Skip to main content
Calcimator

Pool Chemical Dosing Calculator

Calculate the amount of acid, chlorine, and baking soda needed to adjust pool pH, chlorine, and alkalinity levels.

Inputs

gal
ppm
ppm
ppm
ppm

Results

Muriatic Acid

78 oz

≈ 20 sticks of butter

Calcium Hypochlorite

0.38 lbs

≈ 2 sticks of butter

Baking Soda9 lbs
Estimated Chemical Cost$22.22
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your pool's water volume in gallons — use the Pool Volume Calculator if you don't know it.
  2. Input your current pH and target pH (ideal range is 7.2–7.6); the calculator will compute muriatic acid or soda ash needed.
  3. Enter current and target free chlorine levels in PPM (target 2–4 PPM) to calculate chlorine addition.
  4. Set current and target total alkalinity (ideal 80–120 PPM) to find the baking soda dose required.
  5. Review Acid Ounces, Chlorine Pounds, and Baking Soda Lbs outputs for each chemical to add.
  6. Add chemicals separately with the pump running and retest after 4–6 hours before adding the next chemical.

How the result changes with Current pH

Current pHMuriatic AcidCalcium Hypochlorite
6.30 oz0.38 lbs
7.050 oz0.38 lbs
7.95107.2 oz0.38 lbs
8.7253.5 oz0.38 lbs

What each input means

Pool Volume
Total pool water volume in gallons.
Current pH
Current pool water pH reading.
Target pH
Ideal pool pH (7.2-7.6 recommended).
Current Chlorine
Current free chlorine level.
Target Chlorine
Target free chlorine level (2-4 ppm recommended).
Current Alkalinity
Current total alkalinity reading.
Target Alkalinity
Target total alkalinity (80-120 ppm recommended).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Pool Volume = 15000, Current pH = 7.8, Target pH = 7.4, Current Chlorine = 1 = 7 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Muriatic Acid
    Muriatic Acid
    78 = 78
  3. Calculate Calcium Hypochlorite
    Calcium Hypochlorite
    0.38 = 0.38
  4. Calculate Baking Soda
    Baking Soda
    9 = 9
  5. Calculate Estimated Chemical Cost
    Estimated Chemical Cost
    22.22 = $22.22

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

More in Home, Garden & Maintenance.