If your pool is new or has fresh water, add about 50 lbs. of salt per 2,000 gallons of water. The salt level should be around 4,000 ppm (parts per million) for new pools. If you are transitioning an existing pool to salt water, test the water to find the existing chlorine level. The salt level should be between 2,000 and 4,000 ppm.
Turn on your pool pump, and open the bottom drain. Use the plastic scoop or a plastic cup to pour the salt over the drain instead of walking it all around the pool. You want the salt to go into the drain, so it can run through the chlorinator and back into the pool.
Granular salt will be mostly dissolved by the time it reaches the drain. If you are using larger salt grains, use the brush to push them toward the drain. You can also brush them around to help dissolution.
With the correct amount of salt, you should not notice the salt in the water. Adding too much salt may give the water a salty taste. If your salt levels reach over 6,000 ppm, then you risk corrosion of damage to the metallic equipment.
Continue to run the pump for 24 hours so that the salt can spread throughout the entire pool.