Shocking pool and using tablets?

[SinclairLore]

Hi,
so I'm sorry in advance, this will sound very dumb, but I don't know anything about pools lol.
So I'm moving to a new place soon, and it has a pool, and I'm looking up info.

I'm reading about chlorine and stuff. People say I should shock the pool once every week or two. But some say I should use tablets?
I'm just wondering, like, if I shock the pool, do I still have to use tablets or something in between shockings?

Thanks very much!

 

[Mendy48]

Welcome!!!

There aren't any dumb questions here. You'll learn a lot via this site and you won't be disappointed.

Here are some links that would help you get started....
Pool School - ABCs of Pool Water Chemistry
Pool School - How to Chlorinate Your Pool
Pool School - Chlorine / CYA Chart
Pool School - Recommended Pool Chemicals
Pool School - SLAM - Shock Level And Maintain

You don't need to shock your pool every week. SLAM your pool only when needed. If you don't have one, get your test kit (TF-100 or Taylor K-2006C). We recommend the TF100 from TFTestKits.net or the Taylor K-2006C.

Once you get your test kit.. if you don't have one... please test for the following and post your results here...
Tests: FC, CC, pH, TA, CH and CYA
FC - Free Chlorine
CC - Combined Chlorine
PH - Acidity/Basicity
TA - Total Alkalinity
CH - Calcium Hardness
CYA - Cyanuric Acid

 

[Richard320]

If you keep the chlorine/stabilizer ratio correct, you won't get algae and will never need to "shock." The problem is that tablets raise both, but while the chlorine gets used up and destroyed by the sun, the stabilizer remains. So you need higher chlorine levels. But if you add more chlorine with tablets, you also raise the stabilizer again. See where this is going? It's a vicious spiral that will end with a green pool that needs some water replacement.

Maybe this will help. And read those other links Meny posted

 

[SinclairLore]

Thank you!

 

[Rollercoastr]

New video? TFP is getting fancy.

Welcome to TFP SinclairLore! I have family in Montreal. They have a vacation home out toward Sherbrooke and they have a pool there. I tried to send them a test kit as a gift, but I wasn't able to ship it into Canada.

If you can possibly find a way to obtain a kit, we'll be able to fend off the bad advice you're getting and are likely to continue to get from standard industry sources.