How Much Chlorine Should I Add to My Pool?
Add enough chlorine to keep free chlorine at 1 to 3 ppm, or 2 to 4 ppm in peak summer. As a rule of thumb, about 10 to 13 ounces of liquid pool chlorine raises 10,000 gallons by 1 ppm, so a gallon raises 10,000 gallons by roughly 10 ppm. A Bakersfield pool can lose 2 to 4 ppm a day in summer, so it needs chlorine far more often in July than in March. Test first, then dose to the test.
What do I need to know first?
- Your pool size in gallons. For a rectangle: length x width x average depth x 7.5.
- Your free chlorine reading right now.
- Your stabilizer level. The higher it is, the more chlorine you need to hold.
- The season. Hot water and strong sun use up chlorine much faster.
How much liquid chlorine should I add?
- To raise 10,000 gallons by 1 ppm: about 10 to 13 ounces of liquid pool chlorine.
- To raise 10,000 gallons by about 10 ppm, for a routine shock: about 1 gallon.
- For a 15,000-gallon pool, multiply by 1.5. For 20,000 gallons, double it.
- Add it in the evening with the pump running, and pour it slowly around the edge of the pool.
How many chlorine tablets should I use?
A common starting point is one 3-inch tablet per 5,000 gallons per week, in a floater or feeder. Adjust up or down based on your tests. Never put tablets in the skimmer or straight in the pool. Tablets add stabilizer, so check your stabilizer level every month or two.
How much more chlorine does a pool need in summer?
A lot more. In 100-degree weather with full sun and daily swimming, a pool can use several times the chlorine it uses in spring. Test two to three times a week in summer, add chlorine in the evening so it gets a full night to work, and keep stabilizer at 30 to 50 ppm so the sun does not burn the chlorine off by afternoon.
Can I add too much chlorine?
Yes. Very high chlorine can bleach swimsuits and irritate skin, and it is hard on pool covers and equipment. If you overshoot, wait for the level to drop under 5 ppm before swimming.
How much chlorine do I need to shock my pool?
For a routine shock, raise chlorine by about 10 ppm, which is roughly a gallon of liquid chlorine per 10,000 gallons. Clearing algae takes more, based on your stabilizer level.
Why is my chlorine gone the next day?
Sun, heat, low stabilizer, or algae starting up. If it happens often, bring in a sample so we can check stabilizer and chlorine demand.
Do I add chlorine if I have a salt pool?
Not normally. The salt system makes it. You may need to add some during heat waves, after heavy use, or when the cell is not keeping up.
Don't cry, we can help
Bring a water sample to Top Dog Pool Supply. Local pool owners get a free water test on our Taylor Xpress Flex system, and we'll tell you what to add, and how much, for your pool's size.
Visit us at 7440 District Blvd Suite B, Bakersfield, CA 93313, or call (661) 664-9000. We're open Monday to Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 9 to 4, and Sundays 10 to 4 from April through September.