Pool Water Chemical Level Charts

These are the ideal levels for pool chemistry, or the most acceptable range for proper pool water chemistry. However, while these are the average ideal ranges, certain situations may call for certain levels to be slightly elevated or decreased. Here are the pool chemical level charts for the most common chemicals!

Ideal Pool Water Chemical Levels

• pH: 7.4 to 7.6
• Total Alkalinity: 80–120 parts per million (ppm)
• Calcium Hardness: 200–400 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid: 30–50 ppm
• Free Available Chlorine: 2.0–4.0 ppm

pH Chart

Use this pool pH dosage chart to determine how to properly adjust the pH level in your pool. A low pH of 7.1 is desirable when using chlorine and sock, but 7.4 is best for swimmer comfort, surface protection, and overall water balance.

Lowering pH with pH Reducer

		Pool Volume
Reduce to	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
8.5–7.5	8 oz	1 lb	1 lb 8 oz	2 lb
8.0–7.5	5.1 oz	10.2 oz	15 oz	1 lb 5 oz
7.7–7.5	2.6 oz	5.2 oz	7.7 oz	10.5 oz
7.5–7.1	9 oz	1 lb 1 oz	1 lb 10 oz	2 lb

Raising pH with pH Increaser

		Pool Volume
Increase to	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
7.2–7.4	1.7 oz	3.4 lb	5.1 oz	6.8 oz
7.0–7.5	4.6 oz	9.2 oz	13.8 oz	1 lb 2 oz
6.5–7.5	14 oz	1 lb 12 oz	2 lb 10 oz	4 lb 7 oz

Total Alkalinity Chart

Use this Total Alkalinity (TA) dosage chart to determine the correct amount of adjustment chemical to use for a desired change in TA levels. Remember — TA buffers pH — so too little TA makes pH erratic, and too much makes pH resistant to change. Use pH Reducer to lower Total Alkalinity, and Alkalinity Increaser to raise the level.

Lowering Total Alkalinity with pH Reducer

		Pool Volume
Reduce by	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
10 ppm	12.8 oz	1 lb 9 oz	2 lb 6 oz	3 lb 3 oz
20 ppm	1 lb 9 oz	3 lb 3 oz	4 lb 13 oz	6 lb 7 oz
30 ppm	2 lb 7 oz	4 lb 13 oz	7 lb 3 oz	9 lb 10 oz
40 ppm	3 lb 3 oz	6 lb 6 oz	9 lb 10 oz	12 lb 15 oz
50 ppm	4 lb	8 lb	12 lb	16 lb
60 ppm	4 lb 13 oz	9 lb 10 oz	14 lb 6 oz	19 lb 4 oz
70 ppm	5 lb 10 oz	11 lb 4 oz	16 lb 13 oz	22 lb 6 oz
80 ppm	6 lb 6 oz	12 lb 13 oz	19 lb 13 oz	25 lb 8 oz
90 ppm	7 lb 4 oz	14 lb 8 oz	21 lb 10 oz	28 lb
100 ppm	8 lb	16 lb	24 lb	32 lb

Raising Total Alkalinity with Alkalinity Increaser

		Pool Volume
Increase by	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
10 ppm	12 oz	1 lb 8 oz	2 lb 4 oz	3 lb
20 ppm	1 lb 8 oz	3 lb	4 lb 8 oz	6 lb
30 ppm	2 lb 4 oz	4 lb 8 oz	6 lb 12 oz	9 lb
40 ppm	3 lb	6 lb	9 lb	12 lb
50 ppm	3 lb 12 oz	7 lb 8 oz	11 lb 4 oz	15 lb
60 ppm	4 lb 8 oz	9 lb	13 lb	18 lb
70 ppm	5 lb 4 oz	10 lb 8 oz	15 lb 12 oz	21 lb
80 ppm	6 lb	12 lb	18 lb	24 lb
90 ppm	6 lb 12 oz	13 lb 8 oz	20 lb 4 oz	27 lb
100 ppm	7 lb 8 oz	15 lb	22 lb 8 oz	30 lb

Calcium Hardness Chart

Use this Calcium Hardness chart to determine the correct amount of increaser to add for a desired change in hardness levels. To lower pool water hardness, the solution is dilution! If your water has less than 200 ppm of total hardness, add Calcium Increaser.

Raising Calcium Hardness with Calcium Increaser

		Pool Volume
Increase by	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
10 ppm	10 oz	1 lb 4 oz	1 lb 14 oz	2 lb 8 oz
20 ppm	1 lb 4 oz	2 lb 8 oz	3 lb 12 oz	5 lb
30 ppm	1 lb 14 oz	3 lb 12 oz	5 lb 10 oz	7 lb 8 oz
40 ppm	2 lb 8 oz	5 lb	7 lb 8 oz	10 lb
50 ppm	3 lb 2 oz	6 lb 4 oz	9 lb 6 oz	12 lb 8 oz
60 ppm	3 lb 12 oz	7 lb 8 oz	11 lb 4 oz	15 lb
70 ppm	4 lb 6 oz	8 lb 12 oz	13 lb 2 oz	17 lb 8 oz
80 ppm	5 lb	10 lb	15 lb	20 lb
90 ppm	5 lb 10 oz	11 lb 4 oz	16 lb 4 oz	22 lb 8 oz
100 ppm	6 lb 4 oz	12 lb 8 oz	18 lb 12 oz	25 lb

Chlorine Chart

Use this pool shock dosage chart to determine the correct amount of pool shock treatment. 30 ppm chlorine shock chart for killing algae and bacteria, and the 3.0 ppm super chlorination chart, used for cloudy water, after rain or heavy use, or low chlorine levels.

Raising Chlorine Level to 30 ppm with Shock

		Pool Volume
Shock type	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
Di Chlor 56%	2.1 lb	4.25 lb	6.4 lb	8.5 lb
Cal-Hypo 65%	1.8 lb	3.63 lb	5.45 lb	7.25 lb
Cal-Hypo 73%	1.65 lb	3.25 lb	4.90 lb	6.50 lb

Raising Chlorine Level by 3.0 ppm with Shock

		Pool Volume
Shock type	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
Di Chlor 56%	3.3 oz	6.5 oz	10 oz	13 oz
Cal-Hypo 65%	3 oz	6 oz	9 oz	12 oz
Cal-Hypo 73%	2.6 oz	5.2 oz	8 oz	10 oz

Cyanuric Acid Chart

Use this Stabilizer dosage chart to determine the correct amount of Cyanuric Acid  stabilizer or conditioner to add for a desired increase. To lower stabilizer levels, the solution is dilution! If you use stabilized pool chlorine tablets, you will add 10 ppm per month.

Raising Cyanuric Acid with Stabilizer

		Pool Volume
Increase by	5,000 gallons	10,000 gallons	15,000 gallons	20,000 gallons
10 ppm	6.5 oz	13 oz	19.5 oz	26 oz
20 ppm	13 oz	26 oz	39 oz	52 oz
30 ppm	19.5 oz	39 oz	58.5 oz	78 oz
40 ppm	26 oz	52 oz	78 oz	104 oz
50 ppm	32.5 oz	65 oz	97 oz	130 oz

Students of pool-ology can find these pool chemical dosage charts useful in balancing pool water correctly. Bookmark this page (Ctrl-D) for easy reference later! Or, click this link and type Ctrl-P for a printer-friendly pool chemical chart you can use as a study guide.

You can also find these pool chemical charts useful to display nicely on a mobile device, when you are by the pool, wondering how much pool chemical to add...

Don't play fast and loose with your pool chemistry! Consult a pool chemical table for accurate pool chemical dosing!