high. Specific issues include:
- Etching or cavities forming in the plaster
- Discoloration of the plaster from chemical staining
- Lifting or swelling of fiberglass liners
- Bubbling or cracking of vinyl liners
This type of surface damage is often permanent and requires resurfacing to fix. It’s quite costly compared to the other issues.
How to Remedy an Overshocking Situation
If you realize you’ve added too much shock, here are some steps you can take:
- Test the pool water with test strips to determine the current shock levels.
- Do not enter the pool until levels drop into the safe zone below 5 ppm.
- Stop adding any shock until levels decrease.
- Activate the pool pump and filter to circulate the water.
- Use a pool clarifier if the water appears cloudy.
- Partially drain and refill the pool if shock levels remain too high after 24 hours.
- Consult a pool professional if you cannot get the levels to drop.
With proper action, you can remedy an overshocking fairly quickly. Just be sure to cease shock treatment until the readings improve.
How to Avoid Overshocking
The best way to avoid issues with overshocking is to take these preventive measures:
- Know your pool’s gallon capacity and only add the recommended 1-3 lbs per 10,000 gallons.
- Read the shock product label carefully and follow dosage instructions.
- Dissolve granular shock fully before adding it.
- Add shock slowly over time rather than dumping in all at once.
- Consider using an automatic chlorine dispenser instead of manual shocking.
- Test the water routinely with strips to monitor chlorine levels.
If you notice skin irritation, cloudiness, or other overshocking symptoms, immediately retest the water and discontinue shocking until levels drop.
The Ideal Chlorine Levels After Shocking
Here are the target chlorine levels to aim for after shocking your pool:
| Test Time | Ideal Chlorine Level |
|---|---|
| Right after shocking | 5-10 ppm |
| 24 hours later | 3-5 ppm |
| 1 week later | 2-3 ppm |
These ranges maximize disinfection while minimizing negative effects from too much chlorine. Test water frequently with strips and adjust shock dosages to stay in this optimal zone.
Conclusion
Overshocking your swimming pool can cause irritated eyes, cloudy water, surface damage, and other issues. However, you can prevent problems by carefully following product directions, testing chlorine levels, and shocking the water in controlled dosages. Maintaining ideal chlorine ranges keeps your pool water clean and healthy without going overboard.