How to Get the Free Chlorine in a New Pool to Increase

Keep your free chlorine level up for healthy pool water.

Chlorine is a popular chemical used to sanitize swimming pool water. Applying chlorine to a swimming pool puts a chlorine level into the pool. The pool's chlorine level is a measure of the concentration of chlorine found in the pool water, measured in parts per million, or ppm. The chlorine level is divided into two sub-levels, called free chlorine and total chlorine. The free chlorine level is a level showing the portion of the total chlorine that is alive and functioning as a sanitizer. The free chlorine level is raised by applying chlorine shock to the pool water, which helps break the chemical bonds in chloramines and "free" chlorine molecules.

Things You'll Need

• Water hose
• Bucket
• Stirring utensil
• Chlorine shock
• Pool brush
• Testing kit

Instructions

1. Fill a bucket with water from a water hose. Pour the proper amount of chlorine shock into the bucket of water. Typically, one pound of granulated chlorine shock is used to treat 10,000 gallons of pool water. Refer to the shock's packaging for more specific dosage instructions, if needed.

2. Stir the water and shock mix in the bucket with a long utensil such as a wooden spoon. Pre-mixing the shock in this fashion ensures shock granules do not bleach any pool surfaces when the chemical is applied to the water.

3. Carry the bucket around the perimeter of the pool and pour the mixture into the water. Once all of the mixture is applied to the pool water, take a pool pole with brush attachment and brush any undissolved shock that may have settled on the pool bottom. This mixes the granules with the rest of the pool water to prevent bleaching.

4. Circulate the pool water for at least six hours. Test a sample of pool water with a home testing kit to determine the free chlorine level. Reapply the shock treatment until the desired free chlorine level is reached. Common free chlorine levels are between 1 and 3 ppm.

Tips & Warnings

• Pour some of the shock and water mixture into the pool near a jet or other return line. The water returning to the pool from the filter carries the chemical into the rest of the pool and ensures good spread.

• Never handle chlorine or any other pool chemical directly. Use gloves or other proper safety equipment.

References

• Pool Center: Water Balance
• Pool Center: Testing FAQ