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Saltwater Pool Calculator

How much salt per 1,000 gallons

If the reading is 0 ppm (parts per million, the number a salt test shows), plan on 25 to 30 pounds of salt for every 1,000 gallons. New water ends up in the 3,000 to 3,600 ppm range. Those are the targets for Intex, Jandy, Hayward and Pentair. For startup, CircuPool's help page puts it at 30 pounds for each 1,000 gallons.

Don't know the gallons? Measure the pool
Pool shape

The gallons above fill in as you measure.

Example For 1,000 gallons, from 0 to 3,200 ppm. Type yours to see your bags.

Buy 1 bag of

Add 27 lb from the bag and keep the rest for a top-up.

1,000 galSalt in the water (ppm)target 3,200now 01 bag
  1. Pump on. Pour it around the deep end, not into the skimmer.
  2. Brush any salt off the floor until it's gone.
  3. Run the pump 24 hours, then test again.
How this is worked out

Gallons = A × B × average depth × 7.5 for a rectangle, 6.7 for an oval and 5.9 for a round pool (diameter × diameter), the factors in Hayward's manual; 7.0 for a kidney (length × average width), from Inyo's sizing guide. Pounds of salt = (target ppm − your ppm) × gallons × 8.34 ÷ 1,000,000. A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds. Bags round up. In liters: kilograms = ppm difference × liters ÷ 1,000,000.

Starting at 0 ppm: how much salt?

Every brand asks for its own target. Look in your manual to find the level your cell needs.

Both Intex's salt chart and Jandy TruClear units set 3,000 ppm as the goal. From 0 ppm, that works out to 25 pounds of salt for every 1,000 gallons.

Hayward's manual names 3,200 ppm as optimal and that needs 26.7 pounds. For Pentair, 3,600 ppm is the recommendation. Getting there needs 30 pounds.

Sizing it to your pool

Use the pound figure based on 1,000 gallons of water. Then multiply by how many thousands of gallons you have.

Picture a 15,000 gallon pool where 3,200 ppm is the goal. 15 times 26.7 pounds works out to 400 pounds total.

Salt comes in bags of 40 to 80 pounds. Using 40 pound bags means picking up 10 of them. Keep the pump going for 24 hours to blend it.

Got some salt in the water already?

When salt is already present, just make up the difference.

According to USGS, a gallon of water comes in at 8.34 pounds. That's why 1,000 ppm more in 1,000 gallons takes 8.34 pounds of salt.

Figure on 8.3 pounds for every 1,000 gallons. Run the pump for 24 hours and test after that.

Questions people bring to the counter

What's the salt amount for one gallon?

A gallon of water comes in at 8.34 pounds, so the salt for a single gallon is too small to put on a scale. Do your math in thousands of gallons rather than single ones.

What does it take to bump the level up by 1,000 ppm?

For every 1,000 ppm you need to make up, put in 8.34 pounds for each 1,000 gallons. Tip the salt into the water and keep the pump going for 24 hours. Then test.

Is it possible to put in too much salt?

Yes. Each brand sets an upper limit. Intex's max is 3,500 ppm, Hayward's is 3,400 ppm and CircuPool's reaches 4,000 ppm. Run a test ahead of adding salt, and look at your manual when the level's too high.

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