Calculate Your Pool Volume
How to use the Pool Volume Calculator?
To get the total volume of a pool, you need to enter the following items:
- Length: How long is your pool? If it’s a custom pool, this may be harder to determine, so we suggest going from the longest endpoints.
- Width: Similar to length, the width is the longest point in the pool from one end to another.
- Shallow End: It’s important you measure the amount of water for this calculation and not the height of the pool itself. You should only measure how high it can be
- Deep End: Similar to our calculation on the shallow end, you should calculate from the highest point you see the water.
Pool Volume Calculation Explained
Here is a great tool for calculating your pool’s volume or capacity. Important! Remember to measure from the depth of the water rather than the height of your wall.
More complicated pool shapes will require multiple calculations and adding them together. For more detailed information on the calculations, read more below the calculator. For additional help, contact a swimming pool professional.
Geometric Formulas
A simple method of calculating pool size is the use of geometric formulas. Following are the basic formulas and calculations to determine surface areas:
- Area of a square or rectangle: A = L x W
- Area of a right triangle: A = (L x W)/2
- Area of a circle: A = Pi x r x r
Calculating Volume
The cubic volume can be calculated by including the depth of the pool with the surface area. For accurate calculations, the pool should be divided into various areas according to the depth:
- Constant Depth Pools: Square or Rectangular – Length x width x depth x 7.5 = volume (in gallons)
- Variable Depth Pools: Square and Rectangular – Length x width x average depth x 7.5 = volume (in gallons)
Measure the pool’s length, width, and average depth, rounding each measurement off to the nearest foot or percentage of one foot.
Circular Pools
The formula: 3.14 x radius squared x average depth x 7.5 = volume (in gallons)
In measuring the capacity of a circular pool, you might need to calculate two or three areas within the pool and add them together to arrive at a total volume.
Kidney or Irregular Shapes
Two methods are used to calculate the capacity of irregular shapes. First, imagine the pool as a combination of smaller, regular shapes. Add these volumes together to determine the total capacity.
0.45 x (A+B) x length x average depth x 7.5 = volume (in gallons)
Parts Per Million (ppm)
One part per million (ppm) represents 8.3 pounds of chemical per million gallons of water.
Pouring one gallon of chlorine into a million gallons of water does not equate to 1 ppm due to their unequal densities. This discrepancy arises because a gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds, whereas a gallon of chlorine in a 15 percent solution weighs 10 pounds. Consequently, being denser, chlorine occupies more volume than an equivalent amount of water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to measure the depth of the water and not the height of the pool walls?
Measuring the water depth ensures accurate volume calculations since the walls might not be completely filled with water. Using the water depth allows for precise chemical and capacity measurements.
What should I do if my pool has an irregular shape?
For irregularly shaped pools:
– Divide the pool into smaller, regular shapes (e.g., rectangles, triangles, circles).
– Use geometric formulas to calculate the area of each shape.
– Add the volumes of the smaller shapes together to determine the total capacity.
Alternatively, use the formula: 0.45×(A+B)×length×average depth×7.5=volume in gallons where 𝐴 A and 𝐵 B are the areas of two ends of the pool.
What are the basic geometric formulas for calculating pool areas?
Here are the formulas for common shapes:
– Square or Rectangle: 𝐴 = 𝐿 × 𝑊 A=L×W
– Right Triangle: 𝐴 = ( 𝐿 × 𝑊 ) 2 A= 2 (L×W)
– Circle: 𝐴 = 𝜋 × 𝑟 2 A=π×r 2 (where 𝑟 r is the radius)
Why is the 7.5 multiplier used in volume calculations?
The multiplier 7.5 converts cubic feet to gallons because 1 cubic foot equals approximately 7.48 gallons. Rounding to 7.5 simplifies the calculation.
How do I calculate the parts per million (ppm) for pool chemicals?
One part per million (ppm) represents 8.3 pounds of chemical per million gallons of water.
However, note that:
– 1 gallon of chlorine in a 15% solution weighs about 10 pounds, while 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds.
– This density difference means chlorine occupies more volume than water, so adjust your chemical quantities accordingly.