Pool Salt Calculator
Enter your salt reading and the target from your salt cell's manual. Get pounds of pool salt and how many 40-lb bags.
Quick answer: Raising a 10,000-gallon pool from 0 to 3,200 ppm takes about 267 lb of pool salt. Topping up from 2,800 to 3,200 ppm takes about 33 lb.
Checked against 4 published sources (see them). Updated October 2026.
- In 40-lb bags
- 1 bag + 35 lb
- Raises salt by
- 600 ppm
Salt to add from 0 to 3,200 ppm (new pool)
| Pool size | Salt | 40-lb bags |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 gal | 267 lb of salt | 6 bags + 27 lb |
| 15,000 gal | 401 lb of salt | 10 bags |
| 20,000 gal | 534 lb of salt | 13 bags + 14 lb |
| 25,000 gal | 668 lb of salt | 16 bags + 28 lb |
| 30,000 gal | 801 lb of salt | 20 bags + 1 lb |
How it works
Raising any level by 1 ppm takes 0.0834 lb per 10,000 gallons. Salt is nearly pure (pool salt is sold at 99% or better), so pounds of salt = ppm increase × gallons × 0.0000083454.
This matches Pentair's own salt table: 10,000 gallons from 0 to 3,400 ppm takes 284 lb.
The calculator never rounds up to a full bag. Too much salt can only be fixed by draining, so add what it says, brush it around, let the pump run 24 hours, and retest.
Tips
- Use pool salt (sodium chloride, 99%+ pure). Avoid rock salt and salt with anti-caking additives or iodine.
- Pour salt into the shallow end with the pump running and brush it toward the main drain until it dissolves.
- Turn the salt cell off while salt dissolves if your manual says to.
Sources
We checked the math on this page against:
- Pentair IntelliChlor IC15 installation and user's guide (salt table)
- Hayward AquaRite owner's manual
- Wojtowicz, "Swimming Pool and Spa Water Chemical Adjustments," Journal of the Swimming Pool and Spa Industry (2004)
- Indiana Department of Health: Adjusting Chemical Levels in a Swimming Pool
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of salt for a 15,000-gallon pool?
From zero to 3,200 ppm takes about 401 lb, or 10 bags plus about 1 lb. Most top-ups are much smaller: raising 15,000 gallons by 600 ppm takes about 75 lb.
What salt level should I keep?
Use your cell's manual. Hayward AquaRite cells call 3,200 ppm optimal. Pentair IntelliChlor says 3,400 ppm is ideal.
How do I lower salt?
Only by draining some water and refilling with fresh water. The calculator shows roughly how much.