1,000 gallon pool: how much of each chemical
For a 1,000-gallon pool, about 1.3 fl oz of 10% liquid chlorine, 1 fl oz of 12.5%, or 2.1 fl oz of 6% bleach raises free chlorine (FC) by 1 ppm.
Always follow your product’s label directions. Pool and spa chlorine, bromine, shock and algaecides are EPA-registered pesticides: use products labeled for pool or spa use, and don’t swim or soak until levels are within the limit on your product’s label. If this page and a label disagree, the label wins.
| Product | +1 ppm FC | +2 ppm FC | +5 ppm FC | +10 ppm FC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pool liquid chlorine 12.5% | 1.0 fl oz30 mL | 2.0 fl oz61 mL | 5.1 fl oz151 mL | 10 fl oz303 mL |
| Pool liquid chlorine 10% | 1.3 fl oz38 mL | 2.6 fl oz76 mL | 6.4 fl oz189 mL | 13 fl oz379 mL |
| Household bleach 6% | 2.1 fl oz61 mL | 4.1 fl oz122 mL | 10 fl oz305 mL | 21 fl oz609 mL |
| Household bleach 8.25% | 1.4 fl oz43 mL | 2.9 fl oz86 mL | 7.2 fl oz214 mL | 14 fl oz429 mL |
| Cal-hypo 65% | 0.2 oz5.8 g | 0.4 oz12 g | 1.0 oz29 g | 2.1 oz58 g |
| Dichlor 56% | 0.25 oz6.8 g | 0.5 oz14 g | 1.2 oz34 g | 2.4 oz68 g |
| Trichlor 90% | 0.15 oz4.2 g | 0.3 oz8.4 g | 0.75 oz21 g | 1.5 oz42 g |
Liquid chlorine percent is the trade percent on pool chlorine jugs; bleach percent is by weight. Cal-hypo adds calcium. Dichlor and trichlor add stabilizer (CYA). To shock, follow the directions on your product’s label.
| Product | Change | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Baking soda | TA +10 ppm | 2.2 oz64 g |
| Muriatic acid 31.45% | TA −10 ppm | 2.5 fl oz75 mL |
| Dry acid 93.2% | TA −10 ppm | 3.4 oz97 g |
| Muriatic acid 31.45% | pH 7.8 → 7.5 (TA 100, CYA 40) | 0.9 fl oz28 mL |
| Dry acid 93.2% | pH 7.8 → 7.5 (TA 100, CYA 40) | 1.2 oz36 g |
| Soda ash | pH 7.2 → 7.5 (TA 80, CYA 30) | 1.4 oz42 g |
pH doses depend on your TA and CYA, so use the calculator for your numbers. Acid and pH-up amounts are rounded down.
| Product | Change | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Stabilizer (CYA) | +10 ppm | 1.3 oz38 g |
| Stabilizer (CYA) | 0 → 40 ppm (new fill) | 5.3 oz151 g |
| Calcium chloride 77% | CH +10 ppm | 1.9 oz55 g |
| Calcium chloride 77% | CH +50 ppm (one step) | 9.6 oz273 g |
| Pool salt | 0 → 3,200 ppm (new fill) | 26.7 lb12.11 kg · 1 × 40 lb bags |
| Pool salt | +500 ppm | 4.15 lb1.89 kg |
| Model | Capacity (manufacturer) |
|---|---|
| Intex Easy Set 10ft x 30in | 1,018 gal |
On this page (9 sections)
The bleach dose is roughly 4 tablespoons. Intex lists 1,018 gallons for its 10 ft Easy Set, so these amounts fit that common starter pool almost exactly.
Quick answer: chlorine for a 1,000 gallon pool (depends on product)
Bringing fresh water up to 3 ppm takes about 6.2 fl oz of 6% bleach (a little over three-quarters of a cup), 3.8 fl oz of 10% pool chlorine, or 3.1 fl oz of 12.5%. After that, expect frequent small top-ups: shallow water warms quickly and sits in full sun. Test before each dose and add only what brings you back to your target.
A US cup is 8 fl oz and a tablespoon is 0.5 fl oz, so a marked measuring cup handles every liquid dose on this page. Measure each dose instead of pouring by eye from a gallon jug.
Dose table: chlorine by product for +1/+2/+5/+10 ppm
Liquids are the simplest choice for 1,000 gallons: the full +10 ppm row is 13 fl oz of 10% chlorine or 21 fl oz of 6% bleach. Dry-product doses are tiny, around a quarter ounce for +1 ppm, so weigh them on a scale that reads grams.
Watch the side effect of dichlor granules, often sold for small pools and spas. Each 1 ppm of chlorine from dichlor adds 0.9 ppm of stabilizer (cyanuric acid, CYA). A daily 3 ppm dose (about 0.7 oz, or 20 g, of 56% dichlor) adds 2.7 ppm CYA a day, close to 19 ppm a week. Within a few weeks, the chlorine level you need climbs above the swim limit on the label. Switch to liquid chlorine or bleach once CYA reaches 30–40 ppm.
Shock: take the label amount and divide by 10
Your shock product's label sets the dose, not a chart. Most labels are written per 10,000 gallons, so a 1,000-gallon pool gets one-tenth of the printed amount. For example, a liquid chlorine label that says 1 gallon per 10,000 gallons means 12.8 fl oz here, about 1.6 cups.
A whole 1 lb bag of 65% calcium hypochlorite (cal-hypo) in 1,000 gallons would add about 78 ppm of chlorine and about 55 ppm of calcium. Measure out only the ounces the label calls for: 1.6 oz if it says 1 lb per 10,000 gallons. Don't swim until chlorine is back down to the label's swim limit, often 4 ppm. The steps are in how to shock a pool.
pH and alkalinity: acid and baking soda
Dropping pH from 7.8 to 7.5 takes about 0.9 fl oz of 31.45% muriatic acid, just under 2 tablespoons. That figure assumes total alkalinity (TA) of 100 and CYA of 40. Lowering TA by 10 ppm takes about 2.5 fl oz of acid. Raising it by 10 ppm takes about 2.2 oz (64 g) of baking soda. Your own TA and CYA change the pH dose, so enter them in the muriatic acid calculator. For alkalinity, see baking soda in a pool.
Stabilizer and calcium
Stabilizer is worth it only if you keep the water all season in full sun. Then 1.3 oz raises CYA by 10 ppm, and about 5.3 oz takes fresh water to 40 ppm. Add it once, let it dissolve for several days, and don't top it up out of habit. The pool stabilizer calculator covers other targets. Calcium is rarely needed in a vinyl pool; if it is, about 1.9 oz of 77% calcium chloride raises it by 10 ppm.
Pools that hold about 1,000 gallons
Intex lists 1,018 gallons for its Easy Set 10 ft × 30 in pool. Tape-measure math says about 1,175 gallons at an 80% fill, 15% more than the box rating, because inflatable walls slope inward and the top ring never sits full. Dosing by tape measure would overdose this pool every time. See the 10 ft round pool page for more models of this diameter.
Smaller splash pools without a filter are covered in kiddie pool chlorine, and metal stock tanks in stock tank pools.
Calculator preset to this volume
The calculator above starts at 1,000 gallons. Enter your test results and pick your product to get step-by-step doses for this size. If you know your model's exact capacity, type it in instead. Neighboring sizes: 500 gallons and 2,000 gallons.
Safety. Pre-measure doses away from the pool and away from children. Never mix chlorine and acid, even in the same measuring cup: rinse between products. Always follow the product label. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
FAQ
How much chlorine do I put in a 1,000 gallon pool?
Per 1 ppm: 1.0 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine, 1.3 fl oz of 10%, or 2.1 fl oz of 6% bleach. Aim for 2–4 ppm without stabilizer, or 3–5 ppm at CYA 40, and dose the difference from your test. For other sizes, see how much chlorine to add.
How much shock for a 1,000 gallon pool?
One-tenth of what your shock label says for 10,000 gallons. If it says 1 gallon of liquid chlorine, use about 12.8 fl oz; if it says 1 lb of cal-hypo, use about 1.6 oz. Wait to swim until chlorine is back at or below the label's limit. For an older jug, the liquid chlorine calculator shows how much strength it has lost.
How much muriatic acid for a 1,000 gallon pool?
About 0.9 fl oz of 31.45% acid for pH 7.8 to 7.5 at TA 100 and CYA 40, or about 2.5 fl oz to lower TA by 10 ppm. Add acid to a bucket of pool water, never the other way around.
Sources
- Intex, Easy Set 10 ft × 30 in product page, read 2026-09-29: intexcorp.com
- PHTA fact sheet, Dichlor (CYA added per ppm of chlorine): phta.org
- How every number on this page is calculated: methodology