Shock your pool at night and measure twice.

Do it at night, test your water first, and add the right amount for your pool size.

Shock works by raising chlorine levels enough to kill algae and bacteria. Sunlight burns it off fast, so adding it at dusk gives it all night to work. That’s the single biggest lever you can pull.

Take a water test before you start. If your pH is high or your cyanuric acid is through the roof, shock won’t do much. Adjust pH to 7.2–7.4 first. Then calculate your dose based on pool gallons and the shock product you’re using. Most packages have a chart—use it. Don’t guess.

Add the shock to a bucket of water, mix, then pour around the edges of the pool while the pump is running. Never add water to dry shock—that can explode. I am not joking. Let the pump run for 8–12 hours. Don’t swim until chlorine drops below 5 ppm.

Test again the next morning. If the water is still cloudy, you might need a second round. But if you did the math right, it usually works in one go.