Log every chemical addition with before and after readings
Pool Name / Location:
Volume (US gal):
Dimensions (L x W x avg depth, ft):
Type (chlorine / saltwater):
Surface (inground / above-ground):
Date Started:
Dosing is not guesswork once you track it. Writing down the amount and the reading on each side of every addition builds a record of exactly how your pool reacts, so you stop overshooting and start dialing it in.
Chemical safety, every time
Never mix pool chemicals together, especially different chlorine types or chlorine and acid. Dangerous gas can form.
Always add chemical to water, never water to chemical. Pre-dissolve or broadcast per the product label.
Run the pump while you dose so the chemical circulates.
Wait, then retest before re-dosing. Add in steps rather than all at once.
Store chemicals separately, sealed, and away from kids and pets.
Chemical Dosing Tracker
Record every addition: what you added, how much, and the reading before and after. This is how you learn how your specific pool responds, so next time you dose right the first time.
Ideal ranges (backyard pools)
Free chlorine (FC): set by your CYA. Target roughly 7.5% of CYA, so CYA 30 wants about FC 2 to 3, CYA 50 wants about FC 4 to 6. Salt pools run higher CYA, so dose to the cell and the FC/CYA ratio.
Combined chlorine (CC): 0 to 0.5 ppm. Above 0.5 means it is time to shock.
pH: 7.2 to 7.8. Lower with muriatic acid, raise with soda ash.
Total alkalinity (TA): 60 to 120 ppm. Baking soda raises it.
CYA (stabilizer): 30 to 50 for a chlorine pool, 60 to 80 for a saltwater pool. Lower CYA only by draining and refilling.
Calcium hardness (CH): 200 to 400 ppm.
Salt (saltwater pools): about 3,000 to 3,200 ppm, or whatever your salt cell calls for.
Date
Chemical (type)
Amount added
Reading before
Reading after
Notes
Notes
Which product and strength you used (liquid chlorine %, cal-hypo, dichlor, trichlor, muriatic acid, soda ash, baking soda), and how long you waited before retesting.
Dosing amounts depend on your exact volume and current readings. Always calculate from a fresh test, follow the product label, add in steps, and retest before adding more. Dosing and range figures are estimates from standard pool-care formulas and are not a substitute for testing your own water. Educational only. Always follow the product label and local guidance.