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Pool chemical levels should include a pH between 7.4 and 7.6, alkalinity between 80 to 120 ppm, and chlorine from 1 to 3 ppm. The size and type of your pool determine additional chemical levels, such as stabilizers and pool shock, but you can get to know these numbers using our pool maintenance 101 guide.

Yes, you will need to shock your pool with high levels of chlorine or bromine when you first fill it to kill off bacteria and pathogens. You’ll need to wait for the chlorine concentration to come back down to a safe level before swimming. After that, you can test and maintain the chlorine and other levels as normal. The only exception to this is if you get pool water delivered by a professional. In that case, the water might come pretreated, so you might not need to shock it.

Yes, you can put too much shock in a pool, and it is crucial to follow the directions on the product you are using. Adding excess shock can upset the chemical balance, make the water cloudy, have adverse effects on swimmers, damage pool equipment or surfaces, and even encourage certain types of algae to grow. If you have over-shocked your pool, perform a water test and adjust the chemicals as necessary. The pool's chemical balance will eventually return to normal as the excess chlorine dissipates over time.

You shouldn’t swim in a pool with algae. When there’s algae, there’s also bacteria that’s feeding on the algae. Also, algae-infested pool water is often chemically imbalanced, which means germs like Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and E.coli could be present. These germs can cause a range of illnesses from gastrointestinal issues, to rashes, and respiratory problems.

The best thing to do is to get rid of the algae first, test and balance the water, and then you can enjoy swimming without any worries.