Results for "combined chlorine"

Water Chemistry Medium 2-6 hours 219 👍 0

Should You Shock Pool When Chlorine Is Already High?

Called my pool guy about my 8-year-old chlorination system that's overdosing — should I shock anyway or risk algae growth? My pool's total chlorine reading is showing high levels, but I'm uncertain whether shocking is still necessary or potentially harmful in this situation.

Specifically, I want to understand the relationship between total chlorine, free chlorine, and combined chlorine levels when determining shock treatment protocols. What's the proper testing sequence and decision matrix for shock treatment when initial chlorine readings appear elevated?…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Medium 2-3 hours over 2 days 239 👍 0

Can Pool Chlorine Make You Itchy? Causes & Solutions

Finally planning to tackle my itchy pool problem this Saturday — need to figure out why my arms and shoulders keep getting irritated despite maintaining 2-3 ppm free chlorine in my 20,000-gallon inground pool. I maintain pH around 7.4 and alkalinity at 100 ppm, so the basic chemistry seems fine. The itching mainly affects my arms and shoulders where I spend the most time in the water.

I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing about chlorine that could be causing this skin irritation. I shock the pool weekly with calcium hypochlorite and use trichlor tablets in my skimmer, but the itchy feeling has gotten worse over the past month. Could it be the chlorine itself making me react this way, or is there another water chemistry issue I should be looking into? I've tried moisturizing after swimming but that only helps temporarily.…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 222 👍 0

Can Pool Chlorine Hurt Your Eyes? Complete Safety Guide

Opened a $200 urgent care bill for "chemical eye irritation treatment" last week and now I'm wondering if my pool chemistry is off and fixable myself. The burning is so bad that I can barely open them underwater, and they stay red and irritated for hours afterward. I've been adding chlorine regularly to keep the water clean, but now I'm worried - is this actually damaging my eyes?

I want to keep swimming but not if it's going to cause permanent harm. What kind of eye problems can chlorine actually cause, and how do I know if my levels are too high? I'm hoping there's a way to balance everything properly so I can enjoy my pool without feeling like I'm putting acid in my eyes every time I dive in.…more

Read answer

Editor's Pick

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum (2026)

Wall-climbing scrubber brush and Wi-Fi control — ideal for in-ground pools up to 40 ft. View on Amazon →

Sponsored

Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 189 👍 0

How to Shock a Pool: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Pulled my test strips this morning showing 0.5 ppm after shocking last night, but every guide says it should be reading at least 10-12 ppm. I've tried dumping some shock granules in a few times but the water still doesn't look great and I'm worried I might be wasting chemicals or even making things worse. What's the actual step-by-step process for shocking a pool properly? When should I be doing this and how much should I use? I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool if that matters.…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 45 minutes 193 👍 0

How Pool Shock Works: Complete Chemistry Guide

Spent hundreds on every shock product available, followed instructions perfectly, even doubled doses — but my 20,000 gallon inground pool chemistry still makes zero sense to me. I know it raises chlorine levels temporarily, but what's the chemical process that's actually cleaning my water?

My pool gets a lot of use during summer - kids swimming daily, sunscreen, sweat, the occasional algae bloom if I'm not careful with maintenance. When I shock it, usually with calcium hypochlorite, the water clears up within 24 hours. But I'd love to understand the chemistry of how shock treatment breaks down contaminants and restores water quality. What exactly is happening at the molecular level when those chlorine levels spike?…more

Read answer

Maintenance Medium 30 minutes 348 👍 0

Do I Need to Shock My Pool Weekly? Complete Frequency Guide

According to my test strips, my pool's chlorine levels are doing something bizarre — dropping to zero right after shocking, then spiking without me adding anything. My pool store guy says I should shock every week no matter what, but that seems like overkill (and expensive!). My neighbor says he only shocks when there's a problem.

I've got a pretty standard setup and we use the pool regularly but not crazy amounts. The water looks fine most of the time. Am I supposed to be shocking weekly or can I get away with less? What actually determines when you need to shock?…more

Read answer

Above Ground Easy 30 minutes 389 👍 1

Do You Need to Shock Above Ground Pools? Complete Guide

I'm wondering if I'm about to waste my money on pool shock for my above ground pool since I keep getting mixed advice on whether it's even necessary. Some people tell me that above ground pools don't need to be shocked as often as inground pools, while others say they need the same treatment. My chlorine levels have been staying around 2-3 ppm with regular chlorine tablets, but I've noticed the water getting a bit hazy after heavy use on weekends.

I'm wondering if above ground pools have different shocking requirements compared to inground pools, or if the maintenance routine should be exactly the same? Should I be shocking weekly during swim season, or is there a different schedule I should follow for an above ground setup?…more

Read answer

Maintenance Easy 30 minutes 212 👍 0

Do I Need to Shock My Pool Every Week? Complete Guide

Called three pool stores about weekly shock treatments and they're all pushing $15 products, but is this actually necessary or just a sales pitch? My pool has been relatively clear lately and I've been pretty good about keeping up with daily chlorine levels. But then I had one algae outbreak earlier this season and now I'm paranoid about skipping the weekly shock treatment. Is weekly shocking really required, or are there specific situations when I actually need to do it? I want to maintain a healthy pool without going overboard on chemicals.…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Medium 1–2 hours for testing and shock treatment; ongoing prevention is a daily habit 41 👍 1

What Are Chloramines in a Pool? Causes & Fixes

My backyard pool has developed a really strong chemical smell, my kids come out with red burning eyes every single time they swim, AND a neighbor mentioned my chlorine levels might actually be too low despite the overpowering odor — all at the same time. I test my water regularly and I keep adding chlorine, so I'm confused why it smells so strong and still seems to be underperforming as a sanitizer.

Someone at the pool store told me what I'm smelling isn't really chlorine at all — it's something called chloramines or 'combined chlorine' — and that this actually means my free chlorine is being used up and isn't working properly. That really surprised me because I always assumed the strong smell meant there was too much chlorine in the water.

Can someone explain exactly what chloramines are, where they come from, and what I need to do to get rid of them? I want to understand the chemistry so I'm actually solving the problem and not just dumping in more product that won't help.…more

Read answer

Salt Water Easy 5 minutes 282 👍 0

Do Salt Water Pools Have Chlorine? Yes - Here's Why

Already asked my neighbor about her "chlorine-free" saltwater pool, but mine definitely has chlorine — what am I missing here? I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool and I'm considering converting to a salt water system because I thought it meant no more dealing with chlorine chemicals. My neighbor has been telling me that salt water pools are "chlorine-free" and that's why they're gentler on skin and eyes.

But when I was talking to a pool supply store, the guy mentioned something about salt water pools still having chlorine, just generated differently? I'm confused because if there's still chlorine involved, what's the actual difference? I've been manually adding liquid chlorine to my pool for years and my levels typically run around 2-3 ppm, but I'm tired of the constant chemical additions and storage issues.

Can someone explain whether salt water pools actually contain chlorine or not? And if they do, how does that work with the salt system?…more

Read answer

Salt Water Medium 45 minutes 260 👍 0

Do Saltwater Pools Need Chlorine? The Complete Truth

About two weeks into this rental with my first saltwater pool and the generator's been running constantly but the water stays green no matter what I do. I've thrown every chemical I can think of at this thing - algaecide, shock, clarifier - and nothing's working.

Do saltwater pools actually need regular chlorine added, or am I missing something else? I thought the whole point was that the salt system makes its own chlorine automatically. My levels seem off but I'm not sure if I should be manually adding chlorine to a saltwater pool or if that defeats the purpose entirely.…more

Read answer

Product Ranking 10 compared

Best Pool Water Test Kits

4.6 (45,200 reviews)

Water Chemistry Medium 45 minutes 249 👍 0

Can Pool Chlorine Make You Sick? Health Effects Explained

Opened my pool this season after adjusting pH levels, switching chlorine brands, and getting professional water testing — but my family still gets red eyes and skin irritation after swimming. We've been experiencing eye irritation and some skin redness after swimming, but I'm also worried about not having enough chlorine to kill bacteria and other nasties.

My latest test results show chlorine at around 5-6 ppm, and my CYA is sitting at about 50 ppm. I've been using liquid chlorine and shocking weekly with calcium hypochlorite. Sometimes the chlorine drops really low between treatments, maybe down to 0.5-1 ppm, especially after heavy use or rain.

What's the sweet spot for chlorine levels to avoid both chemical irritation and harmful bacteria? I want to keep everyone healthy but not sure if I should be targeting higher or lower numbers based on my current CYA level.…more

Read answer

Above Ground Easy 30 minutes 244 👍 0

Do You Need Chlorine for Above Ground Pool? Complete Guide

Three weeks into researching my new above ground pool and I'm still torn between using traditional chlorine or going completely chlorine-free. I've seen some alternative sanitization systems advertised, and I'm wondering if chlorine is truly required or if there are viable alternatives that can maintain safe water conditions.

Specifically, I need to know if skipping chlorine altogether would compromise water safety and what the actual consequences would be for swimmer health and water quality. What role does chlorine play in preventing bacterial growth and algae formation in above ground pools compared to in-ground systems?…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Medium 2-4 hours initial treatment 341 👍 1

Can You Shock Pool With Liquid Chlorine? Complete Guide

Replaced my pool's chlorine tablets with liquid this season — planning to shock my 10,000 gallon pool Saturday, what supplies do I need ready? Have liquid chlorine on hand but not sure if it's effective for shocking or if I need granular shock instead.

How much liquid chlorine would I need to properly shock? Want to raise chlorine levels by about 10ppm.…more

Read answer

Water Chemistry Easy 30 minutes 201 👍 0

Can Pool Chlorine Damage Eyes? Safety Tips & Prevention

Before I dump more chlorine in my pool, I need to know if I'm about to blind myself since this is my first time handling chemicals. My eyes always get red and irritated after swimming, and I'm wondering if the chlorine levels I'm maintaining could be causing damage. I don't want to pay for expensive pool service calls if I can handle this myself, but I also don't want to risk permanent eye problems. Should I be concerned about chlorine harming my vision, and are there ways to protect myself without spending a fortune on equipment?…more

Read answer

Loading more Q&A...

You've seen all 96 Q&A articles!