Pool RatioHow to use it
- Find your cell’s target on its label or manual: most cells want 2,700–3,400 ppm, often 3,200.
- Test the salt with a salt test strip or a drop test; cell readouts drift.
- Add in steps: add most of the salt, wait 24 hours with the pump running, retest, then top up.
Example: new 15,000 gallon salt pool, target 3,200 ppm
- Salt needed = 3,200 ppm × 15,000 gal × 8.34 lb per million
- = 401 lb of salt
- = 11 bags of 40 lb
About 401 lb (11 × 40 lb bags).
Every pool test kit has some error, and products vary in strength, so treat any dose as a starting point: add most of it, circulate, retest, then top up. Never mix chemicals together, and add each one separately to the pool.
Frequently asked questions
How much salt do I need per 10,000 gallons?
Raising salt by 1,000 ppm takes about 83.5 lb per 10,000 gallons, so a new pool at 3,200 ppm needs about 267 lb per 10,000 gallons.
What kind of salt should I use?
Pool salt: at least 99% pure sodium chloride, with no anti-caking agents or iodine. Avoid rock salt with impurities.
What if my salt is too high?
Only replacing water lowers salt. Most cells run fine up to about 4,000 ppm, so being slightly high is rarely a problem; very high salt can trigger cell warnings.