PoolGearGuide

Pool Maintenance Supplies

Chemicals, test kits, and care essentials that keep water safe and clear. We compare active ingredients, real coverage per dollar, and compatibility with different pool types.

What to know before you buy

Read the active ingredient, not the marketing name

"Shock" can mean calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo), dichlor, or non-chlorine MPS — and they behave differently. Cal-hypo adds calcium (a concern for hard-water areas), dichlor adds cyanuric acid (which accumulates), and MPS oxidizes without chlorinating. Match the chemistry to your pool, not the label.

Cyanuric acid creep is the most common water problem

Stabilized chlorine (trichlor tablets, dichlor shock) adds cyanuric acid with every dose. Over a season, CYA can climb high enough to make chlorine sluggish. If your water reads high CYA, switch shocks to cal-hypo or liquid chlorine and test regularly.

A good test kit outranks any chemical

Test strips drift and are hard to read precisely. A drop-based (titration) kit costs more upfront but tells you exactly what to dose, which usually pays for itself in chemicals you don't waste.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I shock my pool?

A common baseline is every 1–2 weeks in season, plus after heavy use, heavy rain, or any algae sign. Your actual cadence should follow test readings — shock when combined chlorine rises or free chlorine can't hold its level.

What's the difference between chlorine tablets and shock?

Tablets (usually trichlor) dissolve slowly to maintain a steady chlorine residual. Shock is a large oxidizing dose that breaks down contaminants and combined chlorine quickly. Most pools use both: tablets for maintenance, shock for correction.

Are pool test strips accurate enough?

Strips are fine for quick daily glances, but drop-based kits are meaningfully more precise for chlorine, pH, and alkalinity — and precision matters when you're deciding how much acid or shock to add.

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