How long to you have to wait to swim after you shock a pool?

We just put our pool up, and we're gonna shock it tomorrow. I've heard that it only takes a couple days before you can go swimming. We'll be shocking it with liquid chlorine, so does anyone happen to know the approxomate amount of time it'll take?

Swim as soon as you put it in! You have to mix up the chlorine REALLY good or else you'll get bugs. Just don't let anyone who may drink the water swim for a couple days. We have a pool and we add Shock! As soon as we see someone with kids pull up, and we challenge them to make big waves. It must be mixed or it won't work.

This answer, besides being wrong is actually hazardous. Shock is a concentrated form of chlorine. you do NOT swim for a least a few hours. It can burn skin and eyes. Blondie is irresponsible in saying what she has Report Abuse

I would also agree with kipper. Wait atleast 24 hours after shocking the pool. It can make you really sick Report Abuse

I would say kipper is your best answer. I would like to add that I can't believe so many people would purposely answer this question wrong just to be smart asses! Everyone of you should be ashamed of yourselves for giving answers that could bring harm to people. I am going to see what I can do about reporting everyone of you to yahoo over this.

Yeah I have alway swam right away. I have 3 nipples now but I really have fun with them, LOL It will be fine. Just don't let children swim right away if they are small and still swallow water. Try not to ingest any yourself either.

There's little strips you can buy which are very affordable. You can use them to test the water. They're very simple to use and they're readily available. I know Wal-Mart used to carry them.

It depends on the shock. I use lithium hypochlorite and I can swim after 15 minutes. Some calcium shocks require 12 hours or so.
go to www.poolmanual.com to read everything you ever wanted to know about pool chemicals, etc

There are a lot of variables concerning how quickly Cl levels drop from a shocking. Weather, current water state, and how sunny it is, being the biggies.
In a new pool, with properly balanced water, average day outside and not covered with a solar blanket, the chlorine residual from a normal shocking will, in most instances, be down to a safe level of 3.0 or less, in about 4 hours on average after the shock.
When you do shock, try to always do it at dusk. A couple of reasons for this.
1/ You get more bang for your buck. It takes a little less chlorine shock to do the same job as would if you shocked in daylight hours.
2/ In most families, everyone is done swimming at dusk, so the down time due to high chlorine levels will not be noticed.

Wait until the chlorine level subsides to 3 parts per million.

I once went to a big pool party. The pool had recently been shocked. I was first to dive in. My bathing suit fell off. Everyone was so shocked they all jumped in!!!

we wait an hour or three hour depending on how much we use. swimming right after you shock it is'nt good, your skin absorbs the chemicals and to much can make you sick.

After you shock the water, in your pool, you should wait at least 24 hours, before swimming. It is also very important to check the free chlorine level, after you shock the pool, and before you swim. Make certain that the free chlorine level, is within the acceptable parameters, only then is it safe to swim.

we use the bags of powdered chlorine.


we throw the Shock in, the water turns white, and when the water is back to being clear, we swim in it.

but that is after everything is already working. I would wait a day or so if i were just opening the pool or it had visible gunk, like algae.

You can put four bags in, wait 5 minutes, and jump right in. It's fun watching your skin come off. Try putting the cat in first just to check.

you don't have to wait to get in,,however the water my be murky,,don't panic