How many gallons in a 15×48 pool?
A 15 ft round pool with 48 in walls, filled to 42 in, holds about 4,627 gallons. Filled to the top of the wall it would be 5,288 gallons.
How to work it out
- 3.1416 × (15 ft ÷ 2)² = 177 sq ft
- Water depth: 48 in wall − 6 in = 42 in
- 176.7 sq ft × 3.5 ft × 7.48 = 4,627 gal
A 15 × 48 is a typical first frame pool: deep enough for adults to stand in, small enough to set up on a weekend. At under 5,000 gallons its chemical doses are measured in ounces, which makes overdosing easy if you go by a “per 10,000 gallon” label without scaling it.
Adjust for your project
- Gallons if filled to the top of the wall
- 5,288 gal
- Water depth
- 42 in
- Water surface
- 177 sq ft
- Water in each inch of level
- 110 gal
15 ft round pool by water depth
| Water depth | Gallons at your water level |
|---|---|
| 36 in | 3,966 gal |
| 38 in | 4,186 gal |
| 40 in | 4,406 gal |
| 42 in | 4,627 gal |
| 44 in | 4,847 gal |
| 48 in | 5,288 gal |
Dosing a 4,600-gallon pool
The surface is about 177 sq ft — 110 gallons for every inch of water. At 42 in deep that is roughly 4,600 gallons, so label rates written for 10,000 gallons need to be cut to just under half.
- Chlorine. One ppm is about 4.7 fl oz of 12.5% liquid chlorine. A 3 ppm daily top-up is about 14 fl oz.
- Shock. A 1 lb bag of 73% cal-hypo would add about 19 ppm here — more than a routine shock needs. Measure part of a bag, or use liquid.
- Tablets. One 8 oz tablet adds roughly 11–12 ppm to this volume, so a floater with several tablets can drive chlorine — and stabilizer — up quickly.
- Small pump, small filter. An 8-hour turnover needs only about 10 gpm.
A 15 ft pool with a 52 in wall, filled to 46 in, holds about 5,070 gallons. Sizes around it: how many gallons in a 12x30 pool and how many gallons in an 18x48 pool. Before you set it up, see how much sand for a 15 ft above-ground pool.
Different size? Use the full Above-Ground Pool Gallons Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Pool test stripsBudget price
Quick daily checks. Fine for spotting a trend; use a drop kit when you’re about to add a big dose or shock.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Measuring pitcher (marked in oz and ml)Budget price
Measure doses instead of glugging from the jug. Keep one for acid and a separate one for chlorine.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Hose water flow meterBudget price
Screws onto the hose and counts gallons, so you know exactly how much went in — and your real fill rate.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
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Frequently asked questions
How many gallons in a 15 ft round pool 52 inches deep?
About 5,728 gallons with a full 52 in of water.
How many gallons in a 15 ft round pool 42 inches deep?
About 4,627 gallons.
Other common sizes
- How many gallons in a 24 ft round pool — 12,972 gal
- How many gallons in an 18x48 pool — 6,662 gal
- How many gallons in a 12x30 pool — 1,904 gal
- How many gallons in a 21 ft round pool — 9,932 gal
- How many gallons in a 27 ft round pool — 16,418 gal
- How many gallons in a 15x30 oval pool — 11,519 gal
- How many gallons in an 18x33 oval pool — 15,039 gal
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C — General tables of units of measurement (opens in a new tab) — 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches (7.48052 gallons per cubic foot).
- Intex — Ultra XTR Frame 24 ft × 52 in pool (product page) (opens in a new tab) — Lists a water capacity of 12,481 gallons for a 24 ft × 52 in pool; the fill depth is not stated.
- Intex — Ultra XTR Frame 18 ft × 52 in pool (product page) (opens in a new tab) — Lists 6,981 gallons.
- Intex — Ultra XTR Frame 16 ft × 48 in pool (product page) (opens in a new tab) — Lists “5,061 gallons (90%)” — capacity at 90% of the wall height.