Pool Shock (calcium hypochlorite)

Pool Shock for Preppers

------------------------------------------------- Revised 02/01/2021
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The shocking truth about pool shock - calcium hypochlorite

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Happy endings...
While preppers, homesteaders and survivalists are a highly
creative, resourceful and self reliant bunch; it's unsafe for us to
act like chemists. In short, do not use pool shock to disinfect
your drinking water!

More good and happy news about pool shock is that it can help
you maintain your pool for swimming to keep it free from
mosquitoes and waterborne diseases including Legionella
bacteria! So go ahead and use it for your swimming pool (but
not your drinking water).

Related articles...

This page was created to alert preppers to the Pool Shock
dangers: pool shock is not safe for water purification! Don't plan
on shocking your drinking water. Go ahead and use pool shock
for your pool, but don't shock your drinking water. The one good
thing about pool shock is that it lasts longer than chlorine
bleach. Everything has an expiration date and bleach lasts only
around 3-6 months. It's true, check the expiration dates of your
prepping supplies.

Happy endings...
The not so shocking answer is that as a prepper you don't need
to risk your family's safety. Just don't use Pool Shock.

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#3: Aquatabs.
Emergencies happen, be prepared. Aquatabs, pictured right, are
used by all major aid agencies, NGO's and peacekeeping
defense forces worldwide for the treatment of human drinking
water in emergency situations.

Recommended for disinfecting raw or pre-treated water,
Aquatabs are used by NATO and many military organizations.
The effervescent tablets which kill micro-organisms in water to
prevent Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery and other water borne
disease.

#4: Potable Aqua.
Make questionable water bacteriologically safe to drink with
Potable Aqua. It's proven effective against Giardia when used
as directed. Free from iodine taste, it makes water drinkable
using.

Potable aqua uses Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide. The most
common causes of water-borne TD are bacteria, such as E. coli,
cholera and salmonella, which are reduced or eliminated by
Potable Aqua water purification products.

Do Potable Aqua tablets have an Expiration Date?

Yes, An unopened bottle of Potable Aqua is good for 4

years.

To calculate

the EXP date please see the date of

manufacture noted in the lot code

printed on the label.

bottle was made in November of 2013

it would

expire

November of 2017.

bottle was made

in May of

2015

t would

expire in May of 2019. Use your

Potable Aqua

tablets for one year after the

bottle is first

opened, then

discard.

#5: Water preserver.
Water Preserver, pictured right, is a proprietary formula of
stabilized, ph-balanced sodium hypochlorite with highly
effective residual action that kills bacteria, viruses, mole, and
fungus. Accept no substitutes!

#6: Sodium Hypochlorite.
Good old fashioned sodium hypochlorite (bleach) is a better
alternative, but yes, it does expire after about 3 months. Also,
if you use bleach to disinfect your water, make sure it is
unscented as you don't want any other chemicals in your water.

An important not is that sodium hypochlorite is an
"antimicrobial pesticide"however it will not deactivate Giardia
Lambia and Cryptosporidium!

Unless you're a chemist, don't use pool shock for disinfecting
your drinking water.
If you're not a chemist who can discern the differences, you
have no business messing around with pool shock in using the
product outside its intended purpose. Too much calcium
hypochlorite can draw out dissolved minerals like iron. Learn
more about why iron isn't good in your water and why you
should test for it.

So now you know the shocking truth about pool shock, and you
have some alternatives that won't cost you much more. Be
safe, not sorry.

Alternatives to Pool Shock for Filtering water.
Certainly there are many other ways to avoid dysentary than to
use pool shock! Infections, bacteria, viruses, parasitic worms,
or protozoa in water doesn't need to happen when you observe
safe practices for disinfecting your water in an emergency.
Please consider safer alternatives these safe alternativew:

#1: Big Berkey water filter.
A Big Berkey water filter, can help you filter arsenic from your
water safely.

#2: Lifestraw Family water purifier.
A family of four can get 4755 gallons clean water for 3 years
without iodine, chlorine or chemicals with Lifestraw Family.

Emergency heat sources that don't require electricity

#3: Calcium hypochlorite is a pesticide.
According to the Centers for Disease control, the main
ingredient of pool shock, calcium hypochlorite, is a "substance
[that] is very toxic to aquatic organisms." The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) agrees saying that Pool shock is
"pesticide control over microorganisms," meaning it's toxic to
fish and aquatic organisms. It also means it's toxic for you!

#4: Calcium hypochlorite may cause fire or
explosion.
Storing pool shock is dangerous. Obviously you should keep
away from kids and pets, however you may not know that this
stuff can spontaneously combust! That's right: calcium
hypochlorite can burn when it reacts chemically or oxidized and
it could cause a fire or explosion!

Keep pool shock away from fuel sources. Calcium
hypochlorite may ignite with other combustible materials,
such as wood, paper or oil. Reaction with fuels may be
quite violent! If fire breaks out, do NOT use a fire
extinguisher as the chemicals could cause an even bigger
problem on your hands. Extinguish fire only with large
amounts of water.

Don't mix pool shock with other ingredients. The
"DANGER" warning reads: "Contamination or improper use
may cause fire or explosion. Do NOT contaminate in any
foreign matter, including other pool treatment products Add
only into water. Rea all precautions statements on the
back label and first aid statements before use."

Keep calcium hypochlorite away from moisture. You
must especially keep Pool Shock away from moisture. Even
spilling a cup of coffee presents problems!

#5: Pool Shock is a highly corrosive and caustic
substance.
Pool Shock is a highly corrosive substance that's dangerous to
skin and eyes. The minute it hits your skin, calcium hypochlorite
begins to cause damage to skin, eyes, respiratory tract, and the
digestive tract. Calcium hypochlorite can chemically destroy
body tissues on contact! So get out the goggles, gloves and
footwear to protect yourself properly if you plan on using it.

The extra shock of chlorine in Pool Shock can cause a chemical
burn of skin damage and eye injuries. Basically it can destroy
the fats and proteins of your skin.e

#6: Pool shock may temporarily increase arsenic
levels!
"Chlorine is a strong oxidant and could dissolve arsenic from
sediments and release it into the groundwater, " according to
the University of Georgia. So beware that shock chlorination
may cause temporary arsenic release where sediments contain
high levels of arsenic.

#7: Pool shock may cause long term chemical
poisoning and even cancer.
Why take risks surviving a disaster, only to die of chemical
poisoning, gastrointestinal problems or even cancer?

#8: Pool Shock won't last indefinitely and it's not
any cheaper.
Many preppers think pool shock is an inexpensive and viable
option, since bleach expires (yes, bleach expires). While Pool
Shock doesn't technically expire, it does lose effectiveness over
time.

Preppers agree on the importance of removing pathogenic
organisms in water responsible for typhoid, dysentery and other
serious diseases. Preppers agree that a solution is necessary to
kill and prevent growth of yeast, mold, fungi and algae which
will make water undrinkable in an emergency.

Unfortunately, preppers don't always agree on the methodology.
They often want to save a buck. Don't take unnecessary risks.
Do not to use pool chlorine to disinfect your drinking water in an
emergency because you have many other healthier and safer
alternatives, which are just as affordable.

Of you choose to use pool shock...
Be sure to store pool shock in a cool dark place away from other
powders and liquids. Keep it also away from your food and
medicine. Finally, be sure to minimize the air around the
chemicals so that upon opening it you don't inhale the vapors
which accumulate. In summary:

Keep away from kids and pets
Store in a cool place.
Keep away from sunliht.
Store in the original containers
Do NOT store anywhere near your food and medicine.
Keep original container in a well ventilated area.
Ensure no moisture
Don' t even think of smoking around Pool Shock.

NOTE: Use water ONLY to extinguish a calcium
hypochlorite fire. Do NOT use a fire extinguisher on calcium
hypochlorite or you will have an ever bigger problem on
your hands

Best used prepping books on to buy on Amazon

List of Reasons NOT to Disinfect Water with Pool Shock
You don't need pool shock to disinfect water when you have other
options, like a Big Berkey water filter, pictured right, which is
capable of giving you potable water without chemicals.

This powerful system purifies both treated water and untreated
raw water from such sources as remote lakes, streams, stagnant
ponds and water supplies in foreign countries, where regulations
may be substandard at best, but if you're still considering
disinfecting your water with pool shock, let us discourage you
with a list of reasons NOT to disinfect your water with pool shock.

#1. Pool shock has varying amounts of calcium
hypochlorite.
Check the ingredients of pool shock, and you'll find calcium
hypochlorite is just one of the ingredients of various brands of
pool shock. Manufacturers often include other chemicals that are
not safe to ingest!

Prepper's aren't aware of the variances of the chemicals.
The ultimate safety concern is that pool shock varies significantly
in strength:

DryTec pool shock contains 68% Calcium Hypochlorite with
32% "other ingredients."

In the Swim pool shock is only 68% calcium hypochlorite,
and the balance of the contents are 32% inert (chemically
inactive) ingredients. In tablet form, this brand has 65%
Available Chlorine and 35% Calcium.

Ultimate T.K.O Pool shock and you'll find 73% calcium
hypochlorite. That leaves 27% inert ingredients.

Some brands of liquid pool shock, such as the liquid pool
shock pictured top right, have 12.5% concentration of sodium
hypochlorite.

It is questionable and unsafe to drink the inert ingredients.
What's more, different ingredients mean that the product will
dissolve differently.

#2: Preppers are not chemists: they just don't know
the proper dosage of calcum hypochlorite!
Can you distinguish the inert ingredients? A prepper who isn't a
chemist shouldn't act like one. It's one thing to mix pool water for
swimming, which has instructions clearly posted, but yet another
in concocting the correct ratio of sodium hypochlorite for life-
saving drinking water. There are no instructions on the product for
this purpose! Do it right and you live, but if you do it wrong you
might get even more sick and jeopardize your chances for survival.

Preppers just don't know the proper dosage of calcium
hypochlorite. The main concern about safety is on calculating the
proper dosage of chemicals in ratio to the water. The problem is
that most of us survivalist types are not chemists (actually far
from it). Generally preppers agree that you use about a teaspoon
for every two gallons of water to make a chlorine solution*, but
where did they get their information? Did they copy one another?

Backdoorsurvival.com survival writes: "Add and dissolve
one h eaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium
hypochlorite (appoximately ¼ ounce) for each two gallons of
wate r, or 5 milliliters (approximately 7 grams) per 7.5 liters
of water." and then continues with the recipe.
Simplypreparing.com agrees with this recipe. Since it's word
for word, somebody just copied.

Thegreatnorthernprepper.com writes: “On e Heaping
Tablespoon , a bout ¼ ounce (15.16 grams) of the 78% High
Test Granular Calcium Hypochlorite for every two gallons of
water ..."

Survivaltopics.com and readynutrition.com agree on the
same recipe: "To make a stock of chlorine solution (do not
drink this!) dissolve 1 heaping teaspoon (about one-quarter
of an ounce) of high-test (78%) granular calcium hypochlorite
for each two gallons (eight liters) of water."

Daisy Luther in her book, The Prepper's Water Survival Guide,
How to treat and store your most vital resource, has a similar
formula. She incorrectly states that pool shock does not expire or
degrade. The World Health Organization says that a container left
open for 40 days can lose about 18% loss in effectiveness, and
"requires rotation to minimize the effects of deterioration." In
other words, it has a shelf life that depends on the conditions of
storage.

* IMPORTANT: The chlorine solution formula above is not for
drinking. You'll use this solution to make larger volumes of
potable water.

Here is the proper formula for drinking water using sodium
hypochlorite as recommended by the World Health Organization.
It's a little more complicated:

Pool Shock (calcium hypochlorite)
Do NOT use pool shock to disinfect drinking water!

Pool shock kills algae, and possibly you!
Pool Shock is not for preppers, unless it's for swimming
purposes. Many reputable prepper Web sites advise preppers to
stock pool shock for emergencies to help make potable drinking
water; however, the problem is that most of us survivalists
types are not chemists (actually far from it). While preppers,
homesteaders and survivalists are a highly creative, resourceful
and self-reliant bunch; it's unsafe for us to act like chemists.

The shocking truth about pool shock is that it's a cocktail of
chemicals not suitable for human consumption.

While it is possible to use pool shock safely and effectively, the
concern is on calculating the proper dosage of chemicals in ratio
to the water. Pool shock is a highly varying substance, much in
the same way as alcohol has different percentages. Two shot of
beer won't effect you nearly as much as two shots of vodka!

This page was created to alert preppers to the Pool Shock
dangers, because even splashing around in a chlorinated pool
presents serious concerns of toxins.

Warning to all preppers: Pool shock is not
safe for water purification!
There are many reasons not to stock pool shock for disinfecting
water, but here are the top three:

Ingredients vary in the percentage of calcium hypochlorite
and inert ingredients.
You're not a chemist (and you don't have the correct
dosage).
Pool shock is highly corrosive and caustic.

Besides, a pool is not the place to get your water. You will find
many unsavory ingredients such as diarrhea, pubic hairs,
menses, urine as well as sunscreen, deodorants and fibers from
diapers and tampons.

Do not use pool shock to disinfect drinking water in an
emergency, especially when you can get it in tablet form for the
purpose of disinfecting water in amounts that are safe and
precisely measured, and that are compact and store well.

Prepper's Water Survival Guide

Liquid Pool Shock

Aquatabs

Big Berkey Filtration System

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