What is a safe reading for a pool pump gauge

Well.. for my above ground pool.. I read around 15 psi. when it reaches close to 20, I backwash the filter and it drops back down. Typical for most above grounds.

It depends on your pump and filter. Some larger units will carry 30 pounds. But, the average is 10-25. StaticFX is correct. Backwash your filter when it reaches 5 pounds greater psi than what it registers with a clean filter.