Should I shock my pool if pH is high?

Having a swimming pool can be a fun way to relax and cool off during hot summer days. However, maintaining proper water chemistry is crucial for keeping your pool safe, clean, and inviting. Two of the most important water balance measurements in a pool are pH and chlorine levels. If the pH becomes too high, it can reduce the effectiveness of chlorine sanitizer and lead to cloudy water, scaling, stains, and skin/eye irritation for swimmers. This article examines whether shocking your pool is an effective way to lower high pH levels.

Table of Contents

What Causes High pH in Pools?

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic the pool water is, with ideal levels typically between 7.4-7.6. There are several potential causes of high pH in pools:

Low acidity – Pool water loses acids over time due to chlorine consumption and the effects of sunlight. This causes the pH to creep upward.

High alkalinity – Total alkalinity acts as a pH buffer, so if alkalinity gets too high, it resists downward pH changes.
Insufficient monitoring – If pH is not checked and adjusted regularly, it can drift out of the ideal range.
Improper water balance – An imbalance between pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness makes pH control more difficult.

Excess cyanuric acid – This pool chemical builds up over time and leads to high pH.
Plaster dust – New pools with freshly plastered surfaces can release plaster dust that raises pH.

Identifying and addressing the underlying cause of high pH is key to maintaining proper water balance.

Potential Issues with High pH

Letting pH remain high can lead to a number of problems in your pool:

Reduced chlorine efficacy – Chlorine works best at an ideal pH range. As pH rises, chlorine becomes less effective at killing pathogens and oxidizing contaminants.
Cloudy water – High pH causes calcium and metals to precipitate out of solution, resulting in cloudy, hazy water.

Scaling and staining – Precipitated minerals can deposit on pool surfaces as hard, rough scaling and create stains.
Skin and eye irritation – Water with high pH can dry out skin, eyes, and hair and cause discomfort.
Poor circulation – Scale buildup inside pipes and equipment can reduce flow rates and performance.

Equipment damage – Prolonged exposure to improper water chemistry can corrode pool equipment and surfaces.

Therefore, it is important to monitor and maintain proper pH to prevent these negative effects on your pool.

What is Shocking a Pool?

Shocking refers to adding significant doses of chlorine to the pool water to quickly destroy contaminants. This aims to burn off organic compounds by chlorine oxidation and leaves the proper residual chlorine level after shocking is complete. There are a few different ways to shock a pool:

Sodium hypochlorite – Liquid chlorine containing 10-15% available chlorine. Added directly to pool water.
Calcium hypochlorite – Granulated chlorine with 65% available chlorine. Dissolved first in water then added.
Lithium hypochlorite – Tableted chlorine with 35% available chlorine. Added using a feeder.

Potassium monopersulfate – Non-chlorine oxidizer known as monopersulfate or MPS.

Shocking helps maintain proper chlorine residuals to control algae and bacteria and oxidize organic contaminants that cause cloudy water and chemical odors.

How Much Chlorine is Needed to Shock a Pool?

The exact amount of chlorine required to properly shock a pool depends on several factors:

Pool volume – Larger bodies of water need more shock added.
Current chlorine level – Pools with very low residual chlorine may need more shock.
Amount of use – Heavily used pools may need to shock more frequently.

Contamination level – Higher organic contaminants require more chlorine to oxidize.
Chlorine % in shocking agent – Available chlorine % determines actual amount to add.
Desired chlorine residual – Maintaining proper residual levels after shocking.

As a general rule of thumb, shocking is typically done by raising the chlorine level to 5-10 ppm and maintaining that for 12-24 hours depending on circumstances.

Can You Shock a Pool if the pH is High?

Technically, you can add shock to a pool even if the pH is above the ideal range. However, shocking when pH is high is generally not recommended. Here are some key considerations when pH is high:

The shock will be far less effective because chlorine is less active at higher pH levels. So shocking may provide little benefit.

With reduced chlorine efficacy, it may require significantly more shock to reach the desired residual chlorine level in a high pH pool. This wastes money and chemicals.
The excess chlorine may dissipate more rapidly when pH is high, providing a shorter shocking effect.
High pH water is often cloudy, so the chlorine will be less able to permeate those areas and oxidize contaminants.

Raising chlorine too high can produce irritating chloramines and odors when pH is out of balance.

While possible, shocking when pH is too high results in inefficiency at best and risks safety issues and wasted money and chemicals at worst. Hence, it is strongly advised to correct the pH first before attempting to shock the pool.

How to Lower High pH Before Shocking

Here are some recommended tips to safely lower pH before shocking your pool:

Test pH with an accurate electronic tester or quality test strips/kit.
Determine the current pH and how far it needs to be lowered to reach ideal levels.
Calculate the amount of acid required based on pool volume and pH change needed.

Slowly add muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) or dry acid to lower pH. Only make incremental pH changes at a time.
Evenly distribute the acid around the pool as it’s added. Use caution when handling acids.
Retest pH every few hours and add more acid if needed until ideal range is reached.

Allow pH to stabilize for at least 8-12 hours before attempting to shock the pool.
Once pH is corrected, calculate and add the appropriate shock dose to reach the desired chlorine level.

With pH properly pre-treated, the shocking will then be highly effective at oxidizing contaminants, boosting chlorine residual, and clarifying cloudy water.

How Does Shocking Affect pH in Pools?

Adding shock to a pool can influence pH in several ways:

Most shock products are acidic chemicals, which directly lower pH when added.
Oxidation from shocking consumes alkalinity, gradually reducing pH over time.

However, if cyanuric acid is present, oxidation can release it and potentially raise pH.
The impact also depends on the pool’s buffering capacity. Pools with high alkalinity resist pH changes more.
pH bounce may occur after shocking if insufficient alkalinity is present.

Due to these potential effects, shocking can lower, raise, or have minimal immediate effect on pH depending on specific conditions in the water. That is why checking pH within a few days after shocking is recommended to ensure it remains in balance.

Does Shock Remain Effective if pH Rises Again?

If pH is not properly stabilized and rises again shortly after shocking, the shock treatment can lose effectiveness over that time period. Here’s why:

Rising pH reduces chlorine’s ability to sanitize and prevent algae growth.

Higher pH causes the chlorine from shocking to dissipate faster.
The contaminants released by high pH may not be fully neutralized if chlorine drops.
Any newly introduced organic matter is less likely to be oxidized at higher pH.

Maintaining proper pH balance is crucial for allowing the benefits of shocking to persist. So if pH rises again soon after shocking, some or all of the positive effects could be lost.

Tips for Lowering and Maintaining Proper pH

Here are some key tips for keeping pH in check both before and after shocking your pool:

Monitor and adjust pH regularly, at least 1-2 times per week.

Maintain proper total alkalinity level between 80-120 ppm to stabilize pH.
Manage cyanuric acid since excess builds up and raises pH over time.
Use muriatic acid or dry acid (sodium bisulfate) to lower high pH when needed.

Add a small amount of borates to buffer pH changes from shocking and oxidation.
Use an automatic pH controller to continually monitor and adjust pH as needed.
Shock the pool when contamination levels are low to minimize pH swings.

Avoid using low pH chlorine shock products which can drive pH too low.

Proper shocking technique combined with careful pH management helps ensure your pool water stays balanced, sanitized, and crystal clear.

FAQs

Can I shock my pool if pH is too low?

No, shocking when pH is below ideal levels is not recommended. The excess chlorine at low pH can produce harmful chlorine gas. Raise pH to proper levels first before shocking.

How long after adding acid should I wait to shock my pool?

It’s best to wait at least 8-12 hours after lowering pH with acid before shocking your pool. This allows the pH to fully stabilize and ensures the acid and shock don’t combine.

Is it safe for swimmers to use the pool after shocking?

Swimmers should wait until the chlorine level drops back down to the normal range after shocking. High chlorine levels right after shocking can cause irritation or other health effects.

Can I prevent pH from rising again after shocking?

Proper alkalinity, monitoring, and pH buffering will help control pH rise after shocking. But some rise is inevitable so recheck and make adjustments as needed.

Should I shock my pool every week?

Most pools need to be shocked periodically, but shocking weekly may be excessive in some cases. Shocking 1-4 times per month is more typical depending on specific conditions.

Conclusion

Shocking your pool can provide numerous benefits and is an important part of pool maintenance. However, only do so when pH is within the proper 7.4-7.6 range. Attempting to shock when pH is too high results in wasted chemicals and reduced effectiveness. Always correct high pH first with acid addition and allow time to stabilize before shocking. Maintaining proper pH balance is also crucial for preserving the benefits of shocking over time. With ideal pH control, regular shocking will keep your pool water clean, clear, and safe for swimming.