The order to add pool chemicals
Alkalinity comes first because it holds pH in place; pH next, since chlorine works poorly at a high pH; then calcium and stabilizer, which change slowly; salt in a salt pool; chlorine last, once the water is balanced. Each step uses the same math as the single calculators: alkalinity, pH, calcium hardness, stabilizer, salt and chlorine. The levels it aims for are in the pool chemistry levels chart, and the same doses for common pool sizes are in the pool chemical dosing chart.
| Test | Dose when | Dose to |
|---|---|---|
| Total alkalinity | below 60 / above 120 ppm | 80 ppm / 90 ppm |
| pH | below 7.4 or above 7.6 | 7.5 |
| Calcium (plaster) | below 200 ppm | 250 ppm |
| Stabilizer (CYA) | below 30 ppm (salt 60) | 40 ppm (salt 70) |
| Salt | below 2,700 ppm | 3,200 ppm |
| Free chlorine | below the target for your CYA | 3-11 ppm by CYA |
A worked example: 15,000 gallons
Test results: free chlorine 1, pH 7.8, alkalinity 50, calcium 150, stabilizer 20. The plan: 1. 6.3 lb of baking soda (total alkalinity 50 → 80); 2. 15 fl oz of muriatic acid 31.45 % (pH 7.8 → 7.5); 3. 19 lb of calcium chloride 77 % (calcium hardness 150 → 250); 4. 39 oz of cyanuric acid (CYA 20 → 40); 5. 64 fl oz of liquid chlorine 12.5 % (free chlorine 1 → 5). The chlorine target is 5 ppm because the stabilizer step brings CYA to 40. With alkalinity above 120 the calculator gives acid for alkalinity only, since that acid lowers pH as well.
per 10,000 gal: baking soda 1.4 lb per 10 ppm TA · muriatic acid 31.45 % 25.6 fl oz per 10 ppm TA, about 26 fl oz for pH 7.8 → 7.4 at TA 100 · soda ash 6 oz per 0.2 pH · calcium chloride 1.25 lb per 10 ppm · cyanuric acid 13 oz per 10 ppm · salt 8.3 lb per 100 ppm · liquid chlorine 12.5 % 10.7 fl oz per 1 ppm
Dosing factors per 10,000 gallons and the free chlorine by CYA targets: Trouble Free Pool, Pool School "Pool Math" and the chlorine/CYA chart, and product labels. Read October 24, 2026. Test kits differ: retest after each step.
Frequently asked questions
In what order do you add pool chemicals?
Alkalinity first, because it steadies pH; then pH; then calcium and stabilizer; salt in salt pools; chlorine last, once the water is balanced. Add one chemical at a time with the pump running and give each a few hours of circulation before you retest.
Can you add all pool chemicals at the same time?
No. Add them one by one, each spread or poured in front of a return with the pump running. Never mix chemicals in one bucket, and never let acid and chlorine meet: together they release chlorine gas. Wait for the first to circulate before the next.
What chemicals does a pool need?
A chlorine pool needs chlorine, stabilizer (cyanuric acid), muriatic acid or soda ash for pH, baking soda for alkalinity and, in plaster pools, calcium chloride. A salt pool adds pool salt and makes its own chlorine. A test kit tells you which of them is due.
How much chlorine do I add to a 15,000 gallon pool?
16 fl oz of 12.5 % liquid chlorine raises free chlorine by 1 ppm in 15,000 gallons. From 1 to 5 ppm that is 64 fl oz, half a gallon. With 6 % bleach it is 33 fl oz per ppm. The target depends on your stabilizer level.
How often should I test and balance pool chemicals?
Test free chlorine and pH every day or two in the swimming season, since they move fastest. Alkalinity, calcium and stabilizer change slowly, so a weekly test is enough. Balance whatever is out of range, then let the water circulate before swimming.