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No, shock and chlorine are not the same thing, though they are related and both are used for pool maintenance. Regular chlorine, often in the form of tablets, is a sanitizer used for routine, day-to-day maintenance to keep a steady chlorine level. Pool shock, however, is a highly concentrated dose of chlorine used periodically for a more intense cleaning. It rapidly raises chlorine levels to fix issues like cloudy water or algae growth and also eliminates chloramines, which are byproducts of regular chlorination. Because their purposes and concentrations differ, they are not interchangeable, and proper pool care typically requires using both.

Certain pools serve as a middle ground between traditional swimming pools and hot tubs. The two main options are plunge pools and swim spas. A plunge pool (or cocktail pool) is smaller, but you can add spa-like elements such as heating and jets. A swim spa is more similar to a hot tub, but it produces a current that allows you to swim in place (similar to how a treadmill lets you run in place). 

A pool heater is worth the expense, given that it can extend your swimming season by several months, depending on where you live. For many, adding a pool heater allows the pool to remain in service from May through mid-October. Even temperatures in the 40s and 50s are tolerable when the water in the pool is heated.

A pool chiller will take anywhere from 12 to 14 hours to lower your pool's temperature by 1 to 15 degrees. Most people tend to run their coolers overnight, but larger pools in warm climates take longer to cool. Choosing a chiller with the right capacity can help speed up the process.