Haven't shocked all year....

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There is a subtle difference in how that word is used here. Shock is a no-no. To shock is 'okayish' The difference is that Shock is a product, whereas to shock is part of the sustained process of SLAMming. Where you raise the FC to a level that can kill algae and then maintain that level until all evidence of the green meanie is gone.

Properly maintained FC level in relation to your CYA level means you really should have no need to SLAM.
 
steve57765 said:
Woops sorry mr. Donldson, everyone else is calling it shocking
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Please, please, Mr Donldson is my father (I actually did steal that username from him). I do promise I joking around, the reason we are calling it that here is because OP asked in the same context as typical "you gotta shock your pool weekly" advice. Shock as a verb typically means a single application of a bunch of chlorine. So really by that definition none of us ever shock our pools, ever. And of course if you walk in to a pool store and ask for shock they throw a mystery powder on the counter and take your credit card. Could be trichlor, dichlor, cal-hypo, lithium-hypo, MPS, the list goes on. So in general, yes, it is a word we try to avoid.

As PA said, when we do get algae (even the best of us get behind of maintenance from time to time) we SLAM: Shock Level and Maintain. The Maintain is the important part. Accurately measuring to avoid wasting money, time, or damaging equipment, that is what SLAM is all about. Not dumping a bunch of stuff in and hoping for the best come morning...

Hey, who put this soapbox underneath me?
 
Yeah, was talking to a friend of a friend the other weekend about how she takes care of her pool. She said she always adds shock once a week like the pool store told her. And fills up the chlorinator with pucks when it gets low.

LOL. That was me in the '90s. How did we ever survive before the web?

pabeader said:
There is a subtle difference in how that word is used here.
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Funny, the pool care guy my pool builder sent told me I had to shock with di-chlor at least once a week, and both before and after high swimming loads. And that was AFTER he put about 5lbs too much CYA in. I can't imagine where I would be if I followed that advice....well actually, I can. Funny story.

When a friend heard we were putting a new pool in, he told us we were absolutely insane. Pools are expensive and impossible to keep clean. He had just FILLED HIS IN the month before, saying it was too much work and way too expensive to keep the water clear. The algea just kept coming back, no matter how much he shocked the water or added pool store cocktails.

Since he no longer had the pool, he gave me his remaining pool chemicals (before I found this site). It was a huge bucket of di-chlor shock and tri-chlor tabs. Hmm... I wonder why he couldn't get rid of his algae :shock:. And this guy had a PhD in, wait for it...IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING.
 
It is true that the general populace considers pool ownership a love/hate relationship...and mostly hate. I mod over at a woodworking forum and there was a pool thread in the OT section. Naturally, I waxed poetic about this site. It contained a poll about if you would ever install a pool. I think 80%+ said no and the posts followed up about the maintenance nightmare of a pool.
 
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