The Best Pool Shocks

Best image of pool shocks
Photo: Clorox Pool&Spa 32306CLX Plus Swimming Pool Granular Shock, 6 lbs, White
UPDATED APRIL 19, 2024

To help you find the perfect pool shock, we continuously put forth the effort to update and expand our list of recommendable pool shocks. Our team collects, edits and publishes new information, in order to present it to you in an accurate, significant and neatly arranged way.

Our Picks

DryTec 1-1901-24 Calcium Hypochlorite Shock image
One bag of this product per 10,000 gallons of water
Doheny's Super Shock image
Fast Acting Pool Shock Treatment: Quickly boost the chlorine levels in your p...
In The Swim Super Shock image
Whether you are an above ground or in-ground pool owner, In The Swim’s super ...
Our Choice
DryTec 1-1901-24 Calcium Hypochlorite Shock image
One bag of this product per 10,000 gallons of water
Doheny's Super Shock image
Fast Acting Pool Shock Treatment: Quickly boost the chlorine levels in your p...
Low Price
In The Swim Super Shock image
Whether you are an above ground or in-ground pool owner, In The Swim’s super ...

8 More Pool Shock Alternatives

Multi-Purpose Pool Shock Treatment: BioGuard Smart Shock is a multi-functional product ...

Blue Algae-Killing Crystals: Smart Shock contains unique blue algae-fighting crystals t...

Prevents All Types of Algae: Experience comprehensive algae protection with our advance...

Poolife Turbo Shock (25 lb)

Works fast to combat algae and bacteria

Dissolves quickly and completely

BENEFITS: Increases the chlorine level in swimming pools to kill bacteria and algae to ...

USE: Apply directly to pool water as needed; Test pool water and shock weekly to keep f...

COMPATIBILITY: Effective for all swimming pool types including pools with liners and Gu...

Multi-functional pool shock with algae-fighting crystals

Creates crystal clear water

Kills and prevents green, black and mustard pool algae

Kills bacteria

Safe for all pool types

24 pk

BENEFITS: Increases the chlorine level in swimming pools to kill bacteria and algae to ...

USE: Apply directly to pool water as needed; Test pool water and shock weekly to keep f...

COMPATIBILITY: Effective for all swimming pool types including pools with liners and Gu...

BENEFITS: Stay all clear for cannonballs; This fast-dissolving, convenient 4-in-1 formu...

FEATURES: Multi-functional shock treatment for weekly use to solve 90% of pool water pr...

VISIBLY BRILLIANT SPARKLE: This Cal Hypo based formula sanitizes without adding cyanuri...

Buying Guide

Swimming pool shock is among the most often used chemicals when it comes to pool maintenance. You will use it when the pool is first opened, throughout the swimming season, and when you close it in the fall. Be careful when using it because it may raise the pool’s chlorine level quickly. It is a good idea to test your pool water with test strips or test kits to check the chlorine level before using shock.

Types of Pool Shock

Pool shock comes in two forms. You can purchase it in a granular form or in a liquid. You might hear granular shock being called powdered shock. It is available in one pound or larger packages. You may also see it being sold in buckets weighing between 10 and 25 pounds as well as in cases containing several one pound packages.

Buying shock in bulk can save you money, but you don’t want to have any left over at the end of the season. It only has a shelf life of one year. If you use it after the expiration date, it won’t be as strong. This could result in chlorine levels that are too low. You should be purchasing new pool shock each year.
How Much Do You Need?

How much pool shock you need for each swimming season will depend on several factors. The first factor will be the actual size of your pool. Once this is established, you will need to take a closer look at the pool’s water. If the water appears green after the winter season or becomes green often, you need to use more shock. Those with mesh pool covers also find they need to use more shock than those with solid covers.

Consider how often your pool is used when you purchase shock. The more often that you and your family and friends are using the pool, the more often it will need shocked. People will naturally leave bacteria behind when they swim. This uses more of the chlorine. If your chlorine level drops frequently, you will need more shock each season.

Liquid or Powdered

When deciding between granular or liquid shock you need to make sure the pool shock won’t harm your pool’s vinyl liner. There is very little risk of hurting the liner when you use a liquid shock. Granular shock needs to be added carefully to avoid causing damage. If you do have a vinyl lined pool, read the packaging carefully to make sure the granular shock is safe.

You don’t have this worry with a cement swimming pool. Adding either type of shock directly into the pool will not harm it. The only concern would be with using granular shock which can accumulate in piles that will need to be dispersed with the use of a pool brush. When you add shock to any type of pool it is advisable to pre-mix the shock or else use your pool’s recirculate option to avoid deposits of shock on the pool floor.

Ingredients to Look For

Before you purchase pool shock you will want to check the label to find out what it is created from. This holds true for both liquid and granular shock. You are looking for two things. This would be the active and inert ingredients.

You want a pool shock that includes plenty of active chlorine. Don’t let the brightly colored labels and packaging fool you. You want to always make sure you know exactly what the shock is made from before buying it. If you are searching for it online and cannot read the label, look the specification page over closely.

Recommendations

If you are looking for a complete pool shock system to get your pool ready for the summer swimming season, the In the Swim Super Pool Opening Chemical Start Up Kit is ideal. Each pre-measured kit is formulated with all the start-up chemicals you’ll need. It eradicates bacteria with the chemical shock, and it removes and prevents rust, stains, and scales as well. This shock treatment uses a non-metallic algaecide to get rid of any algae while the clarifier enhances the performance of the pool’s filter. It even comes with test strips so you can measure the pH, chlorine, cyanuric acid, and alkalinity of the water.

On the other hand, if you simply need a reliable pool shock that won’t blow your budget, try the Clorox Pool & Spa Shock Xtra Blue. It comes in a variety of sizes so that you can select which one will best suit your needs. It is reasonably priced, and it comes from a brand name you already know and trust. The blue algae killing crystals can be seen as you pour it from the easy to open bottles. It kills as well as prevents black, green, and mustard algae from forming.

Those looking for a fast acting product can invest in the 50 pound bucket of Zappit 73% Cal Hypo Pool Shock. It only takes one pound to provide 2 ppm of chlorine in 40,000 gallons of water. The formula comes in the form of fast dissolving granules that provide quick action against algae. This large quantity will last through several treatments while giving you pool water free of bacteria.

Top Rated Pool Shocks

If you're looking into finding the best rated pool shock, you should probable check out the Doheny's Super Shock. We looked at various sources of reviews and found this one to have the best mix between review count and average rating stars.

Doheny's Super Shock

The Lowest Price We Could Find

Often, going for the best price is a simple but good option. With a price of $35.50 (last checked this morning), we do not list any other pool shock cheaper than the Clorox Pool&Spa 33506CLX Shock. Just remember that it's not always the best option to go for the cheapest one.

Clorox Pool&Spa 33506CLX Shock

The Pool Shock With the Most Reviews

With at least 301 reviews and counting, the DryTec 1-1901-24 Calcium Hypochlorite Shock might be another option to consider. This large amount of reviews signalizes that many people are using it, with most of them beeing satisfied.

DryTec 1-1901-24 Calcium Hypochlorite Shock

High Quality Pool Shocks

It's quite rare that the saying "You get what you pay for" turns out incorrect. If you have the money on the sideline, feel free to choose the most expensive item from our list: The Poolife Turbo Shock currently sells for $152.99.

Poolife Turbo Shock

The Pool Shock With the Most Clicks

If you trust us and our users, feel free to check out the DryTec 1-1901-24 Calcium Hypochlorite Shock. Our statistics say that it is the most favorite Pool Shock from the list above.

Our Bestseller

If you're still undecided, I would recommend that you go with the masses and choose the top selling pool shock: The HTH 52037 Swimming Care Shock is the hottest bestseller in this category right now.

HTH 52037 Swimming Care Shock

Pool Shock Reviews

There are no reviews on pool shocks, yet.
Be the first to write a review, or check for additional reviews in the Further Reading section below.

Further Reading on Pool Shocks

New: Our editorial list of additional articles. We decided to gather informartion all around the internet and present you a list of helpful, external links to interesting reads about reviews, pros & cons and similar products.
Alternatives to Shock For Pools | ThriftyFun
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Household Chemicals You Can Use In Your Pool. Baking Soda. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, or the more proper sodium hydrogen carbonate that you can find to raise the alkalinity in the pool store. Household Bleach. Muriatic Acid. Bora... ...
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We present Pros & Cons of liquid bleach vs. cal hypo, lithium, MPS and dichlor. Choose the Types of Swimming Pool Shock Chlorine Powder.People also askHow long do you have to wait to swim after you shock a pool?What pool is better s... ...
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Welcome to onlinepoolchemicals.com. The number one site for all your swimming pool chemicals, spa chemicals and hot tub chemicals. Get in touch if you need  People also askHow much does it cost to have someone clean your pool?Are sa... ...
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How to Shock a Swimming Pool - Swim University
Keep them out with a good pool shock. cost to you. using potassium peroxymonosulfate is a fast, inexpensive pool shock alternative. ...
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Research

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