- How Much salt do you need to add to a saltwater pool? Your Salt levels should be around 3,200 parts per million, and depending on the size of your pool, that can be a lot of bags of salt. Keeping Your salt in range means keeping your water sanitized. And If your salt levels drop too low, your saltwater generator won't work properly. But If they get too high, you risk damaging your pool's equipment and surfaces.

So Here's a quick guide on figuring out the right amount of salt to add to your pool. Let's dive in. Real Quick, if you want more help taking care of your pool, be sure to grab our free! Salt Water Pool Cheat Sheet at Swimuniversity.com/saltwater. It's totally free and will help keep your pool clean and clear throughout the year.

First, what's the correct level of salt for a saltwater pool? Your Water salinity should be between 2,700 to 3,400 parts per million, with 3,200 parts per million being ideal. Be Sure to check your salt system's instructions for any specific salinity recommendations.. Once You add an initial dose of salt to the water at the start of the season,, you likely won't need to add any additional salt that year. That's because salt doesn't evaporate like other chemicals, and as your saltwater generator uses salt to produce chlorine,, the salt is recycled back into the water.

Remember, a saltwater pool is still a chlorine pool. But Instead of adding chlorine directly, you're adding salt to the water that gets converted into chlorine. Your Saltwater levels will get diluted when it rains, or if you add fresh water to your pool. That's why it's important to consistently monitor your salt levels, even if you're only adding salt to the water once or twice a year.

Your Saltwater generator should provide you with a salinity reading or an average salt reading. But Sometimes saltwater generators can be off, especially if your system needs to be recalibrated or if your water temperature is too low. That's because lower water temperatures produce lower salt readings. So Consider manually testing your water once a month with a digital salinity tester.

Salt can also accumulate in the pockets of your pool if your water isn't circulating properly. So It's a good idea to sample from different areas of your pool when testing. How Much salt do you need to add to your pool? You'll need to add several bags of pool-grade salt to bring your salt levels within range. Pool Salt comes in 40-pound bags.

And Be sure to only use pool grade salt. If You have a 10,000-gallon pool and you're starting with no salt in your water,, you'll need to add about six or seven bags or 267 pounds. On The other hand,, if your saltwater levels are just low, around 1,000 parts per million,, you'll only need to add about four or five bags of pool-grade salt. Here's a quick reference on how much salt to add for 8,000, 10,000, and 12,000 gallons of water.

For Example,, if you have a 12,000-gallon pool and your current salt levels are 1,000 parts per million,, you'll need to add about 220 pounds of salt to bring your levels up to 3,200 parts per million.. And Since pool salt comes in 40-pound bags,, that means around five to six bags to get the 220 pounds you need. Remember, it's easier to add more salt later. So Start slowly and let the salt dissolve before retesting your water..

Okay, here's how to add salt to your pool. Before Adding salt to your pool, test your alkalinity and pH. Make Sure, these levels are balanced before adding salt. Then, turn off your salt-chlorine generator.

Keep Your pump and filter running to help circulate and dissolve the salt. Add The salt around the perimeter of your pool. Do Not pour the salt directly into the skimmer. Then, let it dissolve and circulate.

It Could take up to 24 hours to completely dissolve. Once The salt has dissolved, test the water and make sure your salinity is around 3,200 parts per million. Then, turn on your salt system. Your System may need a certain level of salt in the water before it starts running.

But Levels higher than 4,500 parts per million can reduce the lifespan of your salt cell and erode your pool surfaces and equipment. Remember, you likely only need to add salt to your pool once or twice a year. You'll also need to add salt to your water if the water is diluted from significant splash-out, back-washing, or rain. Anytime You have to significantly drain or refill your pool, you'll need to replace your pool salt.

Finally, what else do you need to add to your pool besides salt? In Addition to your salt levels,, you'll need to regularly test and balance your pH, alkalinity, and cyanuric acid levels.. pH tends to run high in saltwater pools, so be sure to monitor these levels weekly. And Your cyanuric acid levels help protect your chlorine from being destroyed by the sun. Finally, it's worth testing your free chlorine levels and salt levels by hand, just in case your saltwater system isn't measuring your chlorine production properly..

If You want more help with saltwater pool maintenance, grab our free Salt Water Pool Cheat Sheet at Swimuniversity.com/saltwater. And If you found this video helpful, subscribe for more pool care tutorials throughout the season. That's it,! Thanks again and happy swimming.