Above Ground Pools - Step 1: Initial Shock Dose

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If your pool had already been used prior to any chemical treatment it is important to give it a boost of chlorine using Stabilised Chlorine Granules or Multi-5 Chlorine Granules. This will help kill any small amounts of algae, bacteria or viruses situated in the water. To do this fill a plastic bucket with pool water and then add the required amount of granules to increase the chlorine by 5ppm. As a guide 50 grams of chlorine granules will increase the chlorine level by 5ppm in a 1,000 gallon pool. Once the granules have dissolved distribute the solution around the pool. As a result the chlorine level will be higher than usual so it is important to let it return to below 10 ppm before using the pool.

If your pool has gone green you have two choices.

1. Empty and clean the pool before refilling and treating with chlorine.
2. Shocking the pool with chlorine and filtering the dead algae out.

The amount of chlorine needed to clear a green pool depends on how green the pool is. It is better to overdose a pool with chlorine to ensure all the algae is killed. As an indication a very green pool could need as much as 150grams per 1,000 gallons. If you do not use enough chlorine you will only kill a small amount of the algae and the remaining algae will multiply rapidly using the nutrients from the dead algae and you are back to square one.