Two thoughts about changing to a new term:
1. I would guess a lot of people get here through a search engine and go right to a historical post, as opposed to starting at the home page and browsing Pool School or definitions. So they will likely be starting at a historical thread where the term shock is used. If they are like me, they'll then start poking around to get a little educated and if they start reading new threads where KISS (or whatever) is used, I think that would add to their confusion. Also, even if you change it with the mods, experts, regular posters, there will always be posters who revert to the term "shock" in dispensing very accurate advice.
2. I also think that a new term might scare some people off. Just due to confusion. I'd worry that a newbie stumbling upon this site, either as a new owner or someone with an already green pool, will think our little cult is even more "out there." I'd guess that many newbies have heard of "shocking a pool" even if they have zero, or a poor, understanding of what that means. I think one of the scary parts of TFP/BBB for newbies is it seems like an "alternative" way of managing a pool at first. Really, it is not an alternative way - it is a normal, mainstream way that is merely properly administered (know your numbers; put in the right stuff to maintain good numbers and water quality; don't put in stuff you don't need). What we put in, and the chemistry behind it is not "alternative" or "new" or "out there." I think of the many many posts of one spouse asking how do I get my other spouse to agree to blindly entrust our pool to these crazies on the internet - I think abandoning "shock" as a concept here would make us look further removed from what people (wrongly) trust. I'd rather show the similarities (chlorine sanitizes in any form, etc) and just better put the clarifications out there.
So, if we think the use of the term "shock" is the root of a bunch of newbies' problems, we could do a short paragraph that bluntly explains our use of that term. I think our definition should be longer than it currently appears in Pool School.
Definition:
current:
Shocking is the process of raising your FC high enough to break down the CC that has formed, sometimes called breakpoint chlorination. "Shock" is a verb, not a noun! It is something you do to your pool, not a special product that you use. Any unstabilized chlorine is suitable to use in shocking.
proposed:
Shocking is the process of raising your FC high enough to break down the CC that has formed, sometimes called breakpoint chlorination. "Shock" is a verb, not a noun or a product on a shelf! It is something you do to your pool, not a special product that you use. Think of it as super-dosing or super-chlorinating your water. Any unstabilized chlorine, such as bleach from a supermarket, is suitable to use in shocking - powdered forms of chlorine are not suitable. If you have algae, or the CC level is above 0.5, or the free chlorine (FC) level is zero, you should shock the pool. Many people also like to shock the pool when the FC level falls significantly, as it often does after a major storm or large swim party. This is done even if FC doesn't get all the way to zero, just to be sure everything is all right. If you are maintaining proper FC levels there is no need to shock weekly, or on any other regular schedule. In fact, many many BBBers go years without shocking their pool.
And, it could also be added to the ABC's of Pool Chemistry as a NOTE - I would guess a lot of newbies who decide to poke around will go to Definitions and ABC's first - I know I did. We could add something like this:
It is important to understand that BBB is really just a more precise approach to pool maintenance, and applies the same basic rules of chemistry as what you'll find pool stores and big box stores offering in the pool aisle. The main difference is we strive to add only those chemicals our water needs to become or stay sanitized and we try to avoid adding anything our pool does not need. So, for example, we add liquid bleach because we want the sanitizing agent sodium hypochlorite (chlorine). When introducing chlorine to the pool via liquid bleach, we are not introducing other, unnecessary agents. That is why we generally do not use a stabilized form of chlorine (powdered or solid) - because all stabilized forms of that sanitizing agent also introduce agents we don't need on an on-going basis (some stabilized chlorine products include CYA and too much of that is a bad thing; some stabilized products introduce calcium which some pool surfaces don't need at all (vinyl) and some pool surfaces need some but are harmed by too much (plaster)). Another major concept of BBB is to know WHEN and HOW to properly "shock" a pool and how to properly complete that PROCESS. Generally, shocking a pool is introducing and sustaining a super-dose of chlorine so as to kill off organics, including algae. This super-dose is achieved by adding a calculated amount of liquid chlorine (bleach) and re-dosing as needed (as often as once every hour or two in the beginning) until your pool water passes a three part test. Depending on your test results and your filtration equipment, the shock process may take many days, or may be only a one-time super-dose of bleach. You should visit Pool School, under the How To heading, to learn the Shock Process. Once your pool chemistry is properly balanced and you have the means to keep it maintained (a good test kit and access to the right chemicals), "shocking" the pool is not generally needed. Many BBB users will go several seasons without ever shocking their pool.
You could also add a NOTE to the Basic Pool Care Schedule in Pool School:
NOTE: There is no regular or routine schedule for shocking one's pool. A properly maintained pool will not need be shocked and many BBBers will go several seasons without ever needing to shock their pool. A full understanding of when and how to properly complete the shock process can be found under the HOW TO heading in Pool School.
This got longer than intended, but those are my thoughts on trying to change the terminology. I think the learning curve on shocking can be made shorter and any attempts to change the terminology might have the unintended result of adding more confusion. But I love that the powers that be on this board are always looking at making the best forum on the www even better!
