Free Tool

Pool Chemistry Calculator: Balance & Dosing

Check your water balance with the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), then get the exact chemical doses to hit your target readings — scaled to your pool's volume. Estimates: add slowly and retest.

Pool Chemistry Calculator

Check water balance (LSI) and get chemical dosing to hit your targets

Water Balance

Balanced is −0.3 to +0.3. Below −0.3 the water is corrosive; above +0.3 it scales. Alkalinity is corrected for CYA (~0.32 × CYA).

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Who this is for

Homeowners & pros
Pool owners

Keep water balanced & clear

Enter your test-kit readings and see whether the water is balanced, corrosive, or scaling — plus exactly how much of each chemical to add to fix it.

Pool service pros

Dose accurately, every stop

Run the LSI and dosing at the poolside from your phone and log it into a job. In ServicePros Hub the chemical list drops straight into a proposal or invoice.

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How it works

Two questions matter for pool water: is it balanced, and how much do I add to fix it? This tool answers both.

Balance uses the Langelier Saturation Index: LSI = pH + temperature factor + calcium factor + alkalinity factor − a TDS constant. Between −0.3 and +0.3 the water is balanced; below that it's corrosive (etches plaster, corrodes metal), above it scales. Alkalinity is corrected for your CYA (stabilizer), which otherwise overstates the buffering.

Dosing scales standard rule-of-thumb rates to your pool volume (per 10,000 gallons). Enter current vs. target for chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium, and CYA and it returns amounts of liquid chlorine, muriatic acid, baking soda, soda ash, calcium chloride, and stabilizer. These are starting points — add chemicals slowly, circulate, and retest before adding more.

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FAQ

Water chemistry
What is a good LSI for a pool?

Aim for an LSI between −0.3 and +0.3, ideally near zero. Below −0.3 the water is corrosive and can etch plaster and corrode equipment; above +0.3 it tends to scale and cloud. The calculator flags which zone you're in.

How much chlorine do I add to my pool?

To raise free chlorine, about 10.7 fluid ounces of 12.5% liquid chlorine per 1 ppm per 10,000 gallons is a common rule of thumb. Enter your current and target FC and pool volume and the calculator gives the amount.

How do I lower pH or alkalinity?

Muriatic acid lowers both pH and total alkalinity. To raise alkalinity use baking soda; to raise pH use soda ash. Because pH is buffered by alkalinity, adjust alkalinity first, then fine-tune pH and retest.

How do I calculate my pool's volume?

For a rectangular pool, volume (gallons) = length × width × average depth (all in feet) × 7.48. Enter the dimensions or a known volume in the dosing tab and the calculator scales all doses to it.

Why correct alkalinity for CYA?

Cyanuric acid (stabilizer) contributes to your total alkalinity reading but doesn't buffer the same way carbonate does. Subtracting roughly 0.32 × CYA gives the carbonate alkalinity used in the LSI, so the balance number is accurate.

Run every job from one simple app

This calculator is one of the trade tools inside ServicePros Hub — proposals, scheduling, invoicing, and card payments for home-service pros. One flat price. No tiers, no add-ons.

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