Pool question please help?

Question

i was on vacation and i came home and found my pool with a bunch of algae on the bottom if i shock it with 2 gallons of chlorine will i be able to swim in it within 24hours ?

Answer 1

pro longer than 24 hours just vacuum it and it will be fine

Answer 2

Definitely give it that 24 hours before you go in it.  The chlorine may not be enough to kill the algae, so if you're still noticing that the water is cloudy or green 48 hours after you shock it, it's time to try an algaecide.  It's probably a more stubborn algae and you should get a higher concentrated algaecide...you can buy the 5% stuff for like five bucks, but that's not going to kill your algae if chlorine didn't (unless you dump in like 40 bucks worth of that cheap stuff, and then it's as expensive as a good algaecide anyway).  Buy one that's at least 60% (like OMNI Multi Purpose Algaecide 60 or OMNI Algae Terminator...other brand names will have similar products as well).  This will kill the algae if the chlorine doesn't.

To avoid this next time you go on vacation, get a neighbour to pour a small amount of algaecide into your pool simply for preventative measures (usually about 15 mL per 10 000 L in your pool is recommended).  If you don't have anyone to do that for you, then you can buy an algaecide in the form of a block.  The brand I know is called Pool Blocks.  They are large cubes that you put in your skimmer basket, last up to a month, and work at preventing algae growth.

So overall, shock it.  Wait at least 24 hours before you swim in it.  If the algae is still present after 48 hours, buy a medium to high strength algaecide to eliminate it and then go back to preventative measures.