How many gallons is a 16 ft round pool?
A 16 ft round pool with a 48 in wall holds about 5,000 gallons.
On this page (7 sections)
Intex rates both the Clearview Prism Frame and the Ultra XTR Frame 16 ft × 48 in at 5,061 gallons. Geometry at 90% fill gives 5,415 gallons for a 48 in wall and 5,866 for a 52 in wall.
Quick answer: 16 ft round pool gallons by wall height
One extra foot of diameter adds more water than you might expect. Volume grows with the square of the diameter, so a 16 ft pool holds about 14% more than a 15 ft pool with the same wall (5,415 vs 4,759 gallons at 48 in). For a "16x52" pool, geometry says 5,866 gallons and our frame-pool estimate is 5,455. The full wall-height table, the two Intex models, and the starting doses are in the data block:
| Wall height | Geometry | Frame pool estimate (× 0.93) | Inflatable estimate (× 0.87) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 in wall | 4,738 gal17,934 L | 4,406 gal | 4,122 gal |
| 48 in wall | 5,415 gal20,496 L | 5,036 gal | 4,711 gal |
| 52 in wall | 5,866 gal22,204 L | 5,455 gal | 5,103 gal |
| 54 in wall | 6,091 gal23,058 L | 5,665 gal | 5,300 gal |
Geometry = π/4 × diameter² × water depth × 7.48. Real pools hold less than the nominal size suggests. The factors are medians of 26 manufacturer capacities (our own calculation).
| Model | Capacity | Fill basis | Real ÷ nominal geometry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intex Clearview Prism Frame 16ft x 48in | 5,061 gal19,158 L | 90% fill | 0.935 | manufacturer |
| Intex Ultra XTR Frame 16ft x 48in | 5,061 gal19,158 L | 90% fill | 0.935 | manufacturer |
| Change | Amount |
|---|---|
| +1 ppm FC (12.5% liquid chlorine) | 5.2 fl oz152 mL |
| +10 ppm TA (baking soda) | 11.3 oz320 g |
| +10 ppm CYA (stabilizer) | 6.7 oz191 g |
Closest full chart: 5,000 gal dose chart.
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.
Manufacturer capacities for this size
The two Intex models share a rating of 5,061 gallons at 90% fill. That is 0.935 of plain geometry, right at the median of the 26 capacities we checked. The 16 × 48 shows why the calculator multiplies frame pools by 0.93: a perfect circle of that size and depth would hold 5,415 gallons, and the manufacturer says 354 fewer. On a chlorine dose, that is a 7% difference: small for a single top-up, but noticeable over a season of daily dosing.
Starting doses for this volume
At 5,061 gallons, a 16 × 48 pool lines up with the 5,000 gallon dose chart almost exactly. The most common amounts:
- Chlorine, +1 ppm: 5.2 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine, 6.5 fl oz of 10%, or 10 fl oz of 6% bleach.
- Alkalinity, +10 ppm: 11.3 oz of baking soda.
- Stabilizer on a fresh fill: 1.25 lb takes stabilizer (CYA) from 0 to 30 ppm; 1.7 lb takes it to 40 ppm.
- Salt for a new salt system: about 135 lb to reach 3,200 ppm, three 40 lb bags plus 15 lb. Your chlorinator's manual sets the real target.
Have a 52 in wall instead? Use the 5,455-gallon estimate: 5.6 fl oz of 12.5% chlorine per ppm. Always follow the product label. It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
Calculator: your exact depth
Set the diameter to 16 ft and enter your wall height and fill level. If your pool isn't one of the Intex models but has a steel wall or a frame, leave the pool type on "Metal frame".
Chemicals per week for this size (estimate from your own loss)
Log your free chlorine (FC) reading at the same hour for a few days; the average daily drop is your baseline. For 5,061 gallons, a loss of 1.5 ppm a day is 54 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine a week, and 2 ppm a day is 73 fl oz, a bit over half a gallon jug. Weeks with heavy swimming or a heat wave run higher. If the drop overnight (no sun) is more than about 1 ppm, the chlorine is being used up by something in the water, not by sunlight. See chlorine not holding.
Safety. Measure chemicals in clean, dry, labeled containers, one product per container. Add liquid chlorine in front of a return jet with the pump on; add acid at a different time. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
FAQ
How many gallons is a 16x48 above ground pool?
Intex rates both of its 16 ft × 48 in frame pools at 5,061 gallons (90% fill). Plain geometry gives 5,415 gallons, so use 5,061 for dosing unless your manual says otherwise.
How much chlorine for a 16 ft pool?
About 5.2 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine or 10 fl oz of 6% bleach per 1 ppm in a 48 in pool. Raising free chlorine from 1 to 4 ppm takes about 16 fl oz of 12.5% chlorine.
How long does it take to fill a 16 ft pool?
About 16.9 hours at 5 gallons per minute or 8.4 hours at 10 gallons per minute for 5,061 gallons. Filling over two days is fine; follow your pool manual for when to start the pump.
Sources
- Intex Clearview Prism Frame 16 ft × 48 in, read 2026-09-29: intexcorp.com
- Intex Ultra XTR Frame 16 ft × 48 in, read 2026-09-29: intexcorp.com
- Hayward, salt dosing: hayward.com
- Volume formulas, correction factors, and dose math: methodology