How much salt does my pool need?

What salt level do you need?

Most salt chlorine generators want roughly 2,700–3,400 ppm, with 3,200 ppm a common target — but check your specific cell's manual, since the ideal range varies by brand. The calculator above opens on the Salt mode — enter your gallons, current salt, and target for the exact amount to add.

How to add pool salt

Use salt labeled for pools (high-purity sodium chloride). Broadcast it into the shallow end with the pump running and brush it around to dissolve — don't dump it near the skimmer or over the generator cell. Run the pump 24 hours before trusting a new salt reading, since it takes time to circulate fully. Add in stages if you're raising salinity a lot; you can always add more, but lowering it means draining and refilling.

Too much or too little salt

Below range, the generator makes little or no chlorine and may throw a "low salt" fault. Well above range, you risk corrosion and a "high salt" shutoff — and the only fix is partially draining and refilling with fresh water. That asymmetry is why it's smart to add conservatively and retest.

More pool help: Full chemical calculator · Cloudy water · Lower pH · Raise pH · Raise alkalinity · Salt calculator

Frequently asked questions

How much salt does a salt water pool need?

Most generators target around 3,200 ppm, within a typical 2,700 to 3,400 ppm range — but confirm your cell's manual. The calculator above tells you how much to add based on your current level.

What kind of salt do I use in a pool?

Use high-purity salt sold for pools (sodium chloride, often 99%+). Avoid rock salt with additives, iodized table salt, or water-softener salt with anti-caking agents.

How long after adding salt can I test it?

Run the pump about 24 hours before trusting a salt reading — salt dissolves and circulates slowly, so an early test will read low.