Find out exactly how much pool salt to add for your saltwater chlorine generator — or, if your reading is already too high, how much water to drain and refill instead.
Enter your pool volume and current salt reading below to get an exact amount in pounds or kilograms.
Salt to Add
of pool salt needed
Not sure of your pool volume? Use our pool volume calculator.
- Turn off the salt cell, then pour the calculated amount of salt evenly around the pool’s perimeter (never straight into the skimmer).
- Brush any undissolved salt off the floor and walls so it doesn’t sit in one spot and cause staining.
- Run the pump continuously for at least 24 hours to fully dissolve and circulate the salt.
- Retest the salt level once it has dissolved, then turn the salt cell back on.
Pool Salt Chart — Pounds of Salt by Pool Size and Current Level
All amounts are in pounds (lbs) of salt needed to reach 3,200 ppm — the target most salt chlorine generators recommend. Use the calculator above for kilograms, liters, or a different target level.
| Pool Volume | From 0 ppm | From 1,000 ppm | From 2,000 ppm | From 2,500 ppm | From 3,000 ppm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 gal | 130 | 90 | 50 | 30 | 10 |
| 7,500 gal | 200 | 140 | 80 | 45 | 15 |
| 10,000 gal | 275 | 180 | 100 | 60 | 15 |
| 12,000 gal | 325 | 225 | 120 | 70 | 20 |
| 15,000 gal | 400 | 275 | 150 | 90 | 25 |
| 18,000 gal | 475 | 325 | 180 | 110 | 30 |
| 20,000 gal | 525 | 375 | 200 | 120 | 35 |
| 25,000 gal | 675 | 450 | 250 | 150 | 40 |
| 30,000 gal | 800 | 550 | 300 | 180 | 50 |
| Pool Shape | Typical Volume | From 0 ppm | From 2,000 ppm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12′ round | 3,400 gal | 90 (3 bags) | 35 (1 bag) |
| 15′ round | 5,300 gal | 140 (4 bags) | 50 (2 bags) |
| 18′ round | 7,600 gal | 200 (5 bags) | 80 (2 bags) |
| 21′ round | 10,350 gal | 275 (7 bags) | 100 (3 bags) |
| 24′ round | 13,550 gal | 350 (9 bags) | 140 (4 bags) |
| 12 x 24′ rectangular | 8,600 gal | 225 (6 bags) | 90 (3 bags) |
| 16 x 32′ rectangular | 17,250 gal | 450 (12 bags) | 170 (5 bags) |
| 18 x 36′ rectangular | 21,800 gal | 575 (15 bags) | 225 (6 bags) |
Bag counts assume 40 lb bags. Typical volumes use an average 4–4.5 ft water depth — for your pool’s exact volume, use the pool volume calculator linked above.
Pool Salt Calculator FAQs
Most salt chlorine generators run best between 2,700–3,400 ppm, with 3,200 ppm as the target most manufacturers recommend. But the exact range depends on your system — Pentair IntelliChlor is rated up to 4,500 ppm, while Hayward AquaRite and Jandy AquaPure typically top out around 3,400–3,500 ppm. Always check your generator’s manual: running below the minimum weakens chlorine production, and running above the maximum can damage the salt cell.
Subtract your current salt reading from your target level, multiply by your pool volume in gallons, multiply by 8.34 (the weight of a gallon of water in lbs), then divide by 1,000,000: (target − current) × gallons × 8.34 ÷ 1,000,000 = lbs of salt. For liters, multiply by 2.20462 instead of 8.34 and skip the gallon step. The calculator above does this automatically and shows you the exact numbers it used.
Use 99%+ pure, non-iodized, granulated pool salt — sold as “pool salt” or “solar salt.” Iodized table salt and rock salt contain additives and impurities that can cloud the water, stain plaster, and coat the salt cell, reducing its chlorine output. Water softener salt is acceptable only if it’s labeled 99%+ pure with no anti-caking agents.
Salt itself doesn’t evaporate — only water does, so topping off for evaporation shouldn’t change your reading much. Salt is actually lost through splash-out, backwashing your filter, heavy rain dilution, and leaks — any time water physically leaves the pool and is replaced with fresh (unsalted) water. If your level keeps falling faster than that explains, check your equipment pad and pool shell for a leak.
Yes — salt significantly above your generator’s maximum can corrode metal fittings and give the water a noticeably salty taste. If you enter a current salt reading that’s higher than your target in the calculator above, it switches automatically to a drain-and-refill result, telling you roughly what percentage of your pool water to replace with fresh water to bring the level back down.
Wait until the salt has fully dissolved — typically 24 hours with the pump running continuously — before swimming and before retesting your salt level. Swimming sooner won’t hurt you, but undissolved salt sitting on the floor can cause cloudy water and an inaccurate test reading.
