Ever wondered can you run pool robot while shocking pool? You’re not alone. Pool shock may keep the water clear, but using your robotic cleaner at the same time can cause more harm than good.
Robot Pool Cleaner: Is It Safe to Swim in a Pool With Too Much Shock?
If you’ve ever opened your pool cabinet and asked yourself, “Is shock just bleach?” — you’re not alone. If you’re a pool owner with a robot pool cleaner or even a pool vacuum, you want to be sure that you are not causing harm to your pool or the balance of your water. Bleach and shock seem related, but they are quite different in concentration and use.
Can You Run Pool Robot While Shocking Pool? Understanding the Chemical Effects
Understanding how your pool cleaning robot, suction pool cleaner or pool robot is affected by chemicals is essential if you want your investment in clean water to last.
The Real Reason Why Shock Is Not the Same as Bleach
Even though they both have sodium hypochlorite as an active ingredient, pool shock and household bleach are not the same strength and include different additives. Shock is stronger (typically 12–15% sodium hypochlorite), while bleach is 5–6%.
Reaching for bleach as an alternative may also solve this problem in a pinch, but you will need to use more of it to achieve the same sanitizing effect — and make sure it is unscented and free of additives. This is crucial to avoid any buildup or residue that can wreak havoc on the delicate systems with your pool robot cleaner, or skimmer.
Is Bleach an Alternative to Pool Shock?
You can, but it’s not ideal. Regular use of bleach may mess with overall water chemistry and require balancing more often. This is especially important if you use an automatic cleaner, like the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra, Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro, or Beatbot AquaSense 2 to keep the pool clean. High-end robot pool models are especially precise — and bad water can interfere with how well they work, or how long they last.
Check water often, especially after adding bleach, and keep your pool vacuum robot and other gear well-maintained.
On the Field Guidelines for Protecting Your Devices
Use Dedicated Pool Chemicals
They have the perfect pH and concentration for pools and won’t damage your skimmer or your filter system.
Pre-Vacuum with a Pool Vacuum Cleaner
Remove leaves, dirt, and algae before shocking, especially if you are using bleach.
Know When to Shock
You need to shock after a pool party, a rain storm,m or an algae bloom. Learn how to acid wash a pool as well as how to drain an inground pool without a pump for deep-clean scenarios.
Can You Run Pool Robot While Shocking Pool? Don’t Do This
ALWAYS test water chemicals before allowing people to enter the pool after chemicals have been added. DO NOT use a Maytronics pool cleaner, wall climbing pool cleaner, or swimming pool robot cleaner to test the water.
Will Your Pool Robot Work After Shocking the Pool?
Yes, but only after the algae have died. Sure, killing algae by the tankload typically takes chemicals, but getting rid of the stuff physically, well, that can depend on your gear. Nothing is left behind with a powerful algae pool vacuum or pool cleaning robot.
Once you get treated, your robot, particularly something like Beatbot, can go to work for you. Make sure the chlorine is turned back on before you start your robot.
Conclusion
Is shock just bleach? Not quite. Though the ingredients are the same, the pool shock is specially formulated for your pool. With the use of the right chemicals, your robotic pool cleaner, pool vacuum and skimmer remain in top condition. Brands such as Beatbot and advanced robot systems such as the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra depend on proper water chemistry to attain optimal cleaning.
