Target Salinity Calculator
Target Salinity Calculator
Enter pond volume + current salinity (ppt) + target salinity (ppt). This calculates how many pounds of salt you need.
Salinity Reference (ppt vs % + real-world notes)
This calculator uses ppt (parts per thousand). Some meters show percent (%).
Conversion: 1.0 ppt = 0.10%.
| ppt | % | What this level usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 0.3 ppt | 0.03% | Light “background” salt (common) |
| 0.6 ppt | 0.06% | Moderate support / often used temporarily |
| 1.0 ppt | 0.10% | Common “support” level in freshwater systems (species-dependent) |
| 2.0 ppt | 0.20% | Where many pond/wetland plants start to struggle (varies a lot) |
| 3.0 ppt | 0.30% | Common lower end of “salt-as-treatment” ranges for parasite pressure |
| 5.0 ppt | 0.50% | High—more likely to damage plants; used as treatment by some keepers |
Plants: In controlled plant testing, many species show reduced quality around 2–4 ppt, and at 5–6 ppt a lot of species can lose about half biomass/quality. (Your exact plants may be tougher or weaker.)
Nitrite protection rule-of-thumb: add 0.002% salinity per 1 ppm nitrite (that equals 0.02 ppt per 1 ppm nitrite). Example: 5 ppm nitrite → +0.10 ppt.
Nitrite protection rule-of-thumb: add 0.002% salinity per 1 ppm nitrite (that equals 0.02 ppt per 1 ppm nitrite). Example: 5 ppm nitrite → +0.10 ppt.
Enter values and click “Calculate Salt Needed”.
Note: This is dosing math. Pond conditions vary (plants, parasites, temperature, time at level, etc.).