Bestway pools: gallons and chemical care
Bestway rates its Steel Pro MAX 15 ft × 42 in at 3,955 gallons and its Power Steel 22 ft × 52 in at 10,668 gallons.
Always follow your product’s label directions. Pool and spa chlorine, bromine, shock and algaecides are EPA-registered pesticides: use products labeled for pool or spa use, and don’t swim or soak until levels are within the limit on your product’s label. If this page and a label disagree, the label wins.
On this page (7 sections)
Both ratings are at 90% fill, and the Power Steel model is the APX 365. For the 15 ft pool, 5.1 fl oz of 10% liquid chlorine raises free chlorine (FC) by 1 ppm.
Table: Bestway models and capacity
Capacities come from Bestway's US product pages, read on 2026-09-29. One of them, the Steel Pro MAX 12 ft × 30 in, could not be confirmed: its page redirected when we checked, so the value is marked "not confirmed". The ratio column shows how Bestway's figure compares with plain geometry of the nominal size.
| Model | Capacity | Fill basis | Real ÷ nominal geometry | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bestway Fast Set 6ft x 20in | 248 gal939 L | 80% fill | 0.879 | manufacturer |
| Bestway Fast Set 12ft x 30in | 1,421 gal5,379 L | 80% fill | 0.840 | manufacturer |
| Bestway Steel Pro MAX 12ft x 30in | 1,710 gal6,473 L | 90% fill | 0.898 | not confirmed |
| Bestway Steel Pro MAX 15ft x 42in (with LED light) | 3,955 gal14,971 L | 90% fill | 0.950 | manufacturer |
| Bestway APX 365 24ft x 12ft x 52in | 7,937 gal30,045 L | 90% fill | 0.945 | manufacturer |
| Bestway APX 365 22ft x 52in | 10,668 gal40,383 L | 90% fill | 0.962 | manufacturer |
| Bestway APX 365 31ft 4in x 16ft x 52in | 13,798 gal52,231 L | 90% fill | 0.943 | manufacturer |
Capacities read on manufacturer pages on 2026-09-29. "Real ÷ nominal geometry" below 1 means the box size overstates the water volume.
Pick your model in the calculator, and the result uses Bestway's number. Choose "Not listed" to estimate any other size from its diameter and wall height.
Inflatable Fast Set pools hold noticeably less than their size suggests (0.84–0.88 of geometry in our data), while Steel Pro MAX and Power Steel frame pools are at 0.94–0.96. Other brands of the same size are in the above-ground gallons chart.
Start-up chemicals
On a fresh fill, test first, then bring total alkalinity (TA) and pH into range, add stabilizer (cyanuric acid, CYA), and add chlorine last. Amounts below assume tap water with no chlorine and no stabilizer.
| Model (rated capacity) | FC 0 → 3 ppm: 10% liquid chlorine | FC 0 → 3 ppm: 6% bleach | CYA 0 → 30 ppm | TA +20 ppm: baking soda |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Set 6 ft × 20 in (248 gal) | 1.0 fl oz | 1.5 fl oz | 1.0 oz | 1.1 oz |
| Fast Set 12 ft × 30 in (1,421 gal) | 5.5 fl oz | 8.8 fl oz | 5.7 oz | 6.4 oz |
| Steel Pro MAX 12 ft × 30 in (1,710 gal, not confirmed) | 6.6 fl oz | 11 fl oz | 6.8 oz | 7.7 oz |
| Steel Pro MAX 15 ft × 42 in (3,955 gal) | 15 fl oz | 24 fl oz | 15.8 oz | 1.1 lb |
| Power Steel 24 × 12 ft × 52 in (7,937 gal) | 30 fl oz | 49 fl oz | 2.0 lb | 2.2 lb |
| Power Steel 22 ft × 52 in (10,668 gal) | 41 fl oz | 66 fl oz | 2.65 lb | 3.0 lb |
| Power Steel 31 ft 4 in × 16 ft × 52 in (13,798 gal) | 53 fl oz | 85 fl oz | 3.45 lb | 3.85 lb |
Liquid chlorine percent is the trade percent on the jug; bleach percent is by weight. Stabilizer is 100% cyanuric acid granules. Add baking soda only if your test shows TA below 80 ppm. Always follow the product label.
The order and the reasons behind it are the same for every brand. The Intex first-fill walkthrough goes through each step in detail.
Weekly routine
Bestway pools often come with a floating chlorine dispenser for tablets. Tablets are convenient, but they carry a cost you don't see at first: stabilized tablets (trichlor) add about 0.6 ppm of stabilizer for every 1 ppm of chlorine they deliver. If your pool uses 2 ppm of chlorine a day, that is about 8.4 ppm of CYA a week and 36 ppm a month. The more CYA in the water, the higher your minimum chlorine (about 7.5% of the CYA level, so 3 ppm at CYA 40 and 4.5 ppm at CYA 60). The only way to lower CYA is to replace water.
Two ways to handle it:
- Use tablets early in the season to build CYA to 30–50 ppm, then switch to bleach or liquid chlorine, which add no stabilizer.
- Or keep using tablets, test CYA every two weeks, and plan partial water changes.
Either way, test free chlorine and pH often (the CDC's home-pool advice is at least twice a day), keep pH at 7.4–7.6, and clean the filter when flow drops. The full weekly checklist is in above-ground pool maintenance.
Green water
If the water turns green, shock it with a product labeled for shocking pools, and follow that label for how much to add. The label usually gives an amount per 10,000 gallons, so scale it to your Bestway's rated capacity. For example, if the label says 1 gallon per 10,000 gallons, a Steel Pro MAX 15 ft × 42 in (3,955 gal) needs 3,955 ÷ 10,000 × 128 fl oz, or about 51 fl oz.
Brush every day, rinse the filter cartridge daily while you treat, and keep the pump running. Don't swim until free chlorine is back at or below the swim limit on the label (often 4 ppm). If the water is still green after a few days of following the label, repeat as the label directs or call a pool professional.
Winter take-down
Fast Set and most Steel Pro MAX pools are seasonal: many owners drain, dry, and store them in the fall. Check your Bestway manual for the temperature at which the pool should come down and for how to store the liner and pump. If your model is rated for year-round use and you leave it up, close it with balanced water, a cover, and an air pillow. The steps are in how to close an above-ground pool. We did not find a Bestway web page with winter instructions we could cite, so we don't quote a temperature here.
Safety
Don't put tablets in the skimmer unless your pump manual allows it. Never mix chlorine tablets with any other chemical: trichlor and cal-hypo can react violently. Never mix chlorine and acid. Add chemicals to water, one at a time, with the pump running. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222. Always follow the product label. It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.
FAQ
How many gallons in a 12ft Bestway pool?
Bestway rates the Fast Set 12 ft × 30 in at 1,421 gallons (80% fill). The Steel Pro MAX 12 ft × 30 in is listed at 1,710 gallons (90% fill), but we could not confirm that value on Bestway's current site. See the 12 ft round pool page for other brands.
How many gallons in a Bestway pool?
From 248 gallons (Fast Set 6 ft × 20 in) to 13,798 gallons (Power Steel 31 ft 4 in × 16 ft × 52 in) among the models we checked. A 15 ft Steel Pro MAX holds 3,955 gallons; compare it with the 15 ft round pool page.
How many chlorine tablets for an 8ft Bestway pool?
Usually none of the large 3 in tablets. An 8 ft pool holds roughly 500 gallons (similar 8 ft Intex pools are rated at 483–513 gallons), and each ounce of 90% trichlor adds about 13.5 ppm of chlorine and 8 ppm of stabilizer to 500 gallons as it dissolves. Use 1 in tablets in a small floater and adjust by testing, or dose bleach instead: 2.1 fl oz of 6% bleach raises 500 gallons by 2 ppm.
Sources
- Bestway USA product pages (capacities), read 2026-09-29: bestwayusa.com
- PHTA fact sheet, Dichlor (stabilizer added by stabilized chlorine): phta.org
- CDC, Home pool and hot tub water treatment and testing: cdc.gov