Pool chemical dosing calculator
Enter your pool volume and where a level is now versus where you want it — get the exact amount to add. Because the point of less is more is adding the right amount, not overshooting and creating the next problem.
Add chemicals safely
- Never mix pool chemicals — add one at a time.
- Always add chemical to water, never water to chemical.
- Pour slowly over a return jet with the pump running; keep it running after.
- Adjust one thing at a time and retest. Get CYA and alkalinity in range, then pH, then calcium.
- Solids (stabilizer especially) dissolve slowly — wait before retesting so you don't overshoot.
Dosing factors checked against Trouble Free Pool conventions and first-principles chemistry. Estimates for acid are alkalinity-dependent — always retest.
FAQ
How much liquid chlorine do I need to raise free chlorine?
A gallon of X% liquid chlorine raises free chlorine by about X ppm in 10,000 gallons — so 12.5% pool chlorine raises 10,000 gallons by ~12.5 ppm per gallon. Enter your volume, current, and target above for the exact amount at your chlorine strength.
How much baking soda raises alkalinity?
About 1.5 lb of baking soda raises total alkalinity by ~10 ppm in 10,000 gallons. The calculator scales it to your volume and target.
Why is the acid dose only an estimate?
Lowering pH with muriatic acid depends on your alkalinity (the buffer), so there is no fixed constant. Add about three-quarters of the estimate, run the pump, and retest before adding more — and never drop pH more than about 0.4 at once.