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What is the best chemical for above ground pool?

6 min read

Asked by: Steven Stovall

liquid chlorineliquid chlorine or pound of granular chlorine for every 5,000 gallons of water in the pool. You can also add more chlorine at the end of the opening process.

What chemicals do I need to keep my above ground pool clean?

Chlorine is essential for pool water because it kills harmful algae, bacteria and microorganisms. Unfortunately, chlorine breaks down when exposed to the sun and chemicals from sunscreen, sweat and more. A pool should have a chlorine level between two and four parts per million (ppm).

What chemicals should I balance first in my pool?

Total Alkalinity

Total Alkalinity (TA) is the first thing you should balance in your pool water. TA refers to the amount of alkaline material in the water. And since alkaline is a pH stabilizer, the number of alkaline substances in water will affect the pH balance. The ideal Total Alkalinity range for pool water is 80 – 120 ppm.

What kind of chlorine do I need for above ground pool?

For everyday chlorination of an above-ground pool, liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite aka bleach) or dichlor is are good choices. Use unstabilized chlorine if you have an outdoor pool with high stabilizer levels. Use stabilized chlorine if you have low stabilizer levels or an indoor pool.

How often do you add chlorine to above ground pool?

Pool Maintenance (Ongoing)

Step 1: Always keep chlorine level in the safe range on your test strip. Test after daily. Run your pool filter at least 6 to 8 hrs every day.
Step 3: Add maintenance dose of algaecide per label instructions weekly.
Step 4: Add 2 oz of Super Clarifier per 5000 gallons of pool water each week.

Should I add chlorine to my pool every day?

You should aim to keep the chlorine level at between 1 and 3 ppm. We suggest shocking the pool every week to two weeks; with hot weather or increased use, you may need to shock more often.

What is the correct order for pool chemicals?


First when you first fill up your pool or you're first beginning your water balance. You need to adjust your total alkalinity following that you need to adjust your pH.

Do I add chlorine or stabilizer first?

Add Stabilizer (Cyanuric Acid)



Stabilizer is cyanuric acid. It’s important that you get this right BEFORE adjusting the chlorine levels. The right level of stabilizer basically makes the chlorine you add more effective and helps it last longer.

Should I adjust chlorine or pH first?

Generally speaking you adjust PH first, chlorine second, and worry about everything else more gradually. However, there are many situations where you can adjust two or more numbers at the same time if the correct combination presents it’s self.

Is liquid chlorine the same as shock?

SKIMMER NOTES: No. Chlorine and shock are not the same thing. Shock has a more intense chemical strength than the traditional chlorine sanitizers, and it also differs in how you should apply it to your swimming pool.

How long can water sit in pool without chlorine?

24-48 hours

If you are not adding chlorine to kill bacteria, drain the pool every other day. Stagnant water without chlorine can become unhealthy water in as little as 24-48 hours.

How long after putting chlorine in pool Can you swim?

Advice & easy guide on swimming pool chemicals for above … ·

What chemicals do I need to put in my pool?

What Chemicals Do You Need for a Pool?

  • CHLORINE: Probably the best-known pool chemical, chlorine is a sanitiser that keeps algae and bacteria at bay. …
  • SHOCK: …
  • BROMINE: …
  • CYANURIC ACID: …
  • CALCIUM CHLORIDE: …
  • ALGAECIDE: …
  • CLARIFIER: …
  • FLOCCULANT:


What order do I add chemicals to my pool?

First can help bring your ph. Into range if you need to raise your alkalinity. You can use an alkalinity increaser or baking soda. If you need to lower your alkalinity.

Should I add shock or chlorine first?

It Should Not Be Done Together



This is because when you mix chlorine and algaecide together, it renders both of them useless. Hence, you should first shock the pool and wait for the chlorine levels to fall below 5 PPM.

Should you run the pool filter after shocking?

A pool filter should be run for a minimum of 6 hours after shocking a swimming pool. This is to allow the filter to clean the water and give the shock enough time to fully mix with the pool water. Running the filter after shocking for 24 hours to 7 days is necessary if the pool has a large amount of algae.

How do I treat my pool for the first time?

Follow these steps…



Test and correct the pH level to 7.2 – 7.6. In the early evening, add 2 cups of HTH® Granular for every 10 000 liters of pool water. Filter continuously for 24 hours. After 12 hours test and correct if necessary.

How much chlorine should I put in my pool for the first time?

You’ll need about 52-104 oz of liquid chlorine per 10,000 gallons of water. This amount should get the chlorine level to between 5 and 10 ppm.

How do I shock my above ground pool for the first time?

And remember don't forget to shock your pool at night or dusk to keep sunlight from burning off the shock too quickly step number 11. Run the pool pump.

How long after you shock a pool Can you swim?

24 hours

After you shock the pool — As soon as your chlorine levels reach 5 ppm or lower, it’s officially safe to swim. Depending on the type of shock used, as well as the amount used, it can take anywhere from 24 hours or even up to a couple of days.

Can I put Clorox in my pool?

It is important to know what exactly bleach is before you put it in your pool. Household bleach, Clorox and liquid chlorine can all be used to sanitize a pool. They are all types of chlorine. Household bleaches such as Clorox usually contain about 5-6% available chlorine, about half that of pool liquid chlorine.

What happens if you swim in a pool that has just been shocked?

In terms of swimming in a pool that has been recently shocked, you may be exposing yourself to the risk of skin and eye irritation. If this happens then rinse thoroughly with clean water for several minutes (source).

What happens if you swim in a pool with too much shock?

What happens if too much shock is added? You cannot overshock a swimming pool or add too much. Adding too much shock or overshocking your pool will kill off algae. The negative of adding too much shock is it will upset the chemical balance of your pool.

Is it OK to put chlorine tablets in skimmer?

Never put chlorine tablets into the skimmer baskets of your pool. Some pool companies will put chlorine tablets directly into the skimmer baskets of the pool. Never allow anyone to put chlorine tablets in these skimmer baskets.

Can I use bleach to shock my pool?

Calculate the amount of bleach you need based on the fact that 1 gallon will raise the free chlorine level of 30,000 gallons of water by 2 ppm. If you need to mildly shock a 30,000-gallon pool by raising the free chlorine concentration to 5 ppm, you need 2.5 gallons of bleach. To raise it to 10 ppm, you need 5 gallons.